Oxford Group

Preserved but no longer current.

Also seen as: Buchmanites

Meaning · English

A religious group named after its founder, Frank Buch- man, and in no way connected with Oxford. In main its principles are Christian fellowship, public confession of sins, group "shanngs" of spiritual experiences, and dependence on divine guidance in the everyday affairs of life.

Era: ca. 1898 (Victorian)

Sources & notes

Reproduced from Brewer’s Dictionary of Phrase and Fable (1898 edition, public domain; archive.org, retrieved 2026-07-31; OCR text, minor errors possible). Reflects the scholarship and attitudes of its era.

Common questions

What does “Oxford Group” mean?

A religious group named after its founder, Frank Buch- man, and in no way connected with Oxford. In main its principles are Christian fellowship, public confession of sins, group "shanngs" of spiritual experiences, and dependence on divine guidance in the everyday affairs of life.

Is “Oxford Group” formal or informal?

No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.