That would be an ecumenical matter … Celebrating 70 years of the World Council of Churches

In our New College Library Hall display for September 2018, we’re celebrating the 70th anniversary of the foundation of the World Council of Churches. Inaugurated in 1948, the World Council of Churches (WCC) is one of the leaders of the modern ecumenical movement, working towards the goal of Christian unity. The WCC brings together churches, denominations and church fellowships in more than 110 countries and territories throughout the world, representing over 500 million Christians. New College Library contains nearly a thousand WCC publications, including many unique or rare pamphlets. In the New College Library Archives, we hold the papers of several individuals and organisations who worked with the WCC, including Rev J.H. Oldham, Rev Robert Mackie and Rev. Tom Allaallenn.

Archive collections include:

Papers of Rev J.H. Oldham (New College Library GD2)

Rev. Joseph Houldsworth Oldham (1874–1969) was a New College alumnus whose international missionary and ecumenical work laid the foundations for the World Council of Churches.

Papers of Rev. Robert Mackie (1899-1984) (New College Library, unprocessed)

Rev. Robert C. Mackie worked with the Student Christian Movement, the World Student Christian Federation and the World Council of Churches. His papers include transcripts of his broadcasts, articles and sermons.

Papers of Rev Tom Allan (1916-1965) (New College Library AA6)

Working as a minister and evangelist for the Church of Scotland, Rev Tom Allan led the ‘Tell Scotland’ campaign in the 1950s. He attended the WCC conference in 1963 and preserved the materials in his papers.

 World Council of Churches Sixth Assembly Papers (New College Library MS Wor 2)

These papers were given to the New College Library Archives by Rev. Prof. Duncan Forrester (1933-1916), who attended the WCC Assembly in 1983. Rev. Prof. Duncan Forrester was a missionary, minister and Professor at New College who served on the WCC Commission on Faith and Order between 1983-1996.

Christine Love-Rodgers, Maggie Frew and Barbara Tesio, New College Library.

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