John Stott
Encyclopedia
John Robert Walmsley Stott CBE
(27 April 1921 – 27 July 2011) was an English
Christian
leader and Anglican cleric who was noted as a leader of the worldwide Evangelical
movement. He was one of the principal authors of the Lausanne Covenant
in 1974. In 2005, Time magazine ranked Stott among the 100 most influential people in the world.
to Sir Arnold and Emily Stott. Sir Arnold Stott was a leading physician at Harley Street
and an agnostic, while his wife was a Lutheran churchgoer who attended the nearby Church of England
church, All Souls, Langham Place
. Stott was sent to boarding school at eight years old—initially prep school at Oakley Hall
. In 1935, he went on to Rugby School
.
While at Rugby School in 1938, Stott heard the Reverend Eric Nash (nicknamed "Bash") deliver a sermon entitled "What Then Shall I Do with Jesus
, Who Is Called the Christ?" After this talk, Nash pointed Stott to Revelation 3:20, "Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me." Stott later described the impact this verse had upon him as follows:
Stott was mentored by Bash, who wrote a weekly letter to him, advising him on how to develop and grow in his Christian life, as well as practicalities such as leading the Christian Union at his school.
where he graduated with a double first in French and theology. At university, he was active in the Cambridge Inter-Collegiate Christian Union (CICCU), where the executive committee considered him too invaluable a person to be asked to commit his time by joining the committee.
He registered as a conscientious objector
.
After Trinity he transferred to Ridley Hall Theological College
, Cambridge, to train for ordination as an Anglican cleric.
at All Souls Church, Langham Place
(1945–1950) then rector
(1950–75). This was the church in which he had grown up, and in which he spent almost his whole life, apart from a few years spent in Cambridge.
While in this position he became increasingly influential on a national and international basis, most notably being a key player in the 1966-67 dispute about the appropriateness of evangelicals remaining in the Church of England. In 1970, in response to increasing demands on his time from outside the All Souls congregation, he appointed a vicar of All Souls, to enable himself to work on other projects. In 1975 he resigned as Rector, and the then vicar was appointed in his place; he remained at the church, and was appointed "Rector Emeritus".
In 1974 he founded the Langham Partnership International
(known as John Stott Ministries in the US), and in 1982 the London Institute for Contemporary Christianity, of which he remained honorary president until his death.
, a retirement community for Anglican clergy but remained as Rector Emeritus
of All Souls Church.
and listening to Handel's Messiah
when he peacefully died. An obituary in Christianity Today
, reporting that his death was due to age-related complications and that he had been in discomfort for several weeks, described him as "An architect of 20th-century evangelicalism [who] shaped the faith of a generation." His status was such that his death was reported in the secular media. The BBC
referred to him as someone who could "explain complex theology in a way lay people could easily understand". Obituaries were published in the Daily Telegraph and the New York Times.
Tributes were immediately paid to Stott by a number of leaders and other figures within the Christian community:
Further tributes from current and former clergy at All Souls' Church were also published.
Stott's funeral
was on 8 August 2011 at All Souls' Church. It was reported that the church was full with people queuing for a considerable time before the service started.
A memorial website was also unveiled, which indicated that memorial service
s for Stott would be held at St Paul's Cathedral
, London, Holy Trinity Cathedral
, Auckland, New Zealand, and College Church
, Wheaton, Illinois, United States.
cited Michael Cromartie of the Ethics and Public Policy Center as saying that "if evangelicals could elect a pope
, Stott is the person they would likely choose."
One of these is Basic Christianity (ISBN 0-87784-690-1), a book which seeks to explain the message of Christianity, and convince its readers of its truth and importance.
He was also the author of The Cross of Christ (ISBN 0-87784-998-6), of which J. I. Packer
stated, "No other treatment of this supreme subject says so much so truly and so well."
Other books he wrote include Essentials, a dialogue with the liberal cleric and theologian David L. Edwards
, over whether what Evangelicals hold as essential should be seen as such. In 2005, he produced Evangelical Truth, which summarises what he perceives as being the central claims of Christianity, essential for evangelicalism.
