Ellie Mensingh and Liam Purcell, of SCM and its magazine movement, report on the Movement’s work with students and its magazine, which is yet more widely enjoyed.
SCM is a Movement seeking to bring together students of all backgrounds to explore the Christian faith in an open-minded and non-judgemental environment.
SCM seeks to promote a vision of Christianity that is inclusive, aware, radical and challenging. (SCM’s vision) The Student Christian Movement (SCM) is 115 years old this year, having undergone many changes since its beginnings in 1889. However, the Movement has remained faithful to its mission of inspiring students and the wider Christian community to explore and question their faith, and to live it by acting for justice. SCM’s vision statement (above) was agreed in 2001, but we believe it reflects the principles that have guided SCM’s work for over a century.
Far more valuable than words on paper, though, are the moments when one sees the vision becoming a living reality for students here and now.
During the last four years, there has been a definite increase in the theological diversity of people who come to SCM events. Some are not sure whether to call themselves Christians or not, and definitely don’t want anything to do with the church, while others are active within their university Christian Union, but welcome the open and honest debate that goes on in SCM. SCM provides a space in which different people can come together and discuss important issues, at a time when reactions to issues within the church, such as the sexuality debate, are deepening divisions and pushing people into polarised positions.
However, such a diverse membership also presents SCM with the difficult task of retaining its distinct, challenging and questioning approach to faith rather than diluting this approach in an attempt to please everyone.
There have been periods in SCM’s history when the emphasis was clearly on social justice, and while it was acknowledged that exploring faith was a key part of SCM’s work, there was, nevertheless, a sense of embarrassment about the word ‘Christian’ in SCM’s name. Today, current staff and members are deeply committed to social justice and have recently been involved in the Stop the War and Trade Justice campaigns, but they are also keen to address student’s eagerness to explore prayer and spirituality, through creative liturgy and thought-provoking resources.
One of SCM’s biggest ongoing pieces of work is movement magazine. SCM has published a journal continuously since the sixties, when it was launched under the name Bilbo (The Lord of the Rings being popular in student circles at the time). It was soon renamed movement, though - the name it still operates under today, as a glossy 32-page magazine which comes out at the start of each term. It contains a wide variety of content from a broadminded perspective. The open editorial policy allows a range of views to be represented, and well-known writers rub shoulders in its pages with students and other members of the Movement who have something to say. Each issue explores a central theme in depth, but covers a range of sof 63 January 2004 , * itn Movement Christian other topics too. Articles range from serious academic theology to interviews with celebrities, political satire, fiction, reports on social justice and environmental issues, worship and meditation resources, and much more. A regular media section includes reviews of websites, books, films and music, as well as more in-depth articles and essays. Regular columnists, including academic Dr Gordon Lynch and (from April 2004) Dame Anita Roddick, hold it all together.
The movement section of the website supports the printed publication, with a large archive of articles available for download, and debates hosted by columnists and writers on the discussion forum.
While movement is the SCM journal and includes news about the movement itself and university life, it has broader appeal too. Anyone with an open mind and an interest in spirituality, theology, politics or culture will find something to draw them in. F If you would like more information about anything here (and all there was not room for), please contact the SCM office. www.movement.org.uk. scm@movement.org.uk 0121 471 2404 Ellie Mensingh is SCM Co-ordinator, and Liam Purcell is Editor of movement. Anyone, not only students, may subscribe to movement.