Which movement aimed to apply Christian ethics to improve urban life?

• A. Social Gospel
• B. Settlement houses
• C. Hull House
• D. Muckraking

Answer: (A)

The Social Gospel movement aimed to apply Christian ethics to urban life. It held that religious faith should be put into action to tackle the social problems created by industrialization and urbanization—poverty, unsafe housing, long work hours, low wages, and child labor. Leaders of this movement urged churches to engage in reforms and support social welfare, public health, housing laws, education, and labor protections. Settlement houses were practical efforts to bring these ideas to life, offering services like education, childcare, healthcare, and advocacy for the urban poor; Hull House in Chicago is the best-known example. Muckraking, while part of the broader reform era, focused on investigative journalism to expose corruption rather than applying Christian ethics to city life.