The Return of Christendom (1922) Maurice Reckitt & The Christendom Group
Maurice Benington Reckitt (1888–1980) was a prominent British Christian socialist, editor, and social critic. He was a central figure in the “Christendom Group,” which sought to apply Christian social principles to the economic and political challenges of the post-WWI era. Reckitt was deeply influenced by Guild Socialism and served as the longtime editor of Christendom: A Journal of Christian Sociology.
The Contributors (The “Et Al.”):
The volume was a collaborative effort featuring essays from several intellectual heavyweights of the Anglo-Catholic social movement:
A.J. Penty: A leading theorist of Guild Socialism and critic of industrialism.
Charles Gore: The former Bishop of Oxford and a foundational figure in modern Christian social ethics.
Nils Ehrenström: Contributed to the ecumenical aspects of social theology.
L.S. Thornton: An influential theologian who focused on the relationship between the Incarnation and the social order.
The Return of Christendom (1922)
Published in the wake of the Great War, this collection of essays serves as a manifesto for the recovery of a Christian sociology. The authors argue that the secularization of the West and the rise of industrial capitalism have led to social fragmentation and moral decay.
Key Themes:
The Failure of Secularism: The book posits that the “Great Society” built on industrial competition has failed because it lacks a spiritual foundation.
The Medieval Precedent: Several essays look back to the Middle Ages—not for “archaic” imitation, but to extract the principles of the “Just Price,” the guild system, and the integration of faith and labor.
The Church as a Social Critic: The authors assert that the Church must not merely focus on individual salvation but must proactively challenge economic structures that dehumanize the worker.
Guild Socialism: There is a strong emphasis on decentralized, functional democracy where workers have a stake in the governance of their industry.
