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'The '''Oxford Inter-Collegiate Christian Union''', usually known as '''OICCU''', was the second university [[Christian Union (students)|Christian Union]] and is the [[University of Oxford]]'s most prominent student Protestant organisation. It was formed in 1879. Due to the strength of the [[Oxford Movement]] and later the [[Oxford Group]]s (alternative Christian movements), [[evangelicalism|Evangelical]] Christians in Oxford have generally faced a more pluriform environment than in [[University of Cambridge|Cambridge]], and the OICCU has tended to follow the general lead of its Cambridge counterpart, the [[Cambridge Inter-Collegiate Christian Union]] (CICCU). The OICCU does admit postgraduate students as well as undergraduates, although postgraduates are eligible only for associate membership, and their needs may be better served by the [[Oxford Graduate Christian Union]]. ==Aims and Purpose== 1. The three aims of OICCU are * ''Presenting the claims of [[Jesus Christ]] to the University'' - OICCU is not an ordinary university society, because it exists not so much for members as non-members (that is, non-Christians). Christians meet to encourage one another to proclaim the good news of Christ in their colleges for God's glory and for the sake of those who aren't Christians. * ''Uniting in fellowship those who desire to witness for Christ, and to deepen their spiritual life'' - Christians are commanded to preserve their unity in Christ. When this happens the unity is a witness to the gospel: it highlights the truth and beauty of the gospel. * ''Promoting involvement in God's work worldwide'' - as a small part of a worldwide community of Christians the desire to witness to the university will spill over into a passion for gospel work globally. 2. Relationship to the local church * The local church is a biblical principle which the OICCU is not trying to replace in the Christian's life: OICCU encourages all its members to also be part of a local church and to contribute to that family of believers. * OICCU has the opportunity as a student run organisation to put on events uniquely geared to what its members think its fellow-students want. * OICCU also has the opportunity to be prominent in the college communities in a way that churches cannot do. * OICCU is inter-denominational, so its declaration of belief reflects what its members believe to be central to the gospel, and not secondary issues which Christians differ on. 3. The way it works week to week * ''College Groups'' enable OICCU to put on events geared towards evangelising the individual college communities. This structure also enables students to have fellowship with a small group of believers, which helps in reaching out to the rest of the college. When non-Christians see the Christian Union's members acting like a family and supporting one another it helps with evangelism. * ''Central Meetings'' mean that members of OICCU can be encouraged by seeing that there are lots of people who also want to witness for Christ in Oxford. OICCU has speakers, music and opportunities to hear about God's work in Oxford and further abroad. The members of OICCU pray together on a Monday morning, recognising that everything they do is useless if God's not at work. * ''Personal Evangelism'' is key to what OICCU does, it's not all about meetings and bureaucracy, but its members want to get alongside non-Christians and tell them about Christ. * ''Central Events and College Events'' are a resource to back up personal evangelism; OICCU has weekly events like 'Big Issues' lunchbars, and bigger events like the Summer BBQ, the Carol Service, and Mission Week. This is summed up in the OICCU mission statement: ''the OICCU exists to be a united student community to witness for Christ. '' ==Beliefs== OICCU adopts the doctrinal basis of [[UCCF]], an [[evangelicalism|evangelical]] Christian organisation with which OICCU is affiliated. The doctrinal basis contains what evangelicals perceive as the [[Bible|biblical]] foundations of Christianity, including: * The unity of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit in the Godhead. * The sovereignty of God in creation, revelation, redemption and final judgement. * The divine inspiration and infallibility of Holy Scripture as originally given, and its supreme authority in all matters of faith and conduct. * The universal sinfulness and guilt of human nature since the fall, rendering man subject to God's wrath and condemnation. * The full deity of the Lord Jesus Christ, the incarnate son of God; his virgin birth and his real and sinless humanity; his death on the cross, his bodily resurrection and his present reign in heaven and earth. * Redemption from guilt, penalty and power of sin only through the sacrificial death once for all time of our representative and substitute, Jesus Christ, the only mediator between God and man. * Justification as God's act of undeserved mercy, in which the sinner is pardoned of all his sins, and accepted as righteous in God's sight, only because of the righteousness of Christ imputed to him, this justification being received by faith alone. * The need for the Holy Spirit to make the work of Christ effective to the individual sinner, granting him repentance toward God and faith in Jesus Christ. * The indwelling of the Holy Spirit in all those thus regenerated, producing in them an increasing likeness to Christ in character and behaviour, and empowering them for their witness