E. J. H. Nash

Eric John Hewitson Nash (Bash) (1898-1982), was a Church of England clergyman who began to work for Scripture Union in 1932. He began a camp ministry at Iwerne Minster which survives today, and is managed by the Titus Trust. He considered R A Torrey to be his theological mentor. [Harriet A. Harris "Fundamentalism and Evangelicals" (Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1998)] He made it his business to preach an Evangelical gospel at the top thirty public schools. His influence also stretched to University Christian Unions under IVF, a particularly good example being the Cambridge Inter-Collegiate Christian Union "where between 1935 and 1939 all CICCU's presidents were 'Bash' campers, and the union was marked by his methods: a very simple evangelical gospel; meticulous preparation; a wariness of emotions or intellect and assiduous “personal work” before and after conversion." [ David Goodhew "The Rise of the Cambridge Inter-Collegiate Christian Union, 1910-1971" Journal of Ecclesiastical History (2003) 70] Even so, he was well known for his sense of humour, and his ability to create a happy atmosphere. [Teddy Saunders & Hugh Sansom "David Watson, a Biography" (Sevenoaks: Hodder, 1992) 31 ] Alister McGrath, in his book "Evangelicalism and the Future of Christianity" quotes Bash as one of the sources of the post-war Evangelical renaissance: "E J H Nash organised Christian camps at Iwerne Minster aimed at "top boys from top schools," which laid the nucleus for a new generation of Evangelical thinkers and leaders." [Alister McGrath "Evangelicalism and the Future of Christianity" (Leicester: IVP, 1005) 45]

Associated with his ministry

Through him many influential people became converted to Christianity, including the clergymen John Stott, [John Eddison (ed) "A Study in Spiritual Power; An Appreciation of E J H Nash (Bash)" (Highland; Crowborough, 1992) 83] David Sheppard, Michael Green [Michael Green "Thirty Years That Changed the World: The Book of Acts for Today" (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 2004) 178] and R C Lucas. [John Eddison (ed) "A Study in Spiritual Power; An Appreciation of E J H Nash (Bash)" (Highland; Crowborough, 1992) 49] David Watson was invited by David Sheppard and attended thirty-five camps in five years. [David Watson "You are my God" (London: Hodder, 1983) 122] Sir Fred Catherwood [Timothy Dudley-Smith "John Stott: The Making of a Leader: A Biography: The Early Years" (Downer's Grove: IVP, 1999) 142] also participated.

Alpha course

The Alpha course founder Nicky Gumbel also participated. It has been said of the Alpha course (an introductory course to the Christian faith) that its scheme of talks rather resembles that used on a Iwerne Minster summer camp. Rob Warner says: "Alpha can therefore be summed up as Bash camp rationalistic conservatism combined with Wimberist charismatic expressivism... this is a highly unusual, even paradoxical hybrid." [Rob Warner "Reinventing English Evangelicalism 1966-2001" (Milton Keynes: Paternoster, 2007) 122] Gumbel himself will only admit an indirect link.

ee also

* John Eddison (ed) "A Study in Spiritual Power; An Appreciation of E J H Nash (Bash) (Highland; Crowborough, 1992)
* Teddy Saunders & Hugh Sansom "David Watson, a Biography" (Sevenoaks: Hodder, 1992) chapter 4
* [http://www.evangelicaltimes.org/Website_Pages/ArticleDetail.php?articleID=281/ Evangelical Times story]
* [http://www.titustrust.org/ Titus Trust]

References