Upon his formal retirement from public engagements, he continued to engage in regular writing until his death:
An introduction to his thought can be found in his two final substantial publications, which act as a summation of his thinking. Both were published by the publishing house with which he had a lifelong association, IVP
.
He was chairing the National Assembly of Evangelicals in 1966, a convention organised by the Evangelical Alliance
, when Martyn Lloyd-Jones
made an unexpected call for evangelicals to unite together as evangelicals and no longer within their 'mixed' denominations. This view was motivated by a belief that true Christian fellowship requires evangelical views on central topics such as the atonement and the inspiration of Scripture. Lloyd-Jones was a key figure to many in the Free Churches, and evangelical Anglicans regarded Stott similarly. The two leaders publicly disagreed, as Stott, though not scheduled as a speaker that evening, used his role as chairman to refute Lloyd-Jones, saying that his opinion went against history and the Bible. The following year saw the first National Evangelical Anglican Congress
, which was held at Keele University
. At this conference, largely due to Stott's influence, evangelical Anglicans committed themselves to full participation in the Church of England, rejecting the separationist approach proposed by Lloyd-Jones.
These two conferences effectively fixed the direction of a large part of the British evangelical community. Although there is an ongoing debate as to the exact nature of Lloyd-Jones's views, they undoubtedly caused the two groupings to adopt diametrically opposed positions. These positions, and the resulting split, continue largely unchanged to this day.
to Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom
in 1959 and, on his retirement in 1991, an Extra Chaplain. He was appointed a Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) in the New Year Honours 2006
. He received a number of honorary doctorates, as well as a Lambeth Doctorate of Divinity
.
, which is the belief that hell is incineration into non-existence, rather than everlasting conscious torment (the traditional Evangelical approach). He was not dogmatic about this position, but held to it somewhat tentatively, insisting only that it be accepted as a legitimate evangelical option: "the ultimate annihilation of the wicked should at least be accepted as a legitimate, biblically founded alternative to their eternal conscious torment." This led to a heated debate within mainstream evangelical Christianity: some writers criticised Stott in very strong terms while others supported his views. Stott also supported the ordination of women deacons and presbyters, although he did not believe they should be in positions of headship.
his entire life. He said, "The gift of singleness is more a vocation than an empowerment, although to be sure God is faithful in supporting those He calls."
Stott's favourite relaxation was birdwatching
; his book The Birds Our Teachers draws on this interest.
Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
(27 April 1921 – 27 July 2011) was an English
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
Christian
Christianity
Christianity is a monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus as presented in canonical gospels and other New Testament writings...
leader and Anglican cleric who was noted as a leader of the worldwide Evangelical
Evangelicalism
Evangelicalism is a Protestant Christian movement which began in Great Britain in the 1730s and gained popularity in the United States during the series of Great Awakenings of the 18th and 19th century.Its key commitments are:...
movement. He was one of the principal authors of the Lausanne Covenant
Lausanne Covenant
The Lausanne Covenant is a 1974 Christian religious manifesto promoting active world-wide Christian evangelism. One of the most influential documents in modern Evangelical Christianity, it was written and adopted by 2,300 evangelicals at the International Congress on World Evangelization in...
in 1974. In 2005, Time magazine ranked Stott among the 100 most influential people in the world.
Childhood and family
Stott was born in LondonLondon
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
to Sir Arnold and Emily Stott. Sir Arnold Stott was a leading physician at Harley Street
Harley Street
Harley Street is a street in the City of Westminster in London, England which has been noted since the 19th century for its large number of private specialists in medicine and surgery.- Overview :...
and an agnostic, while his wife was a Lutheran churchgoer who attended the nearby 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...
church, All Souls, Langham Place
All Souls Church, Langham Place
All Souls Church is an Anglican Evangelical church in central London, situated in Marylebone at the north end of Regent Street on Langham Place, just south of BBC Broadcasting House. As well as the core church membership, many hundreds of visitors come to All Souls, bringing the average number of...
