This article demonstrates how salient characteristics of F. D. Maurice’s Christian socialism resonate with his appreciation of Ignatius of Antioch, Clement of Alexandria, and Augustine of Hippo. Maurice’s understanding of the divine family of God that motivated his solidarity with the working classes resonates with his understanding of Ignatius. This solidarity drove him to Christian socialism, which he conceived as primarily an educational project in line with his reading of Clement. Ultimately, this extended to his mentorship of younger Christian socialists mirroring his appreciation for the early Augustine’s philosophical pedagogy. These patristic motifs thus nuance and clarify Maurice’s sometimes puzzling involvement with Christian socialism in Britain from 1848 to 1854.
Dylan Pahman, "The Origins and Aims of F. D. Maurice’s Christian Socialism: A Consideration of Patristic Motifs," Journal of Markets & Morality 26, no. 1 (2023): 27-49