A challenge within the Church today entails our approach to the social problems of our time. In my own life and ministry context within the neighborhoods of Detroit, I encounter the harsh realities of racism and poverty on a daily basis. These and other societal maladies act as significant hurdles to the life of shalom sought after by all image-bearers of the Triune God. How does our Reformed faith inform our response to these problems?

These questions are not new for Christians or the Christian Reformed Church. In fact, Louis Berkhof was grappling with them over a hundred years ago when he wrote an essay entitled “The Church and Social Problems” (Eerdmans, 1913). I read much of Berkhof during my seminary journey, but I didn’t stumble upon this little gem of an article until recently. Here’s his premise:

And sociologists loudly proclaim that the Reformation was merely intent on the redemption of the individual, and completely lost sight of the other part of its duty,—the emancipation of society. And not only the Reformation, they say, but the Church ever since failed to address itself to this important task. Some claim that the Church even today, even in this social age, is serenely negligent of social problems. Is the charge true? And if so, does it mean that the Church is guilty of neglecting her duty? Has the Church a task to perform with respect to social problems? What ought she to do? These are questions that force themselves on our attention, and are well worthy of our consideration.

In his essay, Berkhof noted how the awareness of a need for social reform was increased through industrialization, the popularization of education, and the rise of Socialism. For each of these cultural movements, Berkhof identified the ways in which they had either furthered or inhibited the opportunity for human flourishing. Regardless of their ultimate outcomes, he noted that “The eyes of the people have been opened, and they have been led to see how social injustice is enthroned in high places.”

Similarly today, through historical events and current cultural movements, there is a growing awareness of the ways that social injustice is deeply ingrained in established structures and places of power in society. Consequently, Christians looking through the lens of a Reformed worldview need to be able to clearly respond to those unjust structures while avoiding the idealization of false panaceas within this sin-fractured world.

Even as Berkhof described the growing awareness of social injustice, he also illustrated the ways in which real social problems can be addressed through social movements that “maintain the present social order, but correct its evils.” He identified—much to the chagrin of many modern Reformed Christians—the benefits of abolishing the saloon as a distributor of intoxicating beverages. Berkhof also affirmed government-subsidized recreation centers for the provision of safe places for children living in cramped conditions to enjoy the beauty of creation and the wonder of play. Interestingly, Berkhof positively regarded many outcomes of the labor movement, including trade unions, for providing “social betterment of the workingmen, though not always in a way that meets with our approval.” He was able to value the important outcomes of the labor movement without always affirming its methodology. This distinction helps us to understand that Berkhof’s desire to see tangible relief for those suffering under social injustice was an important priority.

Berkhof also validated a practice that has been promoted more recently as “Relocation” by the Christian Community Development Association (CCDA) and noted Civil Rights leader Dr. John Perkins. “Men and women of high character take up their abode in the slum districts*,”* said Berkhof, “to influence by their lives those that stand on a lower level.” While Berkhof’s language is somewhat condescending by modern standards, it indicated a primarily moral purpose behind the practice of physical proximity to those struggling with systemic challenges. Additionally, he quoted Josiah Strong in his work The Challenge of the City (p. 254): “When different social classes come into frequent contact, they in some measure modify each other.” This quote highlights the need for solidarity and reciprocity between those who choose to relocate and those who remain in disinvested neighborhoods. As the CCDA website states:

By relocating, a person will understand most clearly the real problems facing the poor; and then he or she may begin to look for real solutions… Relocation transforms “you, them, and theirs” to “we, us, and ours.” Effective ministries plant and build communities of believers that have a personal stake in the development of their neighborhoods.

This practice continues to be a key aspect of Christian engagement with social problems. Without proximity to those who experience personal and systemic challenges, the Church will lose its ability to be heard regarding the Good News of Christ.

My experience of living and learning in the neighborhoods of Detroit over the past twenty years has shaped me profoundly. After reading his essay, I like to imagine Louis Berkhof as one of my Detroit neighbors, also on a journey of seeking “the emancipation of society” from his transformationalist perspective. We do well to consider our role today in that same venture while walking in the spirit of our Reformed ancestors.