. Stott was sent to boarding school at eight years old—initially prep school at Oakley Hall
Cirencester
Cirencester is a market town in east Gloucestershire, England, 93 miles west northwest of London. Cirencester lies on the River Churn, a tributary of the River Thames, and is the largest town in the Cotswold District. It is the home of the Royal Agricultural College, the oldest agricultural...
. In 1935, he went on to Rugby School
Rugby School
Rugby School is a co-educational day and boarding school located in the town of Rugby, Warwickshire, England. It is one of the oldest independent schools in Britain.-History:...
.
While at Rugby School in 1938, Stott heard the Reverend Eric Nash (nicknamed "Bash") deliver a sermon entitled "What Then Shall I Do with Jesus
Jesus
Jesus of Nazareth , commonly referred to as Jesus Christ or simply as Jesus or Christ, is the central figure of Christianity...
, Who Is Called the Christ?" After this talk, Nash pointed Stott to Revelation 3:20, "Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me." Stott later described the impact this verse had upon him as follows:
Stott was mentored by Bash, who wrote a weekly letter to him, advising him on how to develop and grow in his Christian life, as well as practicalities such as leading the Christian Union at his school.
University and theological college
Stott studied modern languages at Trinity College, CambridgeTrinity College, Cambridge
Trinity College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge. Trinity has more members than any other college in Cambridge or Oxford, with around 700 undergraduates, 430 graduates, and over 170 Fellows...
where he graduated with a double first in French and theology. At university, he was active in the Cambridge Inter-Collegiate Christian Union (CICCU), where the executive committee considered him too invaluable a person to be asked to commit his time by joining the committee.
He registered as a conscientious objector
Conscientious objector
A conscientious objector is an "individual who has claimed the right to refuse to perform military service" on the grounds of freedom of thought, conscience, and/or religion....
.
After Trinity he transferred to Ridley Hall Theological College
Ridley Hall, Cambridge
Ridley Hall is a theological college located in Sidgwick Avenue in Cambridge in the United Kingdom, which trains intending ministers for the Church of England and other churches. It was founded in 1881 and named in memory of Nicholas Ridley, a leading protestant theologian of the sixteenth century...
, Cambridge, to train for ordination as an Anglican cleric.
Ministry
Stott was ordained in 1945 and went on to become a curateCurate
A curate is a person who is invested with the care or cure of souls of a parish. In this sense "curate" correctly means a parish priest but in English-speaking countries a curate is an assistant to the parish priest...
at All Souls Church, Langham Place
All Souls Church, Langham Place
All Souls Church is an Anglican Evangelical church in central London, situated in Marylebone at the north end of Regent Street on Langham Place, just south of BBC Broadcasting House. As well as the core church membership, many hundreds of visitors come to All Souls, bringing the average number of...
(1945–1950) then rector
Rector
The word rector has a number of different meanings; it is widely used to refer to an academic, religious or political administrator...
(1950–75). This was the church in which he had grown up, and in which he spent almost his whole life, apart from a few years spent in Cambridge.
While in this position he became increasingly influential on a national and international basis, most notably being a key player in the 1966-67 dispute about the appropriateness of evangelicals remaining in the Church of England. In 1970, in response to increasing demands on his time from outside the All Souls congregation, he appointed a vicar of All Souls, to enable himself to work on other projects. In 1975 he resigned as Rector, and the then vicar was appointed in his place; he remained at the church, and was appointed "Rector Emeritus".
In 1974 he founded the Langham Partnership International
Langham Partnership International
Langham Partnership International is a Christian organisation founded in 1974 by Anglican clergyman John Stott. It publishes christian literature, provides scholarships for theological courses, and runs seminars to train pastors.-External links:*...
(known as John Stott Ministries in the US), and in 1982 the London Institute for Contemporary Christianity, of which he remained honorary president until his death.
