Founded in 1889 by Henry Scott Holland, its membership included Charles Gore, James Adderley, Frederic Lewis Donaldson and Percy Dearmer. The group's aim was to mobilise churchmen on social questions, presenting a social gospel as a solution to poverty and injustice and appealing to christian consciences. Though it numbered nearly 5,000 members by 1900, the membership was divided between those supporting general principles on morality, and more radical members such as Adderley and Donaldson who advocated economic principles more aligned with secular socialism. The CSU was subsumed in 1919 into the Industrial Christian Fellowship, with many of the radical wing having focussed their activities on the new Church Socialist League (founded 1906).

Journal references: 1

• 25 Oct 1908