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Atlanta, July 21, 2010 -- The U.S. Student Christian Movement (SCM), which
has lain dormant for more than 40 years, will be reborn October 8-11 at a
historic gathering at Morehouse College in Atlanta.
The organization, called the University Christian Movement in the U.S. was
known for its witness for civil rights and peace in the first half of the
20th century. The group voted itself out of existence four decades ago as
its members turned to other forms of Christian activism.
But sensing a growing need for new structures to respond to moral and social
crises today, students have been gathering in campus chapters of the SCM
around the country. In October, student representatives from seminaries,
colleges, universities and current SCM USA chapters will gather here to
launch a national SCM movement.
"Students will come together to discuss how they will collectively put their
faith into action towards progressive Christian concerns," said Luciano
Kovacs, North America Regional Secretary of the World Student Christian
Federation.
"SCM USA will provide the coordination of ecumenical student activities in
the U.S., and subsequently connect U.S. students with the rest of the global
federation."
The theme of the gathering is, "Overcoming Violence: Encountering the Past,
Engaging the Present, Empowering the Future."
Momentum for the event began in January 2009 the World Student Christian
Federation held a regional conference and consultation in San Francisco
called "Raising New Prophets, Arising of a Movement." That event marked the
official launch of the newly recreated North American Region of the World
Student Christian Federation (WSCF-NA) and spearheaded the formation of a
Steering Committee that was tasked to lead the building of a new Student
Christian Movement (SCM) USA.
Historically, Student Christian Movements have been deeply involved in
enabling young Christians to respond to crisis and current events from the
basis of their faith. These responses have played a part in the confessing
church in Germany during the Second World War, in the formation and action
of churches and students Christians during the Civil Rights Movement of the
1950's and 60's, and today in the response to issues of oppression,
devastation, injustice, war and homophobia.
Current leaders of the ecumenical movement recognize the debt they owe to
the Student Christian Movement. The rich legacy has fostered nascent
leadership for over 100 years, including the involvement of such figures as
Martin Luther King Jr. and Dietrich Bonhoeffer.
"Students have struggled, and sometimes even died, to build a movement that
follows the radical life of Jesus Christ," said Alice Hageman, an alumni and
co-chair for the US trustees of the World Students Christian Federation. "It
is they who paved the way."
The World Student Christian Federation (WSCF) is a network of more than 100
national movements in every region of the world. Founded in 1895, the WSCF
was a precursor to the World Council of Churches (WCC) and now has advisory
status with the WCC as well as consultative status with the United Nations
and UNESCO.
The Student Christian Movement of the United States of America (SCM-USA),
founded in solidarity with the World Student Christian Federation (WSCF), is
a student-led, grassroots organization rooted in Christ which actively seeks
justice and peace, speaks truth to power, and works to overcome oppression
in communities on local, national and global levels by empowering students
and young people to claim their voice, exercise leadership skills, and build
transformational networks of relationship.
Registration and other information is available at SCMUSA.org. or by
emailing
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.
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