Retirement
Stott announced his retirement from public ministry in April 2007 at the age of 86. He took up residence in The College of St Barnabas, Lingfield, SurreyLingfield, Surrey
Lingfield is a village and civil parish in the Tandridge district of Surrey, England. It is most famous for its horse racing course, Lingfield Park. Lingfield lies to the east of a section of the A22 which runs between Godstone and East Grinstead...
, a retirement community for Anglican clergy but remained as Rector Emeritus
Rector
The word rector has a number of different meanings; it is widely used to refer to an academic, religious or political administrator...
of All Souls Church.
Death
Stott died on 27 July 2011 at the College of St Barnabas in Lingfield at 3:15pm local time. He was surrounded by family and close friends and they were reading the BibleBible
The Bible refers to any one of the collections of the primary religious texts of Judaism and Christianity. There is no common version of the Bible, as the individual books , their contents and their order vary among denominations...
and listening to Handel's Messiah
Messiah (Handel)
Messiah is an English-language oratorio composed in 1741 by George Frideric Handel, with a scriptural text compiled by Charles Jennens from the King James Bible and the Book of Common Prayer. It was first performed in Dublin on 13 April 1742, and received its London premiere nearly a year later...
when he peacefully died. An obituary in Christianity Today
Christianity Today
Christianity Today is an Evangelical Christian periodical based in Carol Stream, Illinois. It is the flagship publication of its parent company Christianity Today International, claiming circulation figures of 140,000 and readership of 290,000...
, reporting that his death was due to age-related complications and that he had been in discomfort for several weeks, described him as "An architect of 20th-century evangelicalism [who] shaped the faith of a generation." His status was such that his death was reported in the secular media. The BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
referred to him as someone who could "explain complex theology in a way lay people could easily understand". Obituaries were published in the Daily Telegraph and the New York Times.
Tributes were immediately paid to Stott by a number of leaders and other figures within the Christian community:
Further tributes from current and former clergy at All Souls' Church were also published.
Stott's funeral
Funeral
A funeral is a ceremony for celebrating, sanctifying, or remembering the life of a person who has died. Funerary customs comprise the complex of beliefs and practices used by a culture to remember the dead, from interment itself, to various monuments, prayers, and rituals undertaken in their honor...
was on 8 August 2011 at All Souls' Church. It was reported that the church was full with people queuing for a considerable time before the service started.
A memorial website was also unveiled, which indicated that memorial service
Memorial service
Memorial service is often used to describe a secular or non-religious funeral. A funeral is a religious service that is held with or without the body of the deceased present...
s for Stott would be held at St Paul's Cathedral
St Paul's Cathedral
St Paul's Cathedral, London, is a Church of England cathedral and seat of the Bishop of London. Its dedication to Paul the Apostle dates back to the original church on this site, founded in AD 604. St Paul's sits at the top of Ludgate Hill, the highest point in the City of London, and is the mother...
, London, Holy Trinity Cathedral
Holy Trinity Cathedral, Auckland
Holy Trinity Cathedral is situated in Parnell, a residential suburb of Auckland, New Zealand.The first Anglican place of worship in Auckland was "Old" St Paul's, at the bottom of Princes Street, but Parnell residents tired of walking about over paddocks to reach their church. The first church...
, Auckland, New Zealand, and College Church
College Church
College Church is an independent church in Wheaton, Illinois with "strong historic ties" to Wheaton College. The church is led by a number of pastors, directors, and a board of elders. Dr. Josh Moody currently holds the position of Senior Pastor of College Church...
, Wheaton, Illinois, United States.
Influence
Stott has had considerable influence in evangelicalism. In a November 2004 editorial on Stott, New York Times columnist David BrooksDavid Brooks (journalist)
David Brooks is a Canadian-born political and cultural commentator who considers himself a moderate and writes for the New York Times...
cited Michael Cromartie of the Ethics and Public Policy Center as saying that "if evangelicals could elect a pope
Pope
The Pope is the Bishop of Rome, a position that makes him the leader of the worldwide Catholic Church . In the Catholic Church, the Pope is regarded as the successor of Saint Peter, the Apostle...
