SCMs
SCM (Student Christian Movement) is the most commonly
used name for the WSCF-affiliated ecumenical student groups who meet in schools,
universities and other tertiary institutions to study, work and pray together.
Local Student Christian Movements
Most local Student
Christian Movements are ecumenical student organisations that hold regular
meetings within a particular university, college or school. Some local movements
are denominational student and youth groups which belong to a larger ecumenical
association. In some cases an SCM group is an integrated part of the life of a
Christian college or Theological college.
Local groups operate different
models of leadership appropriate to their cultural context. Most groups are led
by a combination of people who take responsibility for organising the group's
study and dialogue programme, worship life, movement building, finances,
outreach and activism.
Local movements may belong to a regional collection of
movements within their country and all are affiliated to SCM and WSCF through
their national movements.
The core aims of SCM are shared with those of
the federation, working with students and campus communities to:
To call them
to faith in God - Father, Son and Holy Spirit - according to the Scriptures and
to discipleship within the life and mission of the Church;
To help them to
grow in Christian life through prayer, study of the Bible and participation in
the worship and witness of the Church;
To help them to witness Jesus Christ
in the academic community;
To bring them into fellowship with one another in
mutual service and to support efforts to serve all students in their
needs;
To help them to strive for peace and justice in and among
nations;
To help them to work for the manifestation of the unity of the
Church;
To help them to be servants and messengers of God's kingdom in all
the world.
These aims are interpreted and lived out differently around
the world as appropriate to the particular context of each movement.
SCM activities: the life of the local movement
SCMs usually
organise their group life around a regular meeting on campus. Often weekly,
these meetings may be complemented by special programmes of seminars or open
lectures on specific issues, retreats, camps and project work camps, vigils and
prayer meetings, Bible study meetings, organisational meetings for political
activism, activism events, gender caucuses and joint meetings with other student
groups and NGOs.
A regular programme of SCM meetings will include most of
the following aspects (which are explained in paragraphs with the same headings
below):
:: Ecumenical Community
:: Personal Spirituality
::
Theology
:: Bible study
:: Prayer and worship
:: Interfaith
dialogue
:: Social and political analysis
:: Social and political
action
:: Outreach
:: Gender justice
Ecumenical Community
Student Christian Movements are
ecumenical communities which form young ecumenists.
SCMs gather together
young women and men students from diverse denominational backgrounds in a
community of peers. In SCM, students negotiate between their different church
traditions at a level which is usually only experienced by the clergy and
hierarchy of the churches. SCMers regularly work to understand what is shared
and what is unique between their traditions as part of working and worshipping
together. As a result SCMers often develop a stronger and more focused sense of
their denominational identity as well as a sense of personal ownership of their
part in the whole church.
SCMs are particularly open to searchers as well as
to believers and many SCMs include students of diverse religious backgrounds who
fully take part in the life and work of the movement.
Many SCMs encourage
students to understand other denominations by sharing in worship at churches of
different denominations. As well as broadening the individual student's idea of
the church, these worship experiences help SCMers to understand the traditions
of their peers.
Personal Spirituality
SCMers are encouraged and fed in
their personal spirituality by SCM's open and non-judgemental environment for
spiritual exploration. Students share from their personal spiritual journeys and
are encouraged to follow many different avenues for spiritual growth including
reflection on poetry, creative writing, various forms of prayer and meditation,
the dramatic and visual arts, liturgical innovation and much more. SCMs aim to
walk alongside students in their own journey of discovery and to help students
make their own personal connection to Jesus and his story.
Theology
Study of theology is a core activity of the
Student Christian Movement. Theological questioning underpins the whole life and
work of SCM. Students in SCMs are challenged to keep on asking theological
questions, "Where is God in this situation? "What have different scholars had to
say about this in terms of our Christian ideals and the challenges to action?"
"How do we understand what God is saying to us in our context?" Students are
equipped to answer these questions with a diverse range of theological input
from different traditions, cultures and contexts. Alongside Bible study and
social and political analysis, theology is a constant in the programmes of
SCMs.
Bible study
Bible study plays an important role in the life
of the Student Christian Movement. In SCMs, students are challenged to view the
Bible afresh with the same thoroughness and depth they bring to their chosen
fields of study. Exegesis and hermeneutics are offered to students as tools they
can use to uncover the texts in a new light. SCMers are encouraged to regularly
revisit the Bible and the interpretations they have been given, to try and find
their own way into the text. SCM members are also introduced to the riches of
Biblical scholarship from feminist and women's perspectives, liberation
theologies and from a variety of other approaches. Bible Studies are a constant
in all SCM programmes to help students make their own connections with the story
of God and God's people.
Prayer and worship
Prayer and common worship undergird all
the work of the Student Christian Movement. As well as the ecumenical challenges
of worshipping together, SCMs offer the space for young people to explore
creative styles and forms of worship amongst their peers. SCMers often lead
worship, organise whole worship services and write prayers and reflections. It
is also common for chaplains at educational institutions and clergy of different
denominations to help lead SCMs in the formation of liturgies and liturgical
styles appropriate to their ecumenical and student context.
Interfaith dialogue
The Student Christian Movement is
committed to peaceful and just relationships with people of other faiths. Many
SCMs visit communities of other faiths, and meet with students from other
religious traditions for interfaith dialogue and work on common
concerns.
Social and political analysis
Student Christian Movement
programmes include the study of cultures, societies and politics with an
emphasis on social justice. SCMs are called by the Gospel to pay particular
attention to the plight of the poor and marginalised. In the light of the
Gospel, SCMs study issues of economics and trade justice, gender justice,
globalisation, racism, violence and war, HIV/AIDS, poverty, human rights and
environmental concerns and many other issues.
Social and political action
Student Christian Movements are
involved in direct action on social and political issues. Actions can range from
lobbying politicians through letter writing, performing street theatre or making
submissions to government through to organising mass demonstrations. Common to
all SCMs is a commitment to the education and formation of future leaders in
just alternatives to the current political systems. Particularly in the cases of
non-violence and gender justice SCM educational work often aims for a
fundamental change in cultural norms. SCMs join together with ecumenical and
human rights NGOs and other people's movements to address issues of common
concern.
Outreach
Student Christian Movements proclaim the Gospel in
their work and outreach. Some SCMs focus on traditional forms of direct
evangelism while others work on spreading the Good News through their programmes
and public profile. SCMs strive to build up the body of Christ through their
work and to encourage students and young people to a fuller and more integrated
approach to the impact of Christian faith in their lives.
Gender justice
SCMs aim to organise their structures and
programmes to create equal opportunity for women and men. SCMs are encouraged to
promote women's leadership and to maintain a focus on gender justice in their
fields of study and action.
SCMs: National Movements
Each local SCM is affiliated to a
national Student Christian Movement. National movements organise the national
life through an annual conference and Annual General Meeting. National movements
usually organise national or regional programmes on specific skills or issues
that require the resources of a bigger grouping than a local SCM unit. These
programmes may include activism projects, theological or issue-based study
conferences, work projects, outreach and movement building projects or training
programmes. National programmes and projects are often carried out with the help
of the Ecumenical Assistance Programme.
National movements are commonly
run by the Annual General Meeting or general assembly and an National Executive
group that meets between AGMs. A General Secretary, Women's Co-ordinator,
Programme staff and administration staff may be employed or work voluntarily for
the movement. Many national movements publish on the web and produce a national
magazine or newsletter. Some national movements have official NGO status with
their governments while others operate under threat of persecution. All national
movements belong to one of the Federation's global regions and each affiliated
national movement has a vote at the World Student Christian Federation's
four-yearly General Assembly.
