World Student Christian Federation

From Freepedia

The World Student Christian Federation (WSCF) is a federation of individual national Student Christian Movements (SCMs) forming the youth and student arm or the global ecumenical movement. The Federation includes Protestant, Catholic and Orthodox students.

The original purpose was "the evangelisation of the world in this generation" and over time this has developed into supplying leaders to the ecumenical movement and (after a split with evangelical student movements) the Christian left and social movements.

Together the WSCF and SCM provide a context for young Christians from all churches and nations to meet.

Contents

History

WSCF was formed at a meeting of students from ten North American and European countries in 1895 at Vadstena Castle, Sweden. Key founders included John R. Mott (U.S.A.) and Karl Fries (Sweden).

WSCF was the first international student organization. Together with YMCA and YWCA it is among the oldest extant youth movements. WSCF is officially known in French as FUACE — Fédération Universelle des Associations Chrétiennes d'Étudiants and in Spanish as FUMEC — Federacion Universal de Movimientos Estudiantiles Cristianos.

WSCF has had a complex history of significant fluctuations in membership, influence and activity because it has felt the full-force of the rise and then decline of the ecumenical movement, the turbulence of the 1960s student movements, the mid-twentieth century shift in balance of power from liberal to evangelical Christianity, the pressures of maintaining unity across the spectrum of Christianity and the tension between a theological study focus and a social activism focus.

The WSCF theological review Student World was begun in 1908. In 2004 it was re-started after a hiatus of several years and is published online.

Purpose

The mission and vision statement (2004) of the WSCF is:

  1. The WSCF is a global community of Student Christian Movements committed to dialogue, ecumenism, social justice and peace.
  2. Our mission is to empower students in critical thinking and constructive transformation of our world by being a space for:
    1. Prayer and celebration
    2. Theological reflection
    3. Study and analysis of social and cultural processes and
    4. Solidarity and action across boundaries of culture, gender and ethnicity.
  3. Through the work of the Holy Spirit, the WSCF is called to be a prophetic witness in church and society. This vision is nurtured by a radical hope for God’s Reign in history.

Structure and activities

National Student Christian Movements

In each country, the Student Christian Movement (SCM) represents the ecumenical movement at work with University students.

SCMs have close ties to the various ecumenical bodies where it is located (such as the National Council of Churches in Australia and the Christian Conference of Asia) and to the World Council of Churches. There is at times conflict with conservative evangelical christian groups on campus, such as those affiliated to the parachurch International Fellowship of Evangelical Students.

Whilst national SCMs can vary considerably, they have tended to foster liberal and progressive religious and social views amongst university students. SCM has generally been associated with the Christian left and such issues as:

See below for a partial list of countries where national movements operate.

Regions

Since 1968 the approximately 90 national groups have been organised into six regional structures. The regions elect members to the Executive Committee (ExCo) to govern the WSCF and activities are coordinated by the Inter-regional Office (IRO) located in Geneva.

The six regions are:

External links

National WSCF-affiliated groups

Related and similar organisations

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