Frederick Denison Maurice		 April 1
Priest, Theologian
F.D. Maurice was born on 29 August 1805 near Lowestoft in Suffolk. He was the son of a Unitarian minister. His early life was marked by acrimonious debates on religious matters among his family, and at the age of eighteen he left home. He entered Trinity College, Cambridge, in 1823 to study law, but as a non-Anglican he was debarred from formal graduation and from taking up a college fellowship. He moved to London and in 1830, concluding that only a national church could provide the best spiritual renewal in society, he was baptised and entered Exeter College, Oxford, to prepare for Anglican ordination. Ordained in 1834, he served a curacy in Warwickshire and was appointed chaplain to Guy’s Hospital. While in that position, he lectured on moral philosophy. In 1837 he published The Kingdom of Christ. This, the best known of his many books, gives the key to his theological position, which was deeply philosophical and of a liberal spirit, a position which then and later was greatly misunderstood and adversely criticised. In 1840 Maurice was appointed to the chair of English literature and history at King’s College, London, and in 1846 he became professor of theology there.
In 1848 a wave of popular uprisings swept Europe. While Maurice opposed revolution, he warmly applauded the ideals of the movement, whereas many of the upper classes were bitterly opposed to such democratic tendencies. Maurice joined others like J.M. Ludlow and Charles Kingsley in the development of Christian Socialism. In 1853, because of his attack on the notion of never-ending punishment in his Theological Essays, Maurice was forced to resign from his professorships. In 1854 he founded and served as first principal of The Working Men’s College, which aimed to promote the ideals of Christian Socialism.
As a Christian Socialist he differed profoundly from his opponents on either flank. Christian Socialism he said, “will commit us at once to the conflict . . . with the unsocial Christians and the unchristian Socialists”. He parted with the socialists of his day by his insistence on a religious base to social action. On the other hand, he was widely distrusted by many in the church for having anything to do with socialism at all. He called for radical but non-violent reform through the renewal of faith, and saw worship and prayer as the source of energy for the church’s mission. 
By his ideals of Christian Socialism he sought to arouse the conscience of church people and to gain their support and help for the material and spiritual welfare of working people. Throughout his life he wrote extensively on a number of theological issues. With the passing of time he became highly respected for the nobility of his character and his dedicated service to others. In 1860 he was appointed to St Peter’s Chapel, Vere Street. He became professor of moral theology at Cambridge in 1866 and incumbent of St Edward’s, Cambridge. He died on 1 April 1872.
For Liturgical Use
Frederick Denison Maurice was born in 1805 and ordained in 1834. He was professor of English literature and theology at King’s College, London, and later professor of moral philosophy at Cambridge. He was a prolific writer, whose theological opinions brought him into conflict with accepted opinion. His book, The Kingdom of Christ, published in 1838 is the best known of his writings and gives the key to his theological opinions. He became actively engaged in Christian Socialism, seeking to arouse the conscience of church and nation to alleviate and better the lot of the working classes. He died in 1872.
Sentence
Proclaim to the nations the Lord is king; God will judge the peoples with justice.	Psalm 96:10
Collects
Eternal God,
through Christ’s obedience 
you glorified our human nature;
give us such a passion for truth and justice
that, like your servant Frederick Denison Maurice,
we may work and pray for the kingdom of your Christ,
to the glory of your holy name.
God of integrity and justice,
we give you thanks for Frederick;
give us his passion for equal education, 
and fair opportunity for women and for men.
Psalms	82	145:8-21
Readings
Job 23:8-14		What is revelation?
1 Corinthians 15:20-28	The kingdom of Christ
Matthew 13:31-33		The gospel of the kingdom of heaven
Post Communion Sentence
Jesus said, “I have come as light into the world, so that everyone who believes in me should not remain in the darkness.”	John 12:46