History
In 1947, the initiative was taken to establish an umbrella organisation of Christian students. Representatives from Australia, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, Canada, China, France, New Zealand, Norway, Switzerland and the United States came together in Boston (USA) to strengthen evangelism, discipleship and world mission among students all over the world.
At the end of the 20th century, IFES had already grown to an organisation consisting of movements in 140 countries. Currently there are about 15 countries where there is no recognized student witness. Most of them are Muslim countries. A unique feature of the IFES is that it is a federation of autonomous and indigenous movements. No one country is the source or the authority for this movement, which has created a vivid example of international partnership and collaboration. The missiological principle of "all peoples to all places" is a reality in IFES.
A firm commitment to evangelism amongst students, the authority of the Bible and collaborative cross-cultural mission are historic features of this ministry. As the fellowship has grown, representatives from many Christian traditions and denominations have been added, but the IFES has sustained an orthodox evangelical expression of Christianity.
Read more about this topic: International Fellowship Of Evangelical Students
Famous quotes containing the word history:
“Considered in its entirety, psychoanalysis won’t do. It’s an end product, moreover, like a dinosaur or a zeppelin; no better theory can ever be erected on its ruins, which will remain for ever one of the saddest and strangest of all landmarks in the history of twentieth-century thought.”
—Peter B. Medawar (1915–1987)
“... in America ... children are instructed in the virtues of the system they live under, as though history had achieved a happy ending in American civics.”
—Mary McCarthy (1912–1989)
“Philosophy of science without history of science is empty; history of science without philosophy of science is blind.”
—Imre Lakatos (1922–1974)