Student Christian Movement of the United Kingdom
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The Student Christian Movement of Great Britain is a part of the World Student Christian Federation
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[edit] Vision Statement
SCM is a movement seeking to bring together students of all denominations to explore the Christian faith in an open-minded and non-judgemental environment.
SCM seeks to promote a vision of Christianity that is:
- Inclusive: All people are welcome because our diversity is a gift to be celebrated.
- Aware: We recognise the importance of respect for and openness to other faiths.
- Radical: Faith and social justice cannot be separated - Christians must be equipped to engage with contemporary theological, political and social issues.
- Challenging: Thinking through and questioning our faith ensures that it remains alive and dynamic.
[edit] History
SCM began in 1889 and set out to unite students with an interest in overseas mission, but it rapidly broadened its aims and became the largest student organisation in Britain. It went on to help establish the National Union of Students.
According to Archbishop William Temple, without SCM the Edinburgh conference which was to give birth to the modern ecumenical movement would never have taken place. SCM went on to play a vital role in the formation of the British and World Council of Churches and continued to be a leading voice on ecumenism.
In the fifties and sixties the radical message, always important in the movement, became increasingly radical, and the movement began to appear less relevant to most students, and further outside the christian mainstream. Since then the movement has realigned itself and is growing once more.
Throughout its history SCM has urged the worldwide Christian community to discuss often controversial social and theological issues. It has encouraged a Christian response to all forms of prejudice, descrimination and injustice.
If the SCM of today can be as farsighted and determined as its founders over a century ago, it will do much to reshape our thinking about mission and reinvigorate our practice in a very different world
Revd Prof Michael Taylor, SCM Patron
[edit] Groups and Members
SCM has links in approximately 60 universities and other higher education establishments across the UK. Each link takes the form of either a student group or chaplaincy who subscribe SCM's aims and objectives. Some of the student groups carry the SCM name (for example Sheffield SCM) whereas other do not, some are denominational societies who are connected to a particular church. The characteristics of each link vary, with SCM making no determinations as to how groups should be run, however, most SCM affiliated student groups follow the principle of student leadership.
For a complete list of SCM links see their website
SCM also has a number of individual members, these are students, or recent students, who want membership independent of a local group or chaplaincy; either because they want to support the movement, or get more involved in the movement, or because there is no local group for them to join.
[edit] What SCM offers
- Community
SCM comprises of groups alongside a large network of individual members and friends. An online discussion forum, electronic newsletters and print publications connect members to the rest of the network.
- Events
SCM often collaborates with other like-minded organisations to offer a wide range of events to its members. Events such as termly gatherings, the SCM Annual Conference and the training weekend offer people the opportunity to explore a theme together, and also enable them to forge new and deepen old friendships.
- Publications
SCM's movement magazine and resources are well-known for their high quality and accessibility. They are aimed at students and young people but also appeal to a wider audience. Each resource addresses a particular issue, such as fundamentalism, sexuality, Reading the Bible or images of Christ.
[edit] Bibliography
- Steve Bruce, The Student Christian Movement: a nineteenth century new religious movement and its vicissitudes, International Journal of Sociology and Social Policy, 2 (1) (1982) : 67-82.
[edit] See also
- Universities and Colleges Christian Fellowship which had its origins in evangelical students who separated from the SCM in 1910
