Christianity and Liberalism

J. Gresham Machen wrote this theological treatise in 1923 as theological liberalism was gaining influence within American Protestant denominations, particularly his own Presbyterian Church. As a New Testament scholar at Princeton Theological Seminary, Machen witnessed firsthand the growing acceptance of liberal Protestant theology that reinterpreted traditional Christian doctrines through modern philosophical and scientific frameworks. He became convinced that this movement represented not a legitimate development of Christianity but an entirely different religion.

Machen systematically demonstrates that liberalism and historic Christianity are fundamentally incompatible worldviews. He examines liberalism's approach to doctrine, God and man, the Bible, Christ, and salvation, arguing that liberal theology empties these concepts of their traditional meaning while retaining familiar language. Where orthodox Christianity affirms supernatural revelation, divine transcendence, human sinfulness, Christ's deity and atoning death, and salvation by grace, liberalism substitutes natural religion, divine immanence, human goodness, Christ's moral example, and salvation through ethical progress. Machen contends that liberalism represents a return to the legalism and works-righteousness that the Reformation rejected, wrapped in modern terminology. His argument is not merely negative but constructive, as he articulates what he sees as the essential elements of biblical Christianity that must be preserved against liberal erosion.

The work became a foundational text for twentieth-century conservative evangelicalism and fundamentalism, providing intellectual ammunition for those resisting liberal theology's influence in denominations and seminaries. Machen's scholarly credentials and careful argumentation gave theological weight to conservative resistance movements. The book remains influential among Reformed and evangelical Christians who see similar battles being fought in contemporary church debates. Who should read this: pastors and theologians grappling with questions of doctrinal boundaries and theological method, and anyone seeking to understand the historical roots of evangelical-liberal divisions in American Protestantism. This is not recommended for those seeking irenic dialogue between theological traditions or those uncomfortable with stark either-or theological judgments.