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The focus on personal experience and personal morality have at times hampered effective social ministry among Baptists. However, numerous Baptists have argued for a social gospel. American Baptist Walter Rauschenbusch of New York (d.1918) is considered the "father" of the social gospel, which attempted to address social/corporate sin amid America's rising capitalism. Twentieth century Baptists in the South also produced some social progressives, though not as many as in the North.
Historically, the vast majority of Baptists supported the separation of church and state, but this never meant a complete detachment from politics. In the 17th and 18th centuries, colonial Baptists persistently lobbied legislatures for religious liberty. A favorite anecdote is that popular evangelist John Leland told James Madison that he would not oppose him as a candidate for the Constitutional Convention if Madison would make sure a Bill of Rights were secured which provided for religious liberty.
In the 20th century, Baptists had their share of influential politicians. For example, the first president of the Northern Baptist Convention (1907), Charles Evan Hughes, was a governor of New York (1906-1910), secretary of state to two presidents and the first Baptist to serve as Chief Justice of the U.S. Supreme Court (1930-1941). Baptists have also had their share of American presidents: Warren G. Harding, Harry Truman, Jimmy Carter and Bill Clinton.
But perhaps no Baptist has been more influential in the United States than Billy Graham. The Southern Baptist preacher has been an advisor to nearly every president since Harry Truman, and is believed to have preached the gospel to more people in live audiences than anyone else in history–an estimated 215 million people in more than 185 countries.
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