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The Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge started in the late 17th century. Its aim is to communicate the Christian faith to a wide audience through education and the provision of Christian resources.
On 8 March 1698 a group of five friends met at Lincoln's Inn to prepare for the departure of one of their number for America. Thomas Bray, an Anglican priest, was to visit the colony of Maryland on behalf of the Bishop of London. Not knowing how long he would be away, the friends resolved to form a society to ensure that the many good works with which he was involved could continue in his absence. In the event Bray only stayed in Maryland for a few months, but the Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge which was formed that day is still active over three hundred years later.
It is mainly a book publisher, but it has published some church music. The hymn books Church hymns with tunes ed. Arthur Sullivan 1874, and Church hymns with tunes ed C.H. Lloyd and Basil Harwood 1913. The SPCK church music series includes both Tudor items, such as Merbecke's Holy Communion ed J. Eric Hunt & Gerald H. Knight (No.61, pub c1933) and 20th century items such as A simple te deum and benedictus by Geoffrey Shaw (No.16). The best-known work is probably Ding Dong Merrily on High (Wood, Charles)
