UCCF
Encyclopedia
Universities and Colleges Christian Fellowship (UCCF), formerly known as the Inter-Varsity Fellowship (IVF), is a UK-based evangelical Christian charity
that operates on university campuses.
UCCF is a network of Christian students, staff and supporters which largely operates in universities, colleges and schools. Its primary mission is evangelism
in higher education through affiliated 'Christian Unions
' (CUs) throughout the UK. There are around 300 Christian Unions in the UK at present, with a membership of approximately 10,000–15,000, providing opportunities for fellowship, bible study and evangelism.
UCCF employs a number of staff (many themselves graduates who were involved in the CU) who work to support the student Christian Unions with training, advice and materials.
of Trinity College, Cambridge
and a friend, met with ten representatives of the Student Christian Movement
to discuss their concerns that SCM was promoting an overly liberal view of Christianity in the British universities. Grubb posed the direct question, "Does the Student Christian Movement put the atoning blood of Christ central in its teaching?" After a little deliberation the answer came, "Well, we acknowledge it, but not necessarily central."
Grubb and his friends at Cambridge decided that they could no longer work in partnership with the SCM saying that it had divorced a biblically-based, cross-centred emphasis. The Cambridge Inter-Collegiate Christian Union
(CICCU) had been disaffiliated from national SCM since 1910, but only after talks in 1919 floundered did a permanent split look probable. Splits followed thoughout the British and Irish university system and two separate organisations emerged which went on to form the modern UCCF, earlier known as the IVF, and SCM.
Grubb developed a vision to see an 'evangelical witnessing community on every university campus'. At the time there were just 28 universities in the UK and Ireland. The Inter-Varsity Fellowship (IVF) was born in 1928, linking these early Christian Unions together. In Cambridge, Oxford, King's, University College London, Manchester, Durham, Cardiff, Bristol, Liverpool, Queen's, Dublin, Magee, Glasgow, Edinburgh, St Andrews and Aberdeen student groups were affiliated to IVF.
During the 1940s, CU work began in the Technical Colleges. This expanded so rapidly that by the early 1970s it represented half the ministry and led to the name change to the Universities and Colleges Christian Fellowship. Since then many colleges have themselves gained university status, and until 2007 UCCF continued to serve both the HE and FE sectors of tertiary education. In 2007 a new organisation was created, called FESTIVE, to specifically serve the FE sector and leave the UCCF free to concentrate on HE.
In 1947 UCCF became a founding member of the International Fellowship of Evangelical Students
(IFES) and continues to play a role globally.
According to the UCCF, the Doctrinal Basis sets out the "fundamental truths of Christianity, as revealed in Holy Scripture." The Doctrinal Basis sets out the main beliefs of the UCCF which make clear that it is rooted in Evangelical Christianity. This is as follows:
Some Christians (including, but not limited to, members of non-Protestant groups such as the Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox Churches) do not hold to certain points of the Doctrinal Basis. In particular the doctrines of Sola Scriptura
http://www.the-highway.com/Sola_Scriptura_Godfrey.html (of which part 3 is a strongly worded form) and Penal Substitution
(part 6)http://www.the-highway.com/cross_Packer.html are contested by some Christian theologians, and nontrinitarians
contest part 1 (which interestingly is listed before Sola Scriptura, implying a preference over any scriptural support for nontrinitarianism). In some cases, UCCF's evangelical theology has led to Christian Unions having difficult relationships with Chaplaincies and/or Student Unions. It is also a substantial and persistent difference between UCCF and SCM (which is committed to ecumenism
, including with CUs).
Charitable organization
A charitable organization is a type of non-profit organization . It differs from other types of NPOs in that it centers on philanthropic goals A charitable organization is a type of non-profit organization (NPO). It differs from other types of NPOs in that it centers on philanthropic goals A...
that operates on university campuses.
UCCF is a network of Christian students, staff and supporters which largely operates in universities, colleges and schools. Its primary mission is evangelism
Evangelism
Evangelism refers to the practice of relaying information about a particular set of beliefs to others who do not hold those beliefs. The term is often used in reference to Christianity....
in higher education through affiliated 'Christian Unions
Christian Union (students)
Christian Unions are evangelical Christian student groups. They exist in many countries and are often affiliated with either International Fellowship of Evangelical Students or Campus Crusade for Christ. Many Christian Unions are one of the societies affiliated to their universities' students'...
' (CUs) throughout the UK. There are around 300 Christian Unions in the UK at present, with a membership of approximately 10,000–15,000, providing opportunities for fellowship, bible study and evangelism.
UCCF employs a number of staff (many themselves graduates who were involved in the CU) who work to support the student Christian Unions with training, advice and materials.
