“Brotherhood Extended to All Practical Affairs”: The Social Gospel as the Religion of the Agrarian Revolt in Ontario?

Abstract

Formed in 1914, the United Farmers of Ontario (UFO) was significantly influenced by the Social Gospel, an international theological tendency within Protestantism that emphasized Christianity’s duty to eliminate social injustice. This influence can be seen by examining the UFO’s leadership; its official newspaper, the Farmer’s Sun; and the opinions of its rank and file. Yet it should also be noted that the diverse currents within the Social Gospel could divide the UFO. Christianity was both a potent source of political mobilization and the grounds for conflict in the Ontario farmers’ movement.