Author and former Moody Church senior pastor Erwin Lutzer has co-authored a new book comparing the influence, beliefs and legacies of Karl Marx and evangelist Dwight L. Moody, two prominent figures of the 19th century.
'Marx and Moody: Two Contemporaries. Two Gospels. Two Tombstones. One Choice' was written with Gregg Quiggle, a former historical theology professor at Moody Bible Institute, and published last month by Moody Publishers.
Lutzer contributed the sections on Marx, while Quiggle wrote about Moody and the evangelist’s ministry, social outreach and lasting institutional influence.
Lutzer told The Christian Post that the idea emerged during a visit to Marx’s grave at Highgate Cemetery in London, where he was preparing to record a lecture.
While there, he realized Marx and Moody were contemporaries and that Marx’s collaborator Friedrich Engels had once attended one of Moody’s revival meetings in England.
“That began an interest, and I said, ‘What we need is a book that actually highlights these two individuals,’” Lutzer said. “Here are two towering figures in the 1800s.”
In his chapters, Lutzer examines Marx’s role in shaping communism and socialism and contrasts that worldview with Moody’s Christian understanding of humanity, morality and redemption.
Lutzer said the continued influence of socialist ideas in modern politics also helped motivate the project.
He cited *The Communist Manifesto*, in which Marx and Friedrich Engels wrote that “Communism abolishes eternal truths, it abolishes all religion, and all morality.”
“Well, the Democratic Socialists wouldn't say that,” Lutzer explained. “They're not saying you should stop believing in eternal truths such as God. Now, eventually there will be various things that will happen that will be the ongoing implications, but for now, it is primarily an economic theory.”
Lutzer argued that the appeal of socialism often rests more on its promises than its historical results. However, the book’s other central figure offers a dramatically different legacy.
Born into poverty and with little formal education, Moody became a successful shoe salesman before devoting his life to Christian ministry and becoming one of the best-known evangelists of his era.
He preached throughout North America and Europe, founded schools, helped establish churches and supported ministries serving poor and vulnerable communities.
Lutzer compared Moody’s influence to that of Billy Graham and said he was struck by how seriously Moody addressed both spiritual and material needs.
“There were times when he distributed food, he had founded orphanages, that is he would inspire people,” Lutzer told CP. “He would begin a ministry, put somebody else in charge of it, begin another and go on to something else.”
“Because Moody was brought up in poverty, he was so sensitive to the needs of the poor. He did all that he could to help,” said Lutzer. “The only thing he was motivated by was the good news of the Gospel, which he knew people needed even more than their physical needs being met.”
“And so, he left the shoe business in which he was very successful and he began to give himself wholeheartedly to children and to evangelism.”
The book’s final section compares the tombstones and legacies of Marx and Moody and asks readers to consider the enduring impact of their competing worldviews.
Lutzer said he hopes readers will recognize how those ideas continue to shape modern society and reflect on the legacy they will leave themselves.
“I want them to be able to say, ‘OK, these are the roots of what we are seeing now in other countries which have adopted communism, of course and then in the United States where we see incrementally steps taken in that direction,’” he explained.
“Mainly, it is the Gospel, and it is not to the neglect of social needs,” said Lutzer. “In fact, Christians should be on the forefront of issues regarding poverty and the like, as Moody was in his day.”
“I want them to see what other people have been through, and what other people have had to endure and the price that has been paid for the Gospel in the past. I hope that comes through this book as well.”
