World Conference Of Christian Youth: Oslo’s Significance

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 12, Issue 2, 28 November 1947, Page 3

World Conference Of Christian Youth: Oslo’s Significance

What was the true significance of the forthcoming World Conference of Christian Youth? The Oslo Conference may be just another congress —a little reactionary, a bit academic, a trifle dull—or it might be the symbol of the recognition by a new generation of youth of the Lordship of Jesus Christ,

About 1,200 Christian youth of the whole world met at Oslo,, July 22-31. They began each day with services of worship prepared and led in turn by various national or ecclesiastical delegations in accordance with the forms of worship to which their members were most accustomed. There were Norwegian, Lutheran, Anglican and Eastern Orthodox services of Holy Communion. The principal speakers were Bishop Berggrav (Norway, the heroic Lutheran Bishop who resisted the Nazi occupation of Norway), D. T. Niles (Ceylon), Kirtley Mather (U.S.A.), Reinhold Neibuhr (U.S.A), J. Ellul (Prance), Martin Niemoller (Germany), W. A. Visser ’t Hooft (General Secretary WCC, Chairman WSCF), S. W. Li (China). Bible study and discussion groups were each composed of about 30 delegates of different nationalities, Churches and organisations. Subjects to be discussed included ‘Man and his Inventions,” “World Order,” “The Church.” Emphasis was laid on (a) Biblical Foundations, (b) Practical next steps by young Christians. New Zealand sent five delegates to represent the Churches and two to represent the SCM. Delegates were also representing the YMCA and the YWCA. Oslo was not intended to be just a conference of individuals, but a meeting place of young Christians who are in a real sense delegates of their national movements, prepared to represent the thinking of their contemporaries, to make important contributions to the thought of the members of other Movements represented at the Conference, and able to bring back inspiration and guidance for future fuller co-operation in prayer, thought and action between younger Christians throughout the world. Miss Barbara Rose writes: I travelled to Norway on the “Saga,” a ship on which 500 delegates were passengers. It docked at Gothenberg in Sweden on July 19, where we spent a couple of days and were looked after by the Christian young people of those parts. I went to several YM and YWCA meetings as a small part speaker, to a party for overseas delegates arranged by the SPG and spent Whitsun week-end at Bramhope Manor, six miles out of Leeds, at a pre-Oslo conference for North of England delegates arranged by the British Council. One of the most interesting features of the Oslo Conference was the services of worship according to the traditions of the different Churches. Not waiting for Oslo, some 100 young people had already been having this experience on Saturday afternoons in the “foreign” churches in London. The party arrived at the Greek Cathedral in Bayswate:r while a wedding was being celebrated and watched the crowning ceremony and the procession round the altar. After the wedding was over and the wedding guests and Youth Department visitors had been sorted out, the Archimandrite explained the symbolism of the building—the circle everywhere, representing perfection and eternity, the dome with the reigning Christ in the centre representing the love of God reaching down to earth (contrasted with the Gothic spires and arches reaching up to heaven), the murals and ikons of prophets and saints representing the unity of the Church in heaven and on earth. After an explanation of the Liturgy, a number went on to St. Basil’s House, the centre of the Fellowship of St. Alban and St. Sergius, for tea and further discussion.