F. D. Maurice (1805 72) was a distinguished Christian theologian, much respected by academics and artists of his day and afterwards. This volume, originally published in 1951, contains the text of seven lectures delivered in his honour in 1942 by Arthur Ramsey, later Archbishop of Canterbury, and covers Maurice's career and his impact on later students of theology. This book will be of value to anyone with an interest in Christian socialism or in Maurice's wider work."

irst published in 1964 and reprinted several times since, the Archbishop's chapters were given in substance at a mission in the University of Oxford in 1960. Dr Ramsey has written a fresh preface and has expanded his remarks, originally limited by their form as mission addresses, in a number of places. In its new format it will serve the 197os as well as it served the 196os. 'We recommend this short book unreservedly to those who wish to find out, in briefest compass, the essence of the Christian faith and life' (Church Times). 'Deep but not heavy, and always felicitous ... an admirable introduction to the Christian Faith, with a graceful appeal to reason as befits a great Christian humanist' (Times Literary Supplement).

In this important and distinguished book, the Archbishop of Canterbury sets out to examine some of the contemporary theological trends - the concept of secular Christianity, the existentialist treatment of Christian doctrine and some aspects of New Testament study. His conclusion is that while the historic faith of Christianity stands and it is more than ever necessary to assert its supernatural character, it is oly possible to do so convincingly if we are ready to learn much from the contemporary conflicts.

Though the literature about Maurice is growing, I hope that the distinctive aim of this volume may give it a place within that literature. I have not attempted to provide a systematic account of Maurice's teaching, but to trace the theological conflicts which Maurice faced and to relate them to the chief theological tendencies of the last 150 years. I do not think that any previous attempt has been made to evaluate Maurice's teaching on Atonement and Sacrifice as a whole, or to examine his methods of Biblical exegesis in relation to subsequent trends of Biblical study. On no two subjects did Maurice more originally anticipate some of the theological work of the present day, and speak in a way which comes home to us with relevance and force.