Reflections on the SCM Conference

Living it out - for all generations.

For me it was all more about people than events or talks, people connecting with one another and listening to one another.

It was, of course, of particular interest to me as the oldest of the Friends to listen to the opening talk by Michael Taylor, speaking of his faith journey from the certainties of his youth through his many and varied life experiences to his present continuing exploration of fresh thinking and response to fresh needs. It was a valid reflection on the conference theme of ‘Living it out’ and one that I could endorse from my own very similar faith journey, lived through very different life experiences but in a similar period. I hope that Michael will either be including the theme of his talk in a future publication of his own or will make it available in an S.C.M. publication.

The Friends were of varying ages, reflecting the recent history of the S.C.M. and the long period of reduced activity in the universities and our conversations demonstrated the varied ways in which we were ‘living it out’, each in our generation. Although the Friends’ discussion groups were separate, meal times and other informal meeting points provided opportunities to listen to the concerns and hopes of present students ‘living it out’ in a very different world from the one that the older Friends have known.

Environmental concerns that came to the fore for us in the 70s through the work of Schumacher and in the 80s through the leadership of the Friends of the Earth and a range of Green movements has now come to a crisis point in the threat of global warming – the focal point of Tamsin Omond’s programme of direct action. The ecumenical movement that in our time could have been more accurately named an inter-church movement is now opening out into a concern with inter-faith relationships. I was personally sad not to be able to share in the workshop on Islam led by Ray Gaston but I recommend his extraordinary book, “A Heart Broken Open” that records his experience of keeping Ramadan and building relationships with his Muslim neighbours during his parish ministry in Leeds. The world in which the present generation will be ‘living out’ their faith is in all respects more immediately and consciously one world than the world in which we have lived and communication more immediate. Thank you for enabling us older Friends to listen and participate.

Betty Saunders is a Friend of the movement, and was an SCM member at London University in 1945-47.

Read another report of the event by Liam Purcell

Back to full conference report.