Seeking God's Kingdom: The Non-Conformist Social Gospel in Wales 1906-1939 (University of Wales - Bangor History of Religion)

The years between 1906 and 1939 in Europe were characterized by a concern, expressed in political, economic, and religious terms, about the social conditions that had resulted from more than a century of industrialization. This concern found a unique expression in the context of Welsh Nonconformity, a Protestant revivalist movement that rejected the authority of the established Church of England. Seeking God’s Kingdom examines the work of Welsh Nonconformity’s four main protagonists of social thinking: David Miall Edwards, Thomas Rees, Herbert Morgan, and John Morgan Jones. It explores the ways in which they were influenced by European intellectual and philosophical ideas, showing how religion was reinterpreted by them to promote social improvement and assessing the strengths and weaknesses of their approach.

This is a comprehensive and compelling study of liberal theology’s attempt to come to terms with the demands and challenges of an industrialized society. This edition includes a new preface and updated bibliography and endnotes.