in the world. * The one holy universal Church, which is the Body of Christ, and to which all true believers belong. * The future personal return of the Lord Jesus Christ, who will judge all men, executing God's just condemnation of the impenitent and receiving the redeemed to eternal glory. ==Mission Week== Since its early years, the OICCU has held an annual week of evangelistic events including apologetics talks and a summary of the gospel. Every three years a larger series of evangelistic events is organised. ==Recent Problems== In recent years (2009-10) OICCU has become increasingly evangelical and fundamentalist in its approach to the Christian message in Oxford and the interpretation of the faith. This trend has contributed to its alienation of more liberal elements of the student body, and in the wider student community where its aggressive style and perceived self-righteous (arrogant) behaviour hampers its attempts to encourage people to attend events and talks. There have also been controversies about its exclusivity in recent terms as, despite its claim to be cross-denominational, the Union actively bars and discourages Catholics from joining or participating in the movement. The anti-intellectual culture of OICCU has become a serious problem for many of the University's liberal or progressive Christians. ==History== ===Foundation=== OICCU was modelled after the [[Cambridge Inter-Collegiate Christian Union]] (CICCU), founded two years earlier, but later incorporated a Daily Prayer Meeting established in [[Brasenose College, Oxford|Brasenose College]] in 1867. Like [[Wycliffe Hall]] (also 1877), it could be seen as a response to the University's abandonment of its previous officially [[Protestantism|Protestant]] position. The initial members included [[Frank Chavasse]], subsequently [[Bishop of Liverpool]] and founder of [[St Peter's College, Oxford|St Peter's College]]. ===Relations with the SCM=== OICCU was a founder member of the [[World Student Christian Federation|Student Christian Movement]] and followed its lead in liberalizing its doctrine. In 1914 the OICCU suspended its activities, with the rest of the University. After World War I, the Oxford SCM was reestablished under that name, but those who held the OICCU's original doctrinal position established a separate ''Oxford University Bible Union''. In 1925 the two agreed to merge, and the OUBU became the ''Devotional Union of the Student Christian Movement in Oxford''. However, the merger was not successful and in Michaelmas 1927, the Devotional Union committee voted to secede. The SCM gave them permission to use the old (1879) name and so the OICCU was born anew, adopting the Doctrinal Basis of the new Inter-Varsity Fellowship of Evangelical Unions (now [[UCCF]]) in 1928. During much of this period, the OICCU used some of the buildings later incorporated into [[St Peter's College, Oxford|St Peter's College]]. However, after 1933 it had the use of the [[Northgate Hall]] (just opposite the [[Oxford Union]] on St Michael's Street). ===The Oxford Groups=== During the 1920s and 1930s, an American preacher named [[Frank N. D. Buchman]] drew a considerable following at Oxford. He emphasized the use of small groups (with Buchman-appointed leaders) where sins were publicly confessed and repented of. The movement taught that the [[Holy Spirit]] was to directly guide Christians. These small groups became known as [[Oxford Group]]s and later [[Moral Re-Armament]]. The emphasis on small groups and personal belief was inherited by [[Alcoholics Anonymous]]. Buchman was appealing directly to the OICCU constituency, and Julian Thornton-Duesbury (one of OICCU's supervising university teachers) became a noted Buchmanite. However, the OICCU's student leadership distanced themselves from Buchman. ===1940s: Problems and Packer=== The [[International Fellowship of Evangelical Students]], the worldwide body to which OICCU belongs, was planned at a conference in Oxford in the late 1930s. [[World War II]] forced those plans to be delayed. The greatly reduced number of students in Oxford obviously interfered with the OICCU itself; one medical student had to serve as President for much more than the customary one year of office. However, the Union maintained daily prayer meetings (in termtime) throughout the War. Afterwards, a Standing Committee of prominent past members was established to ensure the Union's long-term continuity in such circumstances and in 1948 they became trustees of the Northgate Hall. The Standing Committee also has some reserve powers regarding the Doctrinal Basis, although they have never been used. More positively, the prominent Evangelical theologian [[J.I. Packer]] was converted to Evangelical Christianity at an OICCU meeting in the 1940s, during his first week at the University. While a student member he was not regarded as doctrinally sound enough to join the Executive Committee. However, he was appointed Librarian, taking a particular interest in the OICCU's selection of out-of-print [[Puritan]] books. In the following decade Packer, along with Dr [[Martyn Lloyd-Jones]], led a revival of [[Puritan]] studies amongst British pastors. He returned to Oxford in 2004 as the guest of honour at the 125th Anniversary celebrations. ===Post-war era=== The 1950s saw the OICCU at perhaps its greatest numerical strength, while the [[World Student Christian Federation|SCM]] was seen to have moved towards [[Marxism]]. One leading figure at this time was [[Michael Green (theologian)|Michael