Protestant religious leader, born in Pottsgrove, Pennsylvania, USA. Raised on an uncle's farm in New York state, he studied at Williams College (1859), served several New England Congregational churches and was religious editor for The Independent (18715). In 1882 he accepted the pastorship of the First Congregational Church of Columbus, OH, where he remained for the rest of his life. An advocate of the social gospel, he believed enlightened Christians could ameliorate social and economic ills. He wrote more than 40 books, including an autobiography, Recollections (1909).
Washington Gladden (February 11, 1836 - July 2, 1918) was a leading American Congregational church pastor and early leader of the Social Gospel movement. He was a leading member of the Progressive Movement, serving for two years as a member of the Columbus and campaigning against Boss Tweed as acting editor of the New York Independent. Gladden was probably the first leading U.S. religious figure to support unionization of the workforce;
Early years
Gladden was born in 1836 in Pottsgrove, Pennsylvania to devout parents as Solomon Washington Gladden. Gladden's father died when he was six and he spent much of his childhood living with his uncle on a farm in Owego, New York.
Gladden became a journalist at the age of 16 and changed his name around the same time. While at Williams, Gladden wrote its alma mater song, The Mountains.
Early Career 1860-1882
Gladden was ordained as a minister in 1860 and started his career working in New York City. In his 1909 autobiography Recollections, Gladden wrote that he wanted to practice as a minister "a religion that laid hold upon life, and proposed first and foremost, to realise the Kingdom of God in this world."
In 1866, Gladden moved to North Adams, Massachusetts, serving as pastor until 1871.
In 1875, Gladden became the Congregationalist pastor in Springfield, Massachusetts. Gladden was the first notable U.S. clergyman to approve of unions. Gladden did not support socialism or laissez faire economics, advocating instead the application of "Christian law" to issues.
Columbus Years 1882-1918
Gladden became the pastor of the First Congregational Church in Columbus, Ohio in 1882, and would serve in that position for thirty-two years. During that time, Gladden would develop his reputation as a religious leader and as a community leader.
He helped to promote modernist views in books such as Burning Questions (1890) and Who Wrote the Bible (1891). In Who Wrote the Bible, Gladden stated: "it is idle to try to force the narrative of Genesis into an exact correspondence with geological science."
Gladden served a term on the Columbus City Council between 1900 and 1902 and became an advocate of municipal ownership of public works.
He was Vice President of the American Missionary Association between 1894 and 1901 and served as the President of the organization between 1901 and 1904.
He resigned as President of the American Missionary Association to take up a position as the Moderator of the National Council of Congregational Churches in 1904.
Gladden was the President of Ohio State University until his battle with the American Protective Association over its nativistic rhetoric cost him that position.
Gladden is credited with having written a number of hymns including O Master, Let Me Walk With Thee.
Partial bibliography
Washington Gladden wrote 40 books during his life. the Churches 1885 Applied Christianity 1887 Burning Questions 1890 Who Wrote the Bible 1891 The Church & Hopkins The Rise of the Social Gospel in American Protestantism 1865-1915 (1940 Washington Gladden Recollections 1909
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