The Australian Student Christian Movement (ASCM) is a Christian group with an ecumenical focus working with University students.

ASCM fosters liberal and progressive religious and social views, it has been associated with the social gospel, Christian socialist and environmentalist movements and is generally part of the Christian left.

The ASCM sees itself as:

• Open … encouraging spiritual growth through understanding and tolerance of others’ viewpoints.
• Ecumenical … welcoming and affirming members from all denominations and valuing the rich diversity of Christian traditions and those of other faiths, while seeking unity in prayer and action.
• Active … seeking God’s desire for peace, justice and liberation from oppression throughout the Bible and life of Jesus, and responding to God’s call for conversion of self and transformation of society.
• Critical … taking the learning of students seriously and looking to theology, the sciences and the humanities to provide new perspectives on faith and a deeper understanding of truth and life.

The ASCM was involved in the formation of the National Union of Students, the

Activism

The ASCM is

involved in the struggles for the liberation of women, and of gay, lesbian and bisexual people, in the work against racism against both migrant and Aboriginal people and the exploitation of the people and lands of the Asia-Pacific region.

Affiliations

It is affiliated with the World Student Christian Federation and has close ties to the National Council of Churches in Australia, the Christian Conference of Asia) and to the World Council of Churches.

ASCM is part of the World Student Christian Federation Asia-Pacific Region with a biannual Regional Committee Meeting and the Pacific Sub-region (Australia, Aotearoa/New Zealand with Fiji and Papua New Guinea not active.

Conflict

There is at times conflict with conservative evangelical Christian groups on campus, such as the Australian Fellowship of Evangelical Students (affiliated to the parachurch International Fellowship of Evangelical Students).

See also

• Christian ecumenism
• National Council of Churches in Australia
• World Student Christian Federation

External links