Green]] (President in 1952), who has been a leading [[Evangelicalism|Evangelical]] in the [[Church of England]] and then the [[Anglican Communion]] since the 1960s. Canon Green has taken a particular interest in promoting the [[Charismatic Movement]], including within the OICCU. In a slightly later generation, [[Tom Wright (theologian)|Tom Wright]] was the OICCU President (1970-71) and published his first book together with other members of his year's Executive Committee. The book was a plea for a conservative [[Calvinist]] doctrinal position, a position he has since modified. A feature of the post-war years has been the custom of triennal missions which attempt to explain the gospel to every undergraduate. These missions can trace their history back to the visit of [[Dwight Moody]] and [[Ira D. Sankey]] in 1882, but the current model began with a 1940 mission led by [[Martyn Lloyd-Jones|Lloyd-Jones]]. Subsequent main speakers have included [[Michael Green]], [[R. C. Lucas|Dick Lucas]] (long-time rector of [[St Helen's Bishopsgate]]), and [[John Stott]]; one of Stott's series of talks was subsequently published as ''Basic Christianity''. OICCU membership has diminished since the middle part of the century, and now usually stands in the low hundreds — however, most students who regularly attend meetings become formal members, and as of March 2006 OICCU's group membership on [[Facebook]] exceeded its official membership. The lease on the [[Northgate Hall]] was given up in the 1980s, and the Union has returned to the peripatetic existence of its earliest years, meeting in various church and public buildings around the city. Its archives are now held in the [[Bodleian Library]] and it has the use of a small store room at [[St Ebbe's, Oxford|St Ebbe's]] church and New Road Baptist Church. The OICCU currently meet every Wednesday during term time, with 'odd weeks' being central meetings and 'even weeks' being meetings in college (as of Michaelmas Term 2008). ===List of OICCU Presidents=== *1879: George King *1881: Frank Webster *1882: Hon. William Talbot Rice *1885: Vernon Bartlet *1891: Thomas Ketchlee *1892: Tom Alvarez *1893: Edmund Elwin *1894: Temple Gairdner *1895: Willie Holland *1897: Fergus McNeile *1898: Robert Drury *1905: Jack Woodhouse *1907: Geoffrey Lunt *1909: Nathaniel Micklem *1919: Willoughby Habershon *1920: Noel Palmer *1921: Willoughby Habershon *1922: Talbot Mohan *1925: [[Verrier Elwin]] *1926: Gordon Aldis *1935: David Bentley-Taylor *1938: Herbert Pope *1943: David Mullins *1944: David Mullins *1945: David Mullins *1947: [[Donald Wiseman]] *1951: Michael Farrer *1952: Michael Green *1955: Kenneth Habershon *1956: JD Morris *1957: Patrick B Harris *1958: HWJ Harland *1959: David R. Catchpole *1960: BT Lloyd *1961: John G. Wesson *1962: G. Graham Dow *1963: AMG Dalzell *1964: Ray AE Shilling *1965: RD Toley *1966: John Clarke *1967: Dennis Alexander *1968: Chris MN Sugden *1969: Richard Kennedy *1970: [[N. T. Wright|NT Wright]] *1971: Duncan Munro *1972: Christopher Foster *1973: Morey Thomas *1974: Keith Sinclair *1975: Lindsay Brown *1979: Stephen Wright *1980: Tim Saunders *1981: Richard Dain *1982: David Field *1983: Hugh Skeill *1984: David Gray *1985: Mark May *1986: Rick Simpson *1987: Andy Buckler *1988: Simon Cansdale *1989: Steve Divall *1990: Richard Frank *1991: Nat Schluter *1994: Stuart Cashman *1995: James Ewins *1996: Stephen Jones *1997: Ed Reid *1998: David Scoffield *1999: Paul Murray *1999: Martin Thornley *2000: Tom Patrick *2001: Joshua Hordern *2002: Ed Boddam-Whetham *2003: David 'Benny' Goodman *2004: John Aldis *2005: Edward Clark *2006: Gregory Tarr *2007: Daniel Tredget *2008: David Meryon *2009: Graham Thornton *2010: Joel Harland ==Affiliation== *[[UCCF]] (Universities and Colleges Christian Fellowship) *[[International Fellowship of Evangelical Students]] == See also == *[[Holy Club]] *[[Oxford University Newman Society]] ==External links== * [http://www.oiccu.org.uk/ Oxford Inter-Collegiate Christian Union] website * [http://www.oxfordgcu.org/ Oxford Graduate Christian Union] website * [http://www.e-n.org.uk/2537-It-began-with-prayer.htm A brief history of the OICCU] by Liam Beadle, from the May 2004 edition of ''[[Evangelicals Now]]'' ==Bibliography== * ''Born Anew'' John S. Reynolds : Oxford, OICCU Centenary & Executive Committees, 1979. * ''Meeting Jesus at University: Rites of Passage and Student Evangelicals'' Edward Dutton: 2008. Ashgate. * ''Christ and the Colleges'' F. [[Donald Coggan]] : London, [[Inter-Varsity Fellowship]], 1934. * ''The Evangelicals at Oxford, 1735-1871 : a record of an unchronicled movement, with the record extended to 1905, and an essay on Oxford evangelical theology'' John S. Reynolds with [[J. I. Packer]] : Abingdon, [[Marcham Manor Press]], 1975. * ''The Evangelicals at Oxford, 1735-1871 : a record of an unchronicled movement'' John S. Reynolds : Oxford, [[Blackwell's|Basil Blackwell]], 1953 * ''From Cambridge to the world'': 125 years of student witness / [[Oliver R. Barclay]] and [[Robert M. Horn]] : Leicester, [[Inter-Varsity Press]], 2002, ISBN 0-85111-499-7. [[Category:Religious organizations established in 1879]] [[Category:Christian evangelicalism]] [[Category:Clubs and societies of the University of Oxford|Christian Union, Inter-Collegiate]] [[Category:British Christian student societies]] [[Category:Christian denominations, unions, and movements established in the 19th century]] [[Category:Student religious organizations in the United Kingdom]]'