History
In the summer term of 1919 an evangelical student called Norman GrubbNorman Grubb
Norman Percy Grubb was a missionary statesman, writer and theological teacher.- Early life :Grubb was born in London, the son of an Anglican vicar. He was educated at an English Public School before joining the British Army as a lieutenant in World War I. After the war, in which he was wounded in...
of Trinity College, Cambridge
Trinity College, Cambridge
Trinity College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge. Trinity has more members than any other college in Cambridge or Oxford, with around 700 undergraduates, 430 graduates, and over 170 Fellows...
and a friend, met with ten representatives of the Student Christian Movement
Student Christian Movement of the United Kingdom
The Student Christian Movement of Great Britain is a part of the World Student Christian Federation.-Vision Statement:SCM is a movement seeking to bring together students of all denominations to explore the Christian faith in an open-minded and non-judgemental environment.SCM seeks to promote a...
to discuss their concerns that SCM was promoting an overly liberal view of Christianity in the British universities. Grubb posed the direct question, "Does the Student Christian Movement put the atoning blood of Christ central in its teaching?" After a little deliberation the answer came, "Well, we acknowledge it, but not necessarily central."
Grubb and his friends at Cambridge decided that they could no longer work in partnership with the SCM saying that it had divorced a biblically-based, cross-centred emphasis. The Cambridge Inter-Collegiate Christian Union
Cambridge Inter-Collegiate Christian Union
The Cambridge Inter-Collegiate Christian Union, usually known as CICCU, was the first university Christian Union and is the University of Cambridge's most prominent student Christian organisation. It was formed in 1877, but can trace its origins back to the formation of the Jesus Lane Sunday...
(CICCU) had been disaffiliated from national SCM since 1910, but only after talks in 1919 floundered did a permanent split look probable. Splits followed thoughout the British and Irish university system and two separate organisations emerged which went on to form the modern UCCF, earlier known as the IVF, and SCM.
Grubb developed a vision to see an 'evangelical witnessing community on every university campus'. At the time there were just 28 universities in the UK and Ireland. The Inter-Varsity Fellowship (IVF) was born in 1928, linking these early Christian Unions together. In Cambridge, Oxford, King's, University College London, Manchester, Durham, Cardiff, Bristol, Liverpool, Queen's, Dublin, Magee, Glasgow, Edinburgh, St Andrews and Aberdeen student groups were affiliated to IVF.
During the 1940s, CU work began in the Technical Colleges. This expanded so rapidly that by the early 1970s it represented half the ministry and led to the name change to the Universities and Colleges Christian Fellowship. Since then many colleges have themselves gained university status, and until 2007 UCCF continued to serve both the HE and FE sectors of tertiary education. In 2007 a new organisation was created, called FESTIVE, to specifically serve the FE sector and leave the UCCF free to concentrate on HE.
In 1947 UCCF became a founding member of the International Fellowship of Evangelical Students
International Fellowship of Evangelical Students
The International Fellowship of Evangelical Students is an association of about 136 evangelical Christian student movements worldwide, encouraging evangelism, discipleship and mission among students. The goal of the organisation is to establish local autonomous student movements in every country...
(IFES) and continues to play a role globally.
Doctrinal basis
The parting of the ways between the CICCU and the SCM was due to the centrality of both biblical truth and the need for evangelism (as they were perceived by Grubb and his friends). Initially, the SCM had been aiming at "the evangelisation of the world in this generation," although the CICCU had felt that this aim was not being sufficiently emphasised by 1922.According to the UCCF, the Doctrinal Basis sets out the "fundamental truths of Christianity, as revealed in Holy Scripture." The Doctrinal Basis sets out the main beliefs of the UCCF which make clear that it is rooted in Evangelical Christianity. This is as follows:
1. There is one God in three persons, the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit.
2. God is sovereign in creation, revelation, redemption and final judgement.
3. The Bible, as originally given, is the inspired and infallible Word of God. It is the supreme authority in all matters of belief and behaviour.
4. Since the fall, the whole of humankind is sinful and guilty, so that everyone is subject to God's wrath and condemnation.
5. The Lord Jesus Christ, God's incarnate Son, is fully God; he was born of a virgin; his humanity is real and sinless; he died on the cross, was raised bodily from death and is now reigning over heaven and earth.
6. Sinful human beings are redeemed from the guilt, penalty and power of sin only through the sacrificial death once and for all time of their representative and substitute, Jesus Christ, the only mediator between them and God.
7. Those who believe in Christ are pardoned all their sins and accepted in God's sight only because of the righteousness of Christ credited to them; this justification is God's act of undeserved mercy, received solely by trust in him and not by their own efforts.
8. The Holy Spirit alone makes the work of Christ effective to individual sinners, enabling them to turn to God from their sin and to trust in Jesus Christ.
