John Scott Lidgett

The Reverend John Scott Lidgett CH
Born	10 August 1854 Lewisham
Died	16 June 1953 Epsom
Occupation	Methodist theologian

John Scott Lidgett, CH (Lewisham, 10 August 1854 – Epsom, 16 June 1953) was a British Wesleyan Methodist minister and educationist. He achieved prominence both as a theologian and reformer within British Methodism, stressing the importance of the church's engagement with the whole of society and human culture, and as an effective advocate for education within London.

Lidgett was educated at University College, London, entering in 1873, taking his BA in 1874 and his MA in 1875; he was awarded a DD by the University of Aberdeen on the strength of a book published in 1902, The fatherhood of God. In later life he was closely involved with the University of London, serving on its Senate from 1922 until he retired in 1946 at the age of 92. He served as deputy vice-chancellor and as Vice-Chancellor from 1930 to 1932. He was active in supporting the development of women's colleges and, through his support for the university's relations with teacher training colleges, was instrumental in the foundation of its Institute of Education.

By the standards of 19th-century British Methodism, Lidgett's theology was liberal. He rejected the penal substitution doctrine of the atonement, and wanted to move his denomination away from its inherited tendency to a narrow evangelical stance, towards a social gospel. He founded the Bermondsey Settlement, the only Methodist foundation among the 19th century settlements in the East End of London. Like the secular settlements such as Toynbee Hall, it aimed to bring into the neighbourhood middle-class activists who could provide social and educational facilities for the poor, rather than concentrating narrowly on evangelism like the Church's more traditional "Missions" located in poor areas of London.

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