, Stott is the person they would likely choose."
Writing
He wrote over 50 books, some of which appear only in Chinese, Korean or Spanish, as well as many articles and papers.One of these is Basic Christianity (ISBN 0-87784-690-1), a book which seeks to explain the message of Christianity, and convince its readers of its truth and importance.
He was also the author of The Cross of Christ (ISBN 0-87784-998-6), of which J. I. Packer
J. I. Packer
James Innell Packer is a British-born Canadian Christian theologian in the low church Anglican and Reformed traditions. He currently serves as the Board of Governors' Professor of Theology at Regent College in Vancouver, British Columbia...
stated, "No other treatment of this supreme subject says so much so truly and so well."
Other books he wrote include Essentials, a dialogue with the liberal cleric and theologian David L. Edwards
David L. Edwards
David Lawrence Edwards OBE is a retired Anglican priest. He was the Dean of Norwich, Provost of Southwark and has been a prolific author.-Education:...
, over whether what Evangelicals hold as essential should be seen as such. In 2005, he produced Evangelical Truth, which summarises what he perceives as being the central claims of Christianity, essential for evangelicalism.
Upon his formal retirement from public engagements, he continued to engage in regular writing until his death:
- In 2008, he produced The Anglican Evangelical Doctrine of Infant Baptism with J. Alec Motyer.
An introduction to his thought can be found in his two final substantial publications, which act as a summation of his thinking. Both were published by the publishing house with which he had a lifelong association, IVP
Inter-Varsity Press
InterVarsity Press is a publisher of evangelical Christian books. IVP is linked to InterVarsity Christian Fellowship, and is headquartered in Westmont, Illinois.-History:...
.
- In 2007, his reflections on the life of the church: The Living Church: Convictions of a Lifelong Pastor.
- In January 2010, at the age of 88, he saw the launch of what would explicitly be his final book: The Radical Disciple. It concludes with a poignant farewell and appeal for his legacy to be continued through the work of the Langham Partnership International.
Anglican evangelicalism
Stott played a key role as a leader of evangelicalism within the Church of England, and was regarded as instrumental in persuading evangelicals to play an active role in the Church of England rather than leaving for exclusively evangelical denominations. There were two major events where he played a key role in this regard.He was chairing the National Assembly of Evangelicals in 1966, a convention organised by the Evangelical Alliance
Evangelical Alliance
The Evangelical Alliance is a London-based charitable organization founded in 1846. It has a claimed representation of over 1,000,000 evangelical Christians in the United Kingdom and is the oldest alliance of evangelical Christians in the world....
, when Martyn Lloyd-Jones
Martyn Lloyd-Jones
David Martyn Lloyd-Jones was a Welsh Protestant minister, preacher and medical doctor who was influential in the Reformed wing of the British evangelical movement in the 20th century. For almost 30 years, he was the minister of Westminster Chapel in London...
made an unexpected call for evangelicals to unite together as evangelicals and no longer within their 'mixed' denominations. This view was motivated by a belief that true Christian fellowship requires evangelical views on central topics such as the atonement and the inspiration of Scripture. Lloyd-Jones was a key figure to many in the Free Churches, and evangelical Anglicans regarded Stott similarly. The two leaders publicly disagreed, as Stott, though not scheduled as a speaker that evening, used his role as chairman to refute Lloyd-Jones, saying that his opinion went against history and the Bible. The following year saw the first National Evangelical Anglican Congress
National Evangelical Anglican Congress
The National Evangelical Anglican Congress is an infrequent conference for evangelicals in the Anglican Communion. All congresses to date have been held in England, but have attracted delegates from other countries. They have been notable events which have had significant implications for both the...
, which was held at Keele University
Keele University
Keele University is a campus university near Newcastle-under-Lyme in Staffordshire, England. Founded in 1949 as an experimental college dedicated to a broad curriculum and interdisciplinary study, Keele is most notable for pioneering the dual honours degree in Britain...
