--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It is important to note that the Great…" description: "\"“It is important to note that the Great Reversal preceded the rise of the welfare state in America. Lyndon Johnson’s War on Poverty did not occur until..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/680/steve-corbett-49724_new-deal_it-is-important-to-note-that-the-great-r_1356178.jpg" --- # It is important to note that the Great Reversal preceded… ![“It is important to note that the Great Reversal preceded the rise of the welfare state in America. Lyndon Johnson’s War on Poverty did not occur until the 1960s, and even FDR’s relatively modest New Deal policies were not launched until the 1930s. In short, the evangelical church’s retreat from…” quote by Steve Corbett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/680/steve-corbett-49724_new-deal_it-is-important-to-note-that-the-great-r_1356178.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/680/steve-corbett-49724_new-deal_it-is-important-to-note-that-the-great-r_1356178.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/680/steve-corbett-49724_new-deal_it-is-important-to-note-that-the-great-r_1356178.jpg) > ““It is important to note that the Great Reversal preceded the rise of the welfare state in America. Lyndon Johnson’s War on Poverty did not occur until the 1960s, and even FDR’s relatively modest New Deal policies were not launched until the 1930s. In short, the evangelical church’s retreat from poverty alleviation was fundamentally due to shifts in theology and not—as many have asserted—to government programs that drove the church away from ministry to the poor. While the rise of government programs may have exacerbated the church’s retreat, they were not the primary cause. Theology matters, and the church needs to rediscover a Christ-centered, fully orbed perspective of the kingdom.”” [Steve Corbett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-corbett/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The evangelical shift away from helping the poor stemmed mainly from theological changes, not from the emergence of welfare programs. **In simple terms:** Churches stopped helping the poor because of theology, not government. Key Takeaway Re‑examine theology to refocus on Christ‑centered service. Themes theology church poverty politics history Mood reflective critical thoughtful Type analytical historical When to use this quote - church leadership meetings - seminary classes - policy debates - community outreach - academic conferences Key Concepts Christ‑centered ministry social doctrine public policy religious identity Questions to Reflect On - How can churches balance theological convictions with social responsibility? - What theological teachings most directly support poverty alleviation? A Different Perspective The influence of economic factors and cultural shifts may also be significant. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Cause Theology](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cause-theology-4626932/) [Evangelical](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/evangelical/) [Lyndon johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lyndon-johnson/) [New deal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/new-deal/) [Religion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/religion/) [Retreat Poverty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/retreat-poverty-4626933/) [Shifts Theology](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/shifts-theology-4626931/) [Theology Matters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/theology-matters-2636592/) [War on poverty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/war-on-poverty/) [Welfare state](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/welfare-state/) ## Related quotes > [I've come to learn that theology matters. It matters not because we want to impress people, but because what we know about God shapes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joshua-harris/i-ve-come-to-learn-that-theology-matters-it-matters-not-because-we/) [Joshua Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joshua-harris/) > [President Lyndon Johnson's administration was known for his War on Poverty. President Obama's will become notable for his War on Prosperity. We're speaking, of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dick-morris/president-lyndon-johnson-s-administration-was-known-for-his-war-on/) [Dick Morris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dick-morris/) > [“All of this goes back to Bill Clinton. 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In fact, during the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mona-charen/liberals-cling-to-the-idea-that-critics-of-welfare-are-motivated-by/) [Mona Charen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mona-charen/) > [part of the problem with a war on poverty today is that many Americans have decided that being poor is a character defect, not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anna-quindlen/part-of-the-problem-with-a-war-on-poverty-today-is-that-many/) [Anna Quindlen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-quindlen/) > [Middle-class-led reform movements, from the Progressive Era to the War on Poverty, have been marred by an elitist distance from the would-be beneficiaries of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-ehrenreich/middle-class-led-reform-movements-from-the-progressive-era-to-the-war/) [Barbara Ehrenreich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-ehrenreich/) > [“Since I had the inclinatation and the training, helping people came naturally. I wasn't thinking in terms of organizing members, but just a duty…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cesar-chavez/since-i-had-the-inclinatation-and-the-training-helping-people-came/) [Cesar Chavez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cesar-chavez/) > [Peace is something more than the absence of war, although some nations would be thankful for that alone today. A durable and equitable peace…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/willy-brandt/peace-is-something-more-than-the-absence-of-war-although-some-nations/) [Willy Brandt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/willy-brandt/) > [ The origins of these \[schooling\] federal policies were tied to President Johnson's war on poverty. Supplemental funds were sent to school districts serving poor… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pedro-noguera/the-origins-of-these-schooling-federal-policies-were-tied-to/) [Pedro Noguera](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pedro-noguera/) > [I believe the war on poverty is a more American idea than the war on the war on poverty. I believe that most people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-springsteen/i-believe-the-war-on-poverty-is-a-more-american-idea-than-the-war-on/) [Bruce Springsteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-springsteen/) > [One of the most durable successes of the war on poverty was to dramatically reduce the number of elderly poor in America. That's still…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sasha-abramsky/one-of-the-most-durable-successes-of-the-war-on-poverty-was-to/) [Sasha Abramsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sasha-abramsky/) > [“The line in the sand that Carter drew along Iran’s Zagros Mountains now stretches from Central Asia through the Middle East and across the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-j-bacevich/the-line-in-the-sand-that-carter-drew-along-iran-s-zagros-mountains/) [Andrew J. Bacevich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-j-bacevich/) > [Any city, however small, is in fact divided into two, one the city of the poor, the other of the rich; these are at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/plato/any-city-however-small-is-in-fact-divided-into-two-one-the-city-of/) [Plato](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/plato/) > [There was never a war on poverty. Maybe there was a skirmish on poverty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-cuomo/there-was-never-a-war-on-poverty-maybe-there-was-a-skirmish-on-poverty/) [Andrew Cuomo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-cuomo/) ## More by Steve Corbett > [“Mark Gornik, a theologian, pastor, and community developer in the United States, says, “Here then from both James and Paul is a central witness…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-corbett/mark-gornik-a-theologian-pastor-and-community-developer-in-the-united/) [Steve Corbett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-corbett/) > [“missions expert Miriam Adeney relates a story told to her by an African Christian friend: Elephant and Mouse were best friends. 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