How Is Josiah Strong Instrumental To The Thought Of American Religious Imperialism

Stephanson uses Josiah Strong, who is instrumental to the thought of American religious imperialism. Stephanson states, Strong’s ideas were central to the want to conquer particular social ills. In order to do so, Strong utilizes “three important strands of late-nineteenth-century U.S. Protestantism: ‘liberal’ theology; mission at home and abroad; and the social gospel ”. Liberal theology was a reinvention of natural theology in order to fuse God and history into a progressive evolution of the fittest individuals. Missionary activity was key to American church life, these organizations reached their peak toward the end of the century because of the following: the necessity to maintain a firm position while being against the changes of corruption, filth and aliens at home. Abroad, because of the desire to spread Christianity to uncivilized areas. Christian missionaries were a consistent element of the ‘expansionist’ movement, they were an important feature of the United States foreign relations effort after the Civil War. Stephanson states, “The social gospel, finally, was the reformist element in this system: things needed to be remedied, redeemed, regenerated. Seen from that angle, Strong was a direct precursor of the wider reformism of the “Progressive Era” after the turn of the century ”.

McCartney stresses the emphasis on the intertwined ideas of Manifest Destiny and colonial rule. Stephanson views Manifest Destiny as a form of national ideology. The overall consensus is that American missionaries used the concept of Manifest Destiny as justification for going to Cuba. Whether the actual intention was to spread Christian values or to use that as vessel to force American morals into Cuban culture should be coupled with the feelings of White Man’s burden because this concept adds to American’s justification for intervention in the 1898