Ecumenical significance of the lay
Christian movements in 19th and 20th centuries
Introduction
Christianity from its very early stages faced divisions;
the reformation era brought a wide division and their emerged variety of
denominations, various forms of worship and work. The attempt to unify
Christians irrespective of denominational issues is a question however instead
of starting from church organizations unity was fostered from a new centre, which
is the existing Christian organizations of laymen and lay women, committed to
the church and supplementing its activities in all essential programs.[1]
The interdenominational institutions and the rise of student movements have tremendously
contributed to the development of modern ecumenical movement,[2] which
is the most important development in the church history of the twentieth
century.[3] This
paper will deal with the factors that led to the formation of student
movements, a brief history of some of the very important movements and how
these movements form into one worldwide organization.
1. Dual major foundation of Student
Movements
1.1. Evangelical awakening
The origins of Evangelical awakening differed in
different countries and churches, in spite of that its spirit and its
underlying motives were always the same i.e. evangelism. Revival is an
international phenomenon; it is rarely confined to one nation,[4]
the spirit of revival came through the preaching of Jonathan Edwards. It was
clear, thoughtful, stirring, marked by little of the emotional, and was
effective in bringing men and women to the acceptance of the Christian life.
Its influence was widespread and stimulating. Jonathan Edwards message awakened
new interest in evangelism in Great Britain, Whitefield and Wesley were
stimulated by him. They had the same passion for the conversion of men and
women to the life of faith. Great multitudes gathered to listen to their
preaching of the gospel. The Great Evangelical awakening as it was called was
the result of the message of Whitefield.
Through the evangelistic work of Charles G. Finney in1857
and 58 revival movement spread to America. Dwight L. Moody was the best known
in the history of modern evangelism; hold revival meetings in numerous places
namely Canada, England, Scotland and US. Mt. Hermon was the outcome of these
evangelistic works.[5]
Ira D. Sankey at Edinburgh University and J.E.K. Studd at Cornell University
brought students for Christian life.[6] Through
this revival movements huge number of converts entered into the church, which
yielded to religious education.[7] The
result of this passion made societies, voluntary movements or organizations, in
which Christians of different churches and different nations came together to
win the world for Christ. Baptist Missionary society, the London Missionary
Society, the Presbyterian societies, the Wesleyan Methodist Missionary Society
and the Church Missionary Society were formed in addition to the existing
societies. All these were denominational organizations, except LMS which
started as a union of Congregationalists, Presbyterian, Methodist and
Anglicans.[8]
1.2. Evangelical Alliance
The growth of missionary interest and cooperation
for the furtherance of that cause, inception and strengthening of the tract
societies and other Christian agencies, suggested the possibility of
interdenominational effort among Protestants on a much wider scale. The
cooperative activity in different context led to repeated conferences.
In August 1846 a gathering was convened at London
with 800 representatives from 50 evangelical bodies in Europe and America. It
proposed a worldwide organization on the name “The Evangelical Alliance”.
India, Japan, the missionary lands and France, Germany, Switzerland, Holland, Sweden,
Denmark, Italy, Hungary, Greece, US and Canada are the countries where this
alliance grew fastly. The alliance should avoid dogmatic or legislative
utterances, and to endeavor to preserve the unity of the spirit. The initial conference declared as there is
no intention to form a new denomination, sect or church, in a way it facilitates
personal Christian inter course and a mutual good understanding, not to
interfere in the internal affairs of churches, but simply to bring individual
Christians into closer fellowship and cooperation on the basis of spiritual
union.
Each branch of the alliance should hold meetings
annually, and all should unite in a general conference in four or five years. Conferences
were held at London in 1851; Paris,1855; Berlin,1857; Geneva, 1861;
Amsterdam,1867; New York,1873; Basel,1879; Cophengen,1884;
Florence,1891;London,1896; and 1907 following the three lines of activity:
Holding conferences, the promotion of the week of prayer and the encouragement
of religious liberty.[9]
2. Twin youth movements of 19th
century
The YMCA and YWCA were movements of spiritual
origins. Young people all around the world were in search for a new spiritual
meaning. People of likeminded met together in prayer cells, Bible studies
shared their experiences and mould each other on the same pattern of life.[10] These
youth movements arose out of a desire of Christian laymen to win to Jesus
Christ, without the influence of the church and were successes by the extended
work in the field of social, educational and physical activities. They insisted
that it is not a substitute for the church, but its servant.[11]
Its active members and leaders are often lay officials and church members of churches.
