Australian Student Christian Movement

The Australian Student Christian Movement (ASCM) is a Christian group with an ecumenical focus working with university students.

ASCM fosters liberal and progressive religious and social views and has been associated with the social gospel, Christian socialist and environmentalist movements and is generally part of the Christian left.

The ASCM sees itself as:
*Open … encouraging spiritual growth through understanding and tolerance of others’ viewpoints.
*Ecumenical … welcoming and affirming members from all denominations and valuing the rich diversity of Christian traditions and those of other faiths, while seeking unity in prayer and action.
*Active … seeking God’s desire for peace, justice and liberation from oppression throughout the Bible and life of Jesus, and responding to God’s call for conversion of self and transformation of society.
*Critical … taking the learning of students seriously and looking to theology, the sciences and the humanities to provide new perspectives on faith and a deeper understanding of truth and life.

The ASCM was involved in the formation of the National Union of Students, the Overseas Service Bureau and the Uniting Church in Australia.

Activism

The ASCM is involved in the struggles for the liberation of women and of gay, lesbian and bisexual people, in the work against racism against both migrant and Aboriginal people and the exploitation of the people and lands of the Asia-Pacific region.

Affiliations

It is affiliated with the World Student Christian Federation and has close ties to the National Council of Churches in Australia, the Christian Conference of Asia and to the World Council of Churches.

ASCM is part of the World Student Christian Federation Asia-Pacific Region with a biannual Regional Committee Meeting and the Pacific Sub-region (Australia, Aotearoa/New Zealand with Fiji and Papua New Guinea not active.

Conflict

There is at times conflict with conservative evangelical Christian groups on campus, such as the Australian Fellowship of Evangelical Students (affiliated to the parachurch International Fellowship of Evangelical Students).

Notable members

*Herbert Feith [ [http://www.abc.net.au/rn/encounter/stories/2003/796902.htm "In Memory of Herb Feith" Encounter ABC Radio National broadcast 9 March 2003] Accessed 11 July 2007]
*Kevin Rudd

ee also

*Christian ecumenism
*National Council of Churches in Australia
*World Student Christian Federation

Notes

Further reading

*Howe, R. (2003) A Movement of Influence: The Australian Student Christian Movement in the 1930's, Spirit of Australia II Religion in Citizenship and National Life, pp. 86-96, ATF Press, Hindmarsh, South Australia
*Howe, R. (2001) The Australian Student Christian Movement and Women's Activism in the Asia-Pacific Region, 1890s-1920s, Australian Feminist Studies, Vol 16, No 36, pp. 311-323, Carfax Publishing Limited, Abingdon, United Kingdom
*Howe, R. (2001) "The SCM is Going to Hell" the Australian Student Christian Movement and the Emergence of the Evangelical Union in the Early 1930s, Proceedings of the Uniting Church Historical Synod of Victoria, Vol 8, No 1, July 2001, pp. 27-42, Uniting Church Historical Society, Synod of Victoria, Elsternwick, Victoria
*Howe, R. An Analysis of the Contribution of the Australian Student Christian Movement to Universities, Social and Political Movements and Internationally, Australian Research Council Small Grant

External links

* [http://www.ascm.org.au/ Australian Student Christian Movement website]