J. Gresham Machen, Christianity and Liberalism

Wm. B. Eerdmans Publising Company, 1923, 189 pgs.

Summary: Dr. Machen’s (1881-1937) trenchant review of Christian liberalism and a defense of historical orthodoxy written in 1923. Machen was born and buried in Baltimore. His grave is at Greenmount Cemetery.

Liberalism as a theological construct is an attempt to split the difference between the religion revealed in the Bible and modern Epicurean or materialistic interpretations of nature. Machen taught that liberalism was simply not “the faith once handed down to the saints.”

“The liberal preacher is really rejecting the whole basis of Christianity, which is a religion founded not on aspirations, but on facts. Here is found the most fundamental difference between liberalism and Christianity—liberalism is altogether in the imperative mood, while Christianity begins with a triumphant indicative; liberalism appeals to man’s will, while Christianity announces, first, a gracious act of God” (47).

Benefits/Detriments: Evangelicalism cycles through spasms of attempting to compromise with the reigning intellectual systems. Until the prevalent non-Christian worldview stops being materialistic, Christianity and Liberalism will need to be read and re-read by the succeeding generations. Machen’s work also addresses many of the basic issues within theological relativism.

Recommend for all, but especially for pastors and college students.