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• Oxford movement
  Oxford movement

  noun

  the movement toward High Church principles within the Church of England, originating at Oxford University in 1833 in opposition to liberalizing, rationalizing, and evangelical tendencies and emphasizing the principles of primitive and patristic Christianity as well as the historic and catholic character of the church.
• Oxford Movement
  Oxford Movement

  noun

  a movement within the Church of England that began at Oxford in 1833 and was led by Pusey, Newman, and Keble. It affirmed the continuity of the Church with early Christianity and strove to restore the High-Church ideals of the 17th century. Its views were publicized in a series of tracts ( Tracts for the Times ) 1833–41. The teaching and practices of the Movement are maintained in the High-Church tradition within the Church of England

Oxford movement

American  

noun

1. the movement toward High Church principles within the Church of England, originating at Oxford University in 1833 in opposition to liberalizing, rationalizing, and evangelical tendencies and emphasizing the principles of primitive and patristic Christianity as well as the historic and catholic character of the church.

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Oxford Movement British  

noun

1. Also called: Tractarianism. a movement within the Church of England that began at Oxford in 1833 and was led by Pusey, Newman, and Keble. It affirmed the continuity of the Church with early Christianity and strove to restore the High-Church ideals of the 17th century. Its views were publicized in a series of tracts ( Tracts for the Times ) 1833–41. The teaching and practices of the Movement are maintained in the High-Church tradition within the Church of England

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Etymology

Origin of Oxford movement

First recorded in 1835–45

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

Oxford movement Oxford Movement

Against the reforming spirit of the age there were contrary forces, the neoreactionaries of “Young England” and the high church revival of the Oxford movement.

From New York Times ● Mar. 30, 2018

Within the Anglican Communion, the Rome-admiring Oxford movement led, in mid-19th century, to a revival of both monks and nuns.

From Time Magazine Archive

In England, Newman and Manning, hearing irreverences in the free speech, started the Oxford movement, which was simply a revitalized literal belief in such credos as the 39 Articles.

From Time Magazine Archive

For the Oxford movement eventually made both Manning and Newman Catholics and Manning became an Archbishop and both became Cardinals.

From Time Magazine Archive

But throughout the English Church in general there has been surely a higher spirit at work since that famous Oxford movement which was inspired by John Henry Newman.

From Modern Leaders: Being a Series of Biographical Sketches by Justin McCarthy

It was during his time among the dreaming spires that he founded the Oxford Movement, which argued for the reinstatement of some older Christian traditions into the Victorian Church of England.

From BBC ● Aug. 10, 2025

The Oxford Movement, named after the university it emanated from, meant to reform the church from within.

From Slate ● Jul. 28, 2016

Both expected to become clergymen, but as the afterglow of the Oxford Movement faded so did their faith, to be replaced by a love of art and architecture.

From The Guardian ● Aug. 25, 2011

Newman, who lived from 1801 to 1890 and became a Catholic in 1845, was a key figure in the Oxford Movement, which tried to move the Church of England closer to Rome.

From Reuters ● Feb. 1, 2010

The first of these was the Oxford Movement; a bow that broke when it had let loose the flashing arrow that was Newman.

From The Victorian Age in Literature by G. K. (Gilbert Keith) Chesterton

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