The social gospel of the nineteenth century was a vital development, contributing to British society’s conceptualisation of charity. Nineteenth- century Britain witnessed a significant change in charitable endeavours and debates about the sexual morals and purity. The debates about prostitution – often referred to as the Great Social Evil – were gaining strength during the mid- nineteenth century. Activists such as Josephine Butler and Ellice Hopkins drew a lot of scholarly attention. The former was a leading face of the campaign against the Contagious Diseases Acts – legislation imposing compulsory medical examination on women suspected of being prostitutes and registering them as such. It was infused by Christian rhetoric and Butler’s strong belief in the faith- based mission of her campaign in support of the vulnerable. Hopkins’s campaign for ‘social purity’ (i.e., sexual purity) included founding the ‘White Cross Army’, which promoted sexual restraint among men and thus challenged the sexual double standards applied to men and women.

The underlying thought behind these and other forms of activism and philanthropy was the Magdalene theology and movement, which played a crucial part in nineteenth- century social work and challenged existing attitudes towards sexual ethics. The Magdalene movement was an area of middle- class philanthropy aimed at supporting in various ways mainly working- class ‘fallen’ women – women who were prostitutes, had extramarital sex or were sexually assaulted. The name saint of the cause, Mary Magdalene, is usually overlooked by historians. This is a missed opportunity for understanding the intentions and theological stance of the activists. Both the use of the saint’s name and its avoidance are a striking indicator of the movement’s changing intentions throughout the nineteenth century.