F. D. Maurice was a leading nineteenth-century theologian famous for founding the movement called Christian Socialism. In the first major reassessment of Maurice's work for many years, Jeremy Morris argues that his importance above all lay in his thinking about the Christian Church, and about its social role. At a time when many people feared the collapse of Christianity and of social order, Maurice tried to show that Christians, despite their many differences, had a responsibility to the whole of society. By appreciating the source and strength of each other's convictions, they could learn to work together to restore the authority of the Christian faith. It was the Church of England's task in particular to bring its message of hope to the poor as well as the rich.
F D Maurice was a 19th century Anglican theologian and social commentator. Providing an introduction to his thought, this study argues that his work was driven by a concern to reinvigorate Anglican ecclesiology, and to promote an ecumenical breadth of spirit that could transform the Church of England's relations with other Christian traditions.
