|
THE HISTORY OF THE ORDER | |
In the 1950's, as people rebuilt their lives after the Second World War of, there was a time of great spiritual openness. Some two million people attended huge rallies at Harringay Arena in London, led by Billy Graham, and over one million people attended the Crusades at the Kelvin Hall in Glasgow. There were similar great gatherings in football grounds and spiritual revivals in other places. These had been organised and attended by all the leading Christian denominations working together for the advancement of the gospel. Understandably, people who had seen the life changing power of the gospel, and discovered the spiritual sincerity of those with whom previously they had not agreed, now sought a formula for continuing to work together practically in our society. Clearly there could be only one lasting foundation; it had to be in the person and teaching of Jesus Christ. It had to be outward looking to the impact of his teaching upon society. In 1956, Mr. Ernest Tapp, a distinguished engineer and a keen Methodist, approached a number of people from all the leading denominations and persuaded them to join him in founding "The Order of Unity," -later to be "The Order of Christian Unity.". The Marchioness of Lothian became its President, Lady Watherston, its Chairman, and some one hundred people from all the leading denominations, eminent in Parliament, law, medicine, industry and the Churches were glad to serve as its Vice Presidents, Officials and Advisory Council. The Scottish Order of Christian Unity, was set up in 1995. The Scottish Order of Christian Unity is concerned with a unity of action in upholding in our society Christ's teaching in family life, education, the media, and medical ethics. There is hardly a month where these issues are not the subject of major concern in the news. The Scottish Order of Christian Unity does not engage in matters of ecclesiology, structural Church unity, or in partisan party political issues.
|