9. The Holy Spirit lives in all those he has regenerated. He makes them increasingly Christlike in character and behaviour and gives them power for their witness in the world.
10. The one holy universal church is the Body of Christ, to which all true believers belong.
11. The Lord Jesus Christ will return in person, to judge everyone, to execute God's just condemnation on those who have not repented and to receive the redeemed to eternal glory.
Some Christians (including, but not limited to, members of non-Protestant groups such as the Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox Churches) do not hold to certain points of the Doctrinal Basis. In particular the doctrines of Sola Scriptura
Sola scriptura
Sola scriptura is the doctrine that the Bible contains all knowledge necessary for salvation and holiness. Consequently, sola scriptura demands that only those doctrines are to be admitted or confessed that are found directly within or indirectly by using valid logical deduction or valid...
http://www.the-highway.com/Sola_Scriptura_Godfrey.html (of which part 3 is a strongly worded form) and Penal Substitution
Penal substitution
Penal substitution is a theory of the atonement within Christian theology, developed with the Reformed tradition. It argues that Christ, by his own sacrificial choice, was punished in the place of sinners , thus satisfying the demands of justice so God can justly forgive the sins...
(part 6)http://www.the-highway.com/cross_Packer.html are contested by some Christian theologians, and nontrinitarians
Nontrinitarianism
Nontrinitarianism includes all Christian belief systems that disagree with the doctrine of the Trinity, namely, the teaching that God is three distinct hypostases and yet co-eternal, co-equal, and indivisibly united in one essence or ousia...
contest part 1 (which interestingly is listed before Sola Scriptura, implying a preference over any scriptural support for nontrinitarianism). In some cases, UCCF's evangelical theology has led to Christian Unions having difficult relationships with Chaplaincies and/or Student Unions. It is also a substantial and persistent difference between UCCF and SCM (which is committed to ecumenism
Ecumenism
Ecumenism or oecumenism mainly refers to initiatives aimed at greater Christian unity or cooperation. It is used predominantly by and with reference to Christian denominations and Christian Churches separated by doctrine, history, and practice...
, including with CUs).
See also
- List of UCCF affiliating CUs
- Cambridge Inter-Collegiate Christian UnionCambridge Inter-Collegiate Christian UnionThe Cambridge Inter-Collegiate Christian Union, usually known as CICCU, was the first university Christian Union and is the University of Cambridge's most prominent student Christian organisation. It was formed in 1877, but can trace its origins back to the formation of the Jesus Lane Sunday...
- Oxford Inter-Collegiate Christian UnionOxford Inter-Collegiate Christian UnionThe Oxford Inter-Collegiate Christian Union, usually known as OICCU, was the second university Christian Union and is the University of Oxford's most prominent student Protestant organisation...
- International Fellowship of Evangelical StudentsInternational Fellowship of Evangelical StudentsThe International Fellowship of Evangelical Students is an association of about 136 evangelical Christian student movements worldwide, encouraging evangelism, discipleship and mission among students. The goal of the organisation is to establish local autonomous student movements in every country...
- InterVarsity Christian Fellowship (USA)InterVarsity Christian FellowshipInterVarsity Christian Fellowship/USA is an inter-denominational, evangelical Christian, student-led ministry which for the past 70 years has been dedicated to establishing witnessing communities on U.S. college and university campuses...
- Inter-Varsity Christian Fellowship of CanadaInter-Varsity Christian Fellowship of CanadaInter-Varsity Christian Fellowship of Canada, or IVCF Canada, is a Christian organization which ministers to youth and university students through a variety of ministries, including Pioneer Camps of Canada, high school, college and university ministries such as Acadia Christian Fellowship or ACF...
- Australian Fellowship of Evangelical StudentsAustralian Fellowship of Evangelical StudentsThe Australian Fellowship of Evangelical Students is an evangelical Christian parachurch organisation that aims to encourage university students to believe in and follow Jesus Christ...
- Tertiary Students Christian Fellowship (New Zealand)Tertiary Students Christian FellowshipTertiary Students Christian Fellowship is a New Zealand evangelical Christian student movement with affiliate groups on most university campuses, as well as some polytechnics and other tertiary institutions. It is a founding member of the International Fellowship of Evangelical Students...
- Inter-Varsity PressInter-Varsity PressInterVarsity Press is a publisher of evangelical Christian books. IVP is linked to InterVarsity Christian Fellowship, and is headquartered in Westmont, Illinois.-History:...
- Student Christian Movement of the United KingdomStudent Christian Movement of the United KingdomThe Student Christian Movement of Great Britain is a part of the World Student Christian Federation.-Vision Statement:SCM is a movement seeking to bring together students of all denominations to explore the Christian faith in an open-minded and non-judgemental environment.SCM seeks to promote a...