Richard C. Morse has put it, “By intimate connection with the churches the
association became an interdenominational organization and happily avoided
being classified with undenominational societies outside of vital union with
the churches.
2.1. Factors that led to the
formation
The moral and spiritual condition of the Christian
world was serious at the beginning of nineteenth century. Wars led the society
in a disastrous state, which leads to infidelity and social unrest. Industrialization
and the growth of new cities drew young men to these cities where they lived in
crowded quarters and their companionship was difficult or of the worst
character. Churches were inadequate to provide suitable provisions; meanwhile
Protestantism was declining religiously and morally. The impact of revivalism
made an in spring among the young men with a passion for high ideals or
sacrificial effort.
2.2. The Young Men’s Christian
Association
2.2.1.
Origin of YMCA
George Williams at the age of
fifteen after his conversion took seriously the responsibility of Christian
life. Engaging in Sunday school he gathered about a small group two or three
for prayer and conversation on religious themes and went on holding meetings to
the nearby town. He moved to London in 1841 at the age of twenty with zeal in
that crowded city, gathered a group of boys for prayer, Bible class, and formed
a missionary society and a literary club. The influence of Finney’s message on
William during this period was definitive and inspiring. The letters of Finney
made him to engage in a great enterprise for young men.
On June 6, 1844, an association was
formed with twelve men as members and named as “The Society for improving the
Spiritual condition of the young men engaged in Drapery and other Trades.” An
invitation was sent for young men to join in this association and continued in prayer
and Bible study.[12]
Evangelistic service was also soon started and soon spread to Boston in the US
in 1851.[13]
Christopher Smith, friend of William proposed the name as “Young men Christian
Association,” the growth of the movement was swift and steady. In November a young
man was selected as assistant secretary and missionary, works have carried to all
parts of Great Britain. Men of all Christian creeds have joined and commitment
to the programmes of the association for physical, intellectual, social, and
religious betterment and therein have learned the value of Christian operation.
2.3. The Young Women Association
2.3.1. Origin of YWCA
The YWCA in its organization and its relationship to
the churches parallels YMCA. George Williams had the intention to start a
similar organization for women and it was drafted before1850. However in the
fifties, the need of providing some sort of social and religious atmosphere for
the young women employed in business and industry, stimulated men and women of
good will in various parts of US to provide suitable homes or other places of
recreation and improvement.[14] The
young Women’s Christian Association was organized in England in 1854 and devoted
its work mainly among women.[15]
In November 1858 a meeting was held in the chapel of
the University of New York and an organization was formed known as “Ladies’ Christian
Association,” for social life, instruction, employment, and recreation to young
women away from home in cities. In1859 the first branch was formed for its ministry,
included a restaurant, an employment bureau, a
loan library, a program of social and religious activities, a Sunday afternoon
Bible class, a Thursday prayer meeting, a monthly missionary meeting and open and
cordial hospitality. This became the standard activities of the branches and
there were four branches in1861.
In 1866 it took the name of the “Young Women’s Christian
Association” with the declaration of promoting the” temporal, moral and
religious welfare of young women dependent on their own exertions for
support.” The criterion for membership
was “any Christian woman who is a member of an Evangelical church may become an
active member of this association.” In1867 Pittsburg Association was formed and
entertained the third annual conference of YWCA, gradually the movement spread to
various parts. The standard activities have been carried and in some branches
it varied depending upon the need, one most important departments of the
organization is its student section, represented in all the institution of
education to which women have access.
The Boston Home decided to enlarge the scope of the
Home for Nurses under the direction of YWCA. In 1894 World YWCA was formed,
with US and European countries as members. The prayer leagues have stressed the
common heritage of worship in the lives of all believers, and its ministries
have carried multitudes of young women, in industry and in college, the values
of practical Christianity and have been another living proof of the unfailing
vitality and unity of the Christian faith. In administration the local
associations can have active membership and the voting and office holding
membership be “limited to women who are members of the protestant evangelical
churches.
In1920 at national convention student association
was permitted by not disturbing its aim to serve the church, but certain
resolutions have been taken. The aims were: To lead students to faith in God
through Jesus Christ; To lead them into membership and service in the Christian
church; To promote their growth in Christian faith and character, especially
through the study of the Bible; To influence young women to devote themselves
in united efforts with all Christians, to make the will of Christ effective in
human society, and to extending the kingdom of God throughout the world.
