BETHEL BIBLE COLLEGE, GUNTUR

SUBJECT : ECUMENICAL MOVEMENT

TOPIC : LIFE AND WORK

SUBMITTED TO : REV. DR. N.S.J SUDHIR

SUBMITTED BY : RO HMUN LIAN

Introduction

In the “Life and Work” movement Western parochialism reigned no less. Indeed, it was not until
the W.C.C. study on “Our common Christian responsibility towards areas of rapid social change”
(1955-61) that the “Life and Work” stream of the ecumenical movement became aware of the
challenges of revolutionary Asia, Africa, and Latin America for Christian social thinking and
action. At the first W.C.C. assembly, however, the treatment of the East-West conflict still gave
the impression that the East ended with the Bosporus, as C. Devanesen observed.

Life and Work Movement”

The Universal Christian Conference on Life and Work (UCCLW) came out of church leaders’
long and continual search for Christian service in the society, for an understanding of the causes
of social problems and for bringing peace.

In Europe, many organizations like the Home Missions and Settlements and ministries of service
grew up in the 19” century. Their objective was to provide humanitarian service to the
unfortunate sections in the community. These were charitable institutions and those who
associated with them hailed from different churches.Though such kind of charitable works
deserved appreciation, there was a need first to make a thorough study of the main causes of
social evils before tackling the problems. The International Social Service Council founded in
England in 1911 brought together members from most denominations including the Roman
Catholics and the Unitarians. These members took active part in its annual meetings that were
held at Swanwide and joined together in preparing a common social action plan.

Christian Social Union movements also came out prominently in Germany before the end of the
19” century. Amongst the different unions that emerged there, the National Sozialer Verein
deserves our attention. Founded by Friedrick Naumann at a conference at Erfurt in 1896, it was a
political party that aimed at strengthening national unity, and social reform. The National
Sozialer Verein influenced Nathan Soderbiom trom Sweden, who was to play a leading role in
the Life and Work movement later. He envisioned a Christian social movement for a twofold
objective: Christian unity and Christian social reforms. France too produced an outstanding
Christian social leader, like Tommy Fallot, and his social movement organization had a far-
reaching influence on practical Christian service.

Efforts were on in other different European countries like Switzerland, Sweden, Norway,
Denmark, Holland, Italy and in the US for the promotion of Christian co-operation in the cause
of peace and international understanding. The formation of the World Alliance for promoting
International friendship through churches was remarkable because it created not just a sense of
international unity and ecumenical co-operation but a tenacious spirit even in the midst of
disappointment and war.

Christian leaders could no longer remain distant onlookers at the sociopolitical and economic
problems of humankind. National struggles, social unrest and the First World War brought about
inexpressible damage in human relations, peace and harmony. As missionary societies and
boards successfully met together for the proclamation of the gospel in this generation, it was also
important that ecumenical leaders came together to discuss and plan for unity, rehabilitation and
international peace.

In 1907 some Christian leaders from England, Germany and the US met and expressed together
their desire to perpetuate Christian values in the process of building the world. This informal
gathering gave birth to the organization of the World Alliance of the Churches for Promoting
International Friendship in 1914. In its second conference in Berne, Switzerland in the following
year the name was modified and fixed as the World Alliance for Promoting International
Friendship through Churches. Nathan Soderblom took a prominent role on both occasions. He
was also successful in convening a conference at Uppsala in 1917 – a conference of churches
from neutral countries. The findings from this conference could be summed up under three main
headings: 1) the Unity of Christians, 2) The Christians and the Life of Society and 3) Christians
and International Law. These were very significant as they found manifested in the vision of the
Life and Work Movement.
Like the World Missionary Conference, 1910, the Geneva Conference, 1920 paid attention to the
“Work” aspects of Christianity but deliberately passed over doctrinal issues. It gave rise to the
catchy slogan “doctrine divides but service unites.” Its implication was that the movement
affirmed the practical dimension of Christianity and its values but set aside the contentious
theological issues of different ecclesiastical heritages. The movement was built up on the two-
fold principle, ecumenical unity and universal Christian service. Finally, this meeting approved
the name Universal Christian Conference of Life and Work.

The first Universal Christian Conference on Life and Work was held at Stockholm on 19-29
August 1925. More than 600 representatives attended it from 37 nations. The comprehensive and
practical nature of the gathering could be understood from the issues that were discussed in the
sessions of the conference. They were: 1) Church’s duty in the light of God’s plan for the world,
2) Church and economic and industrial problems, 3) Church and social and moral problems, 4)
Church and international relations, 5) Church and education, and 6) the methods of co-operation
and federative efforts by Christian communions. These topics reflected well the objectives of the
movement. They were to consider the Christian task of life and service, ways and means of
establishing wider co-operation, to promote Christian unity by service, to form Christian councils
so as to bring together different churches to a mutual understanding, to render help and relief for
war victims and to develop an international law in order to prevent resurgence of large scale
international conflicts.

Archbishop Nathan Soderblom who gave much shape to it was made its Chairman. The presence
of the Patriarchs of Alexandria and Jerusalem and delegates from the Orthodox Church further
bolstered ecumenical cooperation and unity. The objective was to unite together Christians and
Churches and to draw their attention to social, industrial and international problems in today’s
world.‘ In other words, unity of churches was important and necessary in the application of
Christian values to the present day human problems. The first conference examined and
discussed the duty of churches in areas of human existence and acknowledged their social
responsibility. Life and Work movement, like the development at the World Missionary
Conference, 1910, perpetuated smooth and healthy discussion on service to humanity, brought
mutual agreements and hardly produced ideas of divergences.
In 1928 the Life and Work movement was able to establish Its office in Geneva. As the stated
constitutional objective was to perpetuate and strengthen the fellowship among various churches
in the application of Christian ethics to the social problems of modem life, the office made
contact with the Department of Social and Economic Research of the IMC, the League of
Nations, the International Labour Office and especially with the European Central Bureau for
Inter-church Aid.

The second conference of the movement was held at Oxford on 12-16 July 1937. 425 members
attended it, majority of who were official delegates of churches from 120 communions in 40
different nations. 30 delegates were from younger churches. Prominent amongst the participants
were Joseph H Oldham, William Adams Brown of the US, the Archbishop of Canterbury, the
Primate of Sweden, the Orthodox Bishop Germanos and Bishop V. S. Azariah. Other
participants were from various walks of life – teachers, women, and social workers besides
Church leaders) The topics for the Conference were broadly divided into five areas; viz., 1)
Church and community, 2) Church and state, 3) Church, community and state in relation to the
economic order, 4) Church, community and state in relation to the education and 5) the universal
Church and the world of nations.

Conclusion

The conference discussed the said subjects in a serious manner but finally approved the proposal
for integration along with the Faith and Order movement toward the formation of a world unified
ecumenical body, the World Council of Churches. Following this decision, the movement’s
meeting at Utrecht on 13 May 1938 processed all official proceedings and transferred all duties
and functions to the new Provisional Committee of the anticipated WCC.