'It was early in the year 1850 that F. D. Maurice and the little band of men he had gathered around him first gave utterance to that most pregnant phrase, Christian Socialism."
"There is no excuse for the Socialists and Social Reformers if, on account of the iniquities of the Bishops and the follies of the Patron-appointed Clergy, they refuse to capture the Church, whose principles are all for Socialism: there is n...o excuse, on the other hand, for the Bishops and Clergy if they allow the Patrons and the Plutocrats to make them false to the ideals which they were ordained and consecrated to maintain: above all, there is no excuse for Churchmen and Socialists if they refuse to co-operate with all men of good will, whether they call themselves Churchmen or Socialists, or whether they are merely members of the great Common People, in bringing about such Socialist legislation as is possible during the next seven years. The message of the Church to all these is: "Sirs, ye are brethren; why do ye wrong one to another?"
http://anglocatholicsocialism.org/churchi.htmlThere is a long history behind 'Christian Socialism' and was active most during the time the First Socialist International was born, yet somehow the very 'Churchmen' spoken about prevailed and was eclipsed by the seek heaven in the hereafter preachers and ministers. Yet clearly by the evidence of these early Christian Socialists and the early Church Fathers, there was a far more radical message to be found in the Gospel. The Social Gospel very definitely sides with the working class and the poor.
"Neither said any of them that aught of the things he possessed was his own, but they had all things common" . . . and great grace was upon them all; for neither was there any among them that lacked."
"Be ashamed, you who hold back what belongs to another, take as an example the justice of God, and no one will be poor. While others suffer poverty, let us not labour to hoard and pile up money. . . Let us imitate the first and most important law of God who sends his rain on the just and on sinners and makes the sun shine on all men equally. God opens up the earth, the springs, the streams and the woods to all who live in the world. He gives the air to the birds, the water to the fish, and the basic needs of life abundantly to all, without restriction or limitation or preference. These basic goods are common to all, provided by God generously and with nothing lacking. He has done this so that creatures of the same nature may receive equal gifts and that he may show us how rich is his kindness."
--St. Gregory Nazianzen (4th Century)