. At this conference, largely due to Stott's influence, evangelical Anglicans committed themselves to full participation in the Church of England, rejecting the separationist approach proposed by Lloyd-Jones.
These two conferences effectively fixed the direction of a large part of the British evangelical community. Although there is an ongoing debate as to the exact nature of Lloyd-Jones's views, they undoubtedly caused the two groupings to adopt diametrically opposed positions. These positions, and the resulting split, continue largely unchanged to this day.
Honours
Stott was appointed a ChaplainEcclesiastical Household
The Ecclesiastical Household is a part of the Royal Household of the Sovereign of the United Kingdom. Reflecting the different constitutions of the Churches of England and of Scotland, there are separate Ecclesiastical Households in each nation.-England:...
to Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom
Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom
Elizabeth II is the constitutional monarch of 16 sovereign states known as the Commonwealth realms: the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Jamaica, Barbados, the Bahamas, Grenada, Papua New Guinea, the Solomon Islands, Tuvalu, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Belize,...
in 1959 and, on his retirement in 1991, an Extra Chaplain. He was appointed a Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) in the New Year Honours 2006
New Year Honours 2006
The New Year Honours 2006 for the Commonwealth realms were announced on 31 December 2005, to celebrate the year passed and mark the beginning of 2006....
. He received a number of honorary doctorates, as well as a Lambeth Doctorate of Divinity
Doctor of Divinity
Doctor of Divinity is an advanced academic degree in divinity. Historically, it identified one who had been licensed by a university to teach Christian theology or related religious subjects....
.
Controversy
Stott publicly espoused the idea of annihilationismAnnihilationism
Annihilationism is a Christian belief that apart from salvation the death of human beings results in their total destruction rather than their everlasting torment. It is directly related to the doctrine of conditional immortality, the idea that a human soul is not immortal unless it is given...
, which is the belief that hell is incineration into non-existence, rather than everlasting conscious torment (the traditional Evangelical approach). He was not dogmatic about this position, but held to it somewhat tentatively, insisting only that it be accepted as a legitimate evangelical option: "the ultimate annihilation of the wicked should at least be accepted as a legitimate, biblically founded alternative to their eternal conscious torment." This led to a heated debate within mainstream evangelical Christianity: some writers criticised Stott in very strong terms while others supported his views. Stott also supported the ordination of women deacons and presbyters, although he did not believe they should be in positions of headship.
Personal life
Stott remained celibateCelibacy
Celibacy is a personal commitment to avoiding sexual relations, in particular a vow from marriage. Typically celibacy involves avoiding all romantic relationships of any kind. An individual may choose celibacy for religious reasons, such as is the case for priests in some religions, for reasons of...
his entire life. He said, "The gift of singleness is more a vocation than an empowerment, although to be sure God is faithful in supporting those He calls."
Stott's favourite relaxation was birdwatching
Birdwatching
Birdwatching or birding is the observation of birds as a recreational activity. It can be done with the naked eye, through a visual enhancement device like binoculars and telescopes, or by listening for bird sounds. Birding often involves a significant auditory component, as many bird species are...
; his book The Birds Our Teachers draws on this interest.
External links
- Langham Partnership International
- Video introduction to the Langham Partnership by John Stott
- John Stott Ministries (US member of Langham Partnership)
- John Stott Biography at John Stott Ministries
- The London Institute for Contemporary Christianity
- "Who is John Stott?" by David BrooksDavid Brooks (journalist)David Brooks is a Canadian-born political and cultural commentator who considers himself a moderate and writes for the New York Times...
, The New York TimesThe New York TimesThe New York Times is an American daily newspaper founded and continuously published in New York City since 1851. The New York Times has won 106 Pulitzer Prizes, the most of any news organization...
, 30 November 2004 - "The Blue Riband Evangelical: John R.W. Stott" by Richard Bewes, former rector of All Souls Church, Langham Place, July 28, 2011
- 1996 Christianity Today interview
- 2006 Christianity Today interview
- 2011 Slavic Voice of America, John Stott Legacy (Russian) (Джон Стотт знал мир...)