3. The Student Movements
The student movement is composed of several
organizations with a common goal of being one great enterprise; it is also the[16]
most prophetic organ of Protestant Christianity in the twentieth century.[17]
YMCA, YWCA and SVM are three major organizations which constitute the heart of
the movement.[18]
They shared the same Christian convictions and espoused common evangelistic
thinking.[19]
At the international YMCA at Louisville in the year 1877student members
discussed the possibility of Christian intercollegiate movement, which soon
organized and spread rapidly.
The Purpose of these movements were: to lead
students to become intelligent and loyal disciples of Christ as their Saviour
and Lord; to help them in their encounter with the temptations of student life;
to build up strong Christian faith and symmetrical Christian character; to train
them in individual and associated Christian work in order that they may be
useful in church; to place up on them a burden of responsibility for the
extension and up building of the kingdom of Christ throughout the world, and to
influence them to place their lives where they can best serve their generation.”
Universities, colleges, seminaries, law, medical, dental, agricultural colleges
are some of its fields.[20]
3.1. The inter seminary Missionary
Alliance
It was an offshoot of the intercollegiate student
movement that had its first meeting at New Brunswick, New Jersey in 1880.Robert
Mateer was among its pioneers. It fostered missionary interest and action among
students in several seminaries in US irrespective of denominational
affiliations. It was later named as Inter seminary movement was a forerunner of
the Student Volunteer Movement. After the emergence of SVM, the alliance
continued its close ties with it and later became a theological department of
YMCA.
3.2. Student Volunteer Movement
The SVM was organized during the Mount Hermon
missionary awakening in 1886.Luther D. Wishard, C.K. Ober, Robert Wilder,
J.E.K. Studd, D.L. Moody, John R. Mott and many others leaders were from SVM.
News of volatile SVM in the US spread rapidly among students of several
universities in England. The visit of Robert Wilder to England in the academic
year 1891 stirred up British student’s interest to begin a movement as SVM in
US.[21] The
SVM quadrennial conventions had a unique influence on colleges and
universities. As for the mission fields themselves, three fourths of the men
and seventy percent of the women who have sailed from North America since 1890
have been “volunteers.” John. R. Mott
was the administrative genius who organized this “student Volunteer movement”
of which he was chairman from 1888 to1915.
The missionary vocation of Evangelical Protestantism was there
proclaimed with revivalistic urgency made many to become foreign missionaries.
The conference sent messengers such as Robert Wilder to circulate around the
colleges and in one year 2,500 students volunteered. With its travelling
secretaries the movement soon spread to Britain, Scandinavia, Germany, Holland
and Switzerland.[22]
Membership was based on the declaration,” It is my purpose, if God permit, to
become a foreign missionary”. The
watchword was “the evangelization of the world in our generation,” these
volunteers vitalized student Christian work with their demand of absolute commitment,
at the same time that they easily bridged denominational differences.
3.3. Student Christian Movement
The student Christian movement grew out of the
international and interdenominational YMCA. The worldwide student Christian
movement developed from the first international Christian student conference at
D.L. Moody’s Mt. Hermon center in1886.[23] The
SCM grew out in the context of the intercollegiate YMCA, SVM and evangelistic
movements. Its objective was to bring together Christian students for worldwide
mission and evangelization. Many of those who were actively involved in the
student movements like John R. Mott, Nathan Soderblom, W.A. Visser’t Hooft, Joseph H Oldham, Tissington Tatlow,
William Temple, William Paton, V.S. Azariah and others have become outstanding
ecumenical statesman of the 20th century.
The student movement did not confine itself to the
US and England. Like the YMCA and YWCA, it made significant expansion in other
European countries and across the world. Its missionary obligation was summed
up in one line definition, “evangelization within this generation,” as the
unevangelized portions of the world posed a serious challenge to Christian
students. It was also a movement for unity.[24] Various
national student Volunteer movements became the nucleus of SCM.[25]
3.4. World’s student Christian
Federation (WSCF)
In the year 1884, Luther D. Wishard strongly
underscored the utmost importance of the unity of Christian students around the
world.[26] At
a YMCA conference at Amsterdam in 1891 Mott gathered delegates from various
countries to discuss an international student Christian fellowship[27]
and this promoted John R.Mott to set up the World’s student Christian
Federation (WSCF) at Vadstena, Sweden in 1895. He was a leader of exceptional quality.
Through his eloquent speech and intelligence, he could wield tremendous
influence upon the students and through an inbuilt administrative prowess he
set the organization in order. Then he made personal visits to different countries,
promoted student organizations and brought them together under the umbrella of
the world student body. His attempt rightly fulfilled Wishard’s vision that
Said “Christ for the students of the world, and the students of the world for
Christ.”
