ID - 131905437 TI - Early British Socialism and the ‘Religion of the New Moral World’ PY - 2023 SN - 9783031239403 9783031239397 9783031239410 9783031239427 PB - Cham : Springer Nature Switzerland : Imprint: Palgrave Macmillan, DB - UniCat KW - Theory of knowledge KW - Religious studies KW - Politics KW - World history KW - History KW - History of the United Kingdom and Ireland KW - History of Eastern Europe KW - intellectuele ontwikkeling KW - religie KW - geschiedenis KW - politiek KW - sociale geschiedenis KW - wereldpolitiek KW - Europese geschiedenis KW - Great Britain—History. KW - Religion—History. KW - Social history. KW - Intellectual life—History. KW - World politics. KW - History of Britain and Ireland. KW - History of Religion. KW - Social History. KW - History of Ideas. KW - Political History. UR - https://www.unicat.be/uniCat?func=search&query=sysid:131905437 AB - This book challenges existing accounts of the role of religion in early-nineteenth-century British socialism. Against scholarly interpretations which have identified Owenite socialists as anti-religious or as imitating Christianity, this book argues that Owenites offer a re-conception of the nature of ‘religion’ as advanced through knowledge of the natural and social world, as a prospective source of solidarity which could serve as the unifying bond for communities, and as constituted by ethical conduct. It shows how this re-conception was formed through a sincere and considered reflection upon the problem of religious truth and was shaped by the particular religious context of early-nineteenth-century Britain. It then demonstrates the importance of this reimagination of religion to their understanding of socialism. Their religious interests were not an eccentric adornment to their socialism, an outdated residue yet to be shed and encumbering the development of a mature socialism, or merely instrumental to their temporal goals. Instead, Owenite ambitions of religious reform were grounded in the philosophical preoccupations which animated their socialism. Edward Lucas completed his DPhil at the University of Oxford, UK and now works for the UK government. ER -