Introduction

Biography

Richard was of French Hu­gue­not des­cent, the son of pri­vy coun­cil mem­ber Christian Frederik Ri­card and Signe So­phie Vil­hel­mi­ne Møll­er, and bro­ther of jur­ist Fred­er­ik Ce­cil Jean Ri­card.

He stu­died at the Bor­ger­dyd­skol­en in Christ­ians­havn in 1889, and earned a Can­di­da­ta Theo­lo­giæ de­gree in 1895.

He tra­veled the fol­low­ing year to Ger­many and En­gland, to Am­eri­ca in 1899, and to Ja­pan and Chi­na in 1908.

He had great inf­lu­ence as a preach­er and youth lead­er. His name is pri­mar­ily as­so­ci­at­ed with the Christ­ian youth move­ment. When the Young Men’s Christ­ian As­so­ci­ation (YMCA) build­ing in Go­thers­gade was built in 1900, Ri­card was a cen­tral fig­ure. From 1896–1908, he was se­cre­ta­ry of the Co­pe­nha­gen YMCA and from 1902–15 gen­er­al sec­re­tary of the YMCA in Den­mark.

In 1908 he be­came re­si­dent chap­lain at St. John’s Church in Co­pen­ha­gen, in 1917 par­ish priest at Gar­ni­sons Church, and from 1915 taught ho­mi­le­tics at the pas­tor­al se­min­ary.

He re­ceived the Gold Me­dal of Mer­it in 1908, be­came a Knight of the Or­der of Dan­ne­brog in 1918, and a Dan­ne­brogs­mand in 1923.

Works

• Vejledning til Selv­stu­di­um af Je­su Kris­ti Liv, 1900
• Ungdomsliv, 1905
• Kristus og hans Mænd, 1909
• Aanden i Apos­tel­kirk­en, 1910
• Vinter og Vaar, 1915
• Sommer og Høst, 1915
• For os, 1918
• Fat Mod, 1922
• Bedre frem, 1924