C. F. D. Moule

Who was C. F. D. Moule?

Charles Francis Digby Moule CBE FBA, known to his friends as Charlie but professionally by his initials C. F. D. Moule, was an Anglican priest and theologian. He was a leading scholar of the New Testament, and was Lady Margaret's Professor of Divinity at the University of Cambridge for 25 years, from 1951 to 1976.

Moule was born in China, in Hangchow near Shanghai, where his father, Rev. H.W. Moule, and mother were missionaries. He was their third son. His family were Anglican clerics from Dorset. His paternal grandfather George Evans Moule was bishop of mid-China, and his great-uncle, Handley Moule, was the first Principal at Ridley Hall and later Bishop of Durham. His family returned to England after the First World War.

He was educated at Weymouth College in Dorset, and won a scholarship to read classics at Emmanuel College, Cambridge, taking Firsts in both parts and winning the Jeremie Septuagint prize, the Evans prize, and the Crosse scholarship. He studied theology at Ridley Hall, and was ordained as a deacon in 1933 and as a priest in 1934.

He served as curate at St Mark's Church, Cambridge from 1933 to 1934, during which time he was also a tutor at Ridley Hall in Cambridge. He moved to Rugby in 1934, became curate of St Andrew's Church, Rugby, before moving back to Cambridge in 1936 to become curate at Great St Mary's, Cambridge, the University Church of the University of Cambridge, where he remained until 1940. He was also Vice-Principal of Ridley Hall from 1936 to 1944.