3.4.1. Features that characterized
WSCF
The
features that characterized WSCF
·
It was an inclusive movement that
embraced students from different denominational or confessional persuasions.
·
It had a national outlook that
integrated students irrespective of ethnic, linguistic or regional variations.
·
International unity that brought
national bodies to a single world federation.
·
It emphasized on world mission and
evangelization.[28]
The WSCF varied from country to country in its theological
and ecclesiastical character, but in it hundreds and thousands of future
professional people learned to think, worship, and work for the glory of God
across denominational lines, yet without compromising their convictions. By
training men in this context, and by building all kinds of personalities across
denominational and national lines the WSCF became the most important and
probably the indispensable nursery of the personnel of the ecumenical movement.
The WSCF was the only student group which held across the battle lines in World
War I, when both communist and socialist student internationals spilt open. In
the postwar despair again it was the WSCF which alone mustered faith to
undertake the task of rebuilding. Out of this effort came the great
International Student service Organization (ISSO). World youth conferences of
the WSCF as at Amsterdam (1938) and Oslo (1948) paralleled the conferences of
the other contributory streams of the ecumenical movement.[29]
Conclusion
The student voluntary movements
arouse out of the two crucial events Evangelical awakening and Evangelical
alliance. The passion for world evangelization which is the result of these
events united and collected students from different parts of the world. They all left their ecclesiastical
traditions, doctrines and patterns of worship and gathered for that one cause. It
was not the church which fostered this unity but the notion came out from the lay
people and lay movements which made success in bring all together. There
emerged diverse movements which moved laypeople and students to get
united. The role of these movements in
laying the foundation for ecumenical movement cannot be ignored. These
movements were pioneer in bringing modern ecumenical movement. it is because of
these movements the last years of the nineteenth century bring us to the verge
of a new epoch in ecumenical Church history.
Bibliography
Adams Brown, William. Christian
unity; Its principles and possibilities. New York: Association Press, 1921
Hastings Nichols, James. History
of Christianity 1650-1950. New York: The Ronald Press Company, 1956.
Reudi Weber, Hans. Asia and the ecumenical Movement 1895-1961.
London: SCM press Ltd, 1966.
Rose, Ruth and Stephen Charles Neil
(Eds), A history of the ecumenical
movement. London: SPCK, 1954.
Snaitang, O.L. A history of ecumenical movement: An introduction. Bangalore:
BTESSC, 2004.
Loosky, Nicholas, eds. Dictionary of ecumenical movements. Geneva:
WCC publications, 2002.
[1] William Adams Brown, Christian unity; Its principles and
possibilities (New York: Association Press,1921), 256, 123,125. (Here after
cited as William, Christian unity…)
[2] O.L Snaitang, A history of ecumenical movement: An
introduction (Bangalore: BTESSC,2004) ,45. (Here after cited as Snaitang, A history …)
[3]
James Hastings Nichols, History of Christianity 1650-1950 (New York: The Ronald
Press Company,1956), 436. (Here after cited as James, History of Christianity… )
[4] Ruth rose, Stephen Carles Neil
(Eds), A history of the ecumenical
movement (London: SPCK,1954),309,330. (Here after cited as Ruth, A history of the ecumenical… )
[5] William, Christian unity… 259-261.
[6] Ruth, A history of the ecumenical… ,330.
[7] William, Christian unity… 263.
[8] Ruth, A history of the ecumenical… ,309,311.
[9] William, Christian unity… , 262- 265.
[10] Snaitang, A history …, 46.
[11] William, Christian unity…, 126.
[12] William, Christian unity… 127,267- 269.
[13] Snaitang, A history … 45.
[14] William, Christian unity… 270,271,132.
[15] Snaitang, A history … 45.
[16] William, Christian unity… 272- 274, 132.
[17]James, History of Christianity… ,437.
[18] William, Christian unity… 274.
[19] Snaitang, A history …,46.
[20] William, Christian unity… 274
[21] Snaitang, A history …, 46,47.
[22] James, History of Christianity… ,436,437.
[23] James, History of Christianity… ,436,437.
[24] Snaitang, A history …, 47.
[25] Hans Reudi Weber, Asia and the ecumenical Movement 1895-1961(London:
SCM press Ltd,1966),59.
[26] Snaitang, A history …, 47.
[27] James, History of Christianity… ,437.
[28] Snaitang, A history …, 47,48.
[29] James, History of Christianity…, 437,438.
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