Fountain Trust
Encyclopedia
The Fountain Trust was an ecumenical
agency formed in the UK
in 1964 to promote the charismatic renewal
. The trust operated on the principle that it was the purpose of the Holy Spirit
to "renew the historic churches". D. Eryl Davies, principal of the Evangelical Theological College of Wales
, has criticized the trust for "facilitating interdenominational fellowship and bonding more on the basis of the charismata and a distinctive 'spirituality' rather than on the unique truths of the biblical gospel" and because "a theological looseness as well as ambiguity developed with regard to the gospel itself." However, no such "theological looseness" was ever apparent to those who had the joy and privilege of working at the Fountain Trust, nor to the many thousands whose lives were touched by God through its ministry.
It was founded by Michael Harper, a Church of England
priest who experienced what charismatics and Pentecostals
termed the Baptism of the Holy Spirit, a religious experience
accompanied by speaking in tongues
. Between July 1964 and its voluntary dissolution in 1980, Fountain Trust sponsored several conferences, meetings and publications, involving leaders such as Plymouth Brethren
Bible teacher Arthur Wallis
and theologian Thomas Smail
of the Church of Scotland
, who became director in 1975. The first of five biennial international conferences under the auspices of the trust was held at Guildford, England in 1971.
In 1966 the Trust set up Renewal magazine, which for several decades was the leading magazine for charismatic Christians in the UK. In recent years it has merged with Christianity magazine. The Trust also published a supplement entitled Theological Renewal three times a year.
The archives of the Trust are now with the Donald Gee Center for Pentecostal & Charismatic Research at Mattersey Hall
.
Ecumenism
Ecumenism or oecumenism mainly refers to initiatives aimed at greater Christian unity or cooperation. It is used predominantly by and with reference to Christian denominations and Christian Churches separated by doctrine, history, and practice...
agency formed in the UK
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
in 1964 to promote the charismatic renewal
Charismatic movement
The term charismatic movement is used in varying senses to describe 20th century developments in various Christian denominations. It describes an ongoing international, cross-denominational/non-denominational Christian movement in which individual, historically mainstream congregations adopt...
. The trust operated on the principle that it was the purpose of the Holy Spirit
Holy Spirit
Holy Spirit is a term introduced in English translations of the Hebrew Bible, but understood differently in the main Abrahamic religions.While the general concept of a "Spirit" that permeates the cosmos has been used in various religions Holy Spirit is a term introduced in English translations of...
to "renew the historic churches". D. Eryl Davies, principal of the Evangelical Theological College of Wales
Evangelical Theological College of Wales
The Wales Evangelical School of Theology is a Reformed Christian educational institution located in Bryntirion in Bridgend, South Wales...
, has criticized the trust for "facilitating interdenominational fellowship and bonding more on the basis of the charismata and a distinctive 'spirituality' rather than on the unique truths of the biblical gospel" and because "a theological looseness as well as ambiguity developed with regard to the gospel itself." However, no such "theological looseness" was ever apparent to those who had the joy and privilege of working at the Fountain Trust, nor to the many thousands whose lives were touched by God through its ministry.
It was founded by Michael Harper, a Church of England
Church of England
The Church of England is the officially established Christian church in England and the Mother Church of the worldwide Anglican Communion. The church considers itself within the tradition of Western Christianity and dates its formal establishment principally to the mission to England by St...
priest who experienced what charismatics and Pentecostals
Pentecostalism
Pentecostalism is a diverse and complex movement within Christianity that places special emphasis on a direct personal experience of God through the baptism in the Holy Spirit, has an eschatological focus, and is an experiential religion. The term Pentecostal is derived from Pentecost, the Greek...
termed the Baptism of the Holy Spirit, a religious experience
Religious experience
Religious experience is a subjective experience in which an individual reports contact with a transcendent reality, an encounter or union with the divine....
accompanied by speaking in tongues
Glossolalia
Glossolalia or speaking in tongues is the fluid vocalizing of speech-like syllables, often as part of religious practice. The significance of glossolalia has varied with time and place, with some considering it a part of a sacred language...
. Between July 1964 and its voluntary dissolution in 1980, Fountain Trust sponsored several conferences, meetings and publications, involving leaders such as Plymouth Brethren
Plymouth Brethren
The Plymouth Brethren is a conservative, Evangelical Christian movement, whose history can be traced to Dublin, Ireland, in the late 1820s. Although the group is notable for not taking any official "church name" to itself, and not having an official clergy or liturgy, the title "The Brethren," is...
Bible teacher Arthur Wallis
Arthur Wallis (Bible teacher)
Arthur Wallis : itinerant Bible teacher and author. Through his teaching and writing, most notably his book The Radical Christian , Wallis gained the reputation of ‘architect’ of that expression of UK evangelicalism initially dubbed ‘the house church movement’, more recently labeled British New...
and theologian Thomas Smail
Thomas Smail
Thomas 'Tom' Allan Smail was a leading theologian in the charismatic movement in the United Kingdom. He studied under Karl Barth, was ordained in 1953 as a Church of Scotland minister, but later became an Anglican priest....
of the Church of Scotland
Church of Scotland
The Church of Scotland, known informally by its Scots language name, the Kirk, is a Presbyterian church, decisively shaped by the Scottish Reformation....
, who became director in 1975. The first of five biennial international conferences under the auspices of the trust was held at Guildford, England in 1971.
In 1966 the Trust set up Renewal magazine, which for several decades was the leading magazine for charismatic Christians in the UK. In recent years it has merged with Christianity magazine. The Trust also published a supplement entitled Theological Renewal three times a year.
The archives of the Trust are now with the Donald Gee Center for Pentecostal & Charismatic Research at Mattersey Hall
Mattersey Hall
Mattersey Hall is a ministry training college and the main training centre for the Assemblies of God in the United Kingdom. It is located in Mattersey, near Doncaster, in Nottinghamshire, England. It was founded in 1919 in London....
.
Other sources
- P.D. Hocken, "Fountain Trust" in Stanley M. Burgess & Eduard van der Maas, The New International Dictionary of Pentecostal and Charismatic MovementsThe New International Dictionary of Pentecostal and Charismatic MovementsThe New International Dictionary of Pentecostal and Charismatic Movements is a comprehensive reference work on charismatic Christianity . It is edited primarily by Stanley M. Burgess...
, revised edition, (Zondervan, 2002)