John Robert Walmsley Stott CBE was an
English Christian leader and
Anglican cleric who was noted as a leader of the worldwide
Evangelical movement died he was 90.. 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.
(27 April 1921 – 27 July 2011)
Life
Childhood and family
Stott was born in
London 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.
[2] In 1935, he went on to
Rugby School.
[3]
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?"
[4] 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:
"Here, then, is the crucial question which we have been leading up to. Have we ever opened our door to Christ? Have we ever invited him in? This was exactly the question which I needed to have put to me. For, intellectually speaking, I had believed in Jesus all my life, on the other side of the door. I had regularly struggled to say my prayers through the key-hole. I had even pushed pennies under the door in a vain attempt to pacify him. I had been baptized, yes and confirmed as well. I went to church, read my Bible, had high ideals, and tried to be good and do good. But all the time, often without realising it, I was holding Christ at arm's length, and keeping him outside. I knew that to open the door might have momentous consequences. I am profoundly grateful to him for enabling me to open the door. Looking back now over more than fifty years, I realise that that simple step has changed the entire direction, course and quality of my life.
[5]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, Cambridge 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.
Ministry
Stott was ordained in 1945 and went on to become a
curate at
All Souls Church, Langham Place (1945–1950) then
rector (1950–75).
[6] 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.
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, Surrey, a retirement community for
Anglican clergy but remained as
Rector Emeritus of All Souls Church.
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
Bible and listening to
Handel's Messiah when he peacefully died.
[7][8] 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."
[8] 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".
[9] Obituaries were published in the
Daily Telegraph and the
New York Times.
[10][11]
Tributes were immediately paid to Stott by a number of leaders and other figures within the Christian community:
"The evangelical world has lost one of its greatest spokesmen, and I have lost one of my close personal friends and advisors. I look forward to seeing him again when I go to Heaven." (
Billy Graham)
[8]"The death of John Stott will be mourned by countless Christians throughout the world. During a long life of unsparing service and witness, John won a unique place in the hearts of all who encountered him, whether in person or through his many books. He was a man of rare graciousness and deep personal kindness, a superb communicator and a sensitive and skilled counsellor. Without ever compromising his firm evangelical faith, he showed himself willing to challenge some of the ways in which that faith had become conventional or inward-looking. It is not too much to say that he helped to change the face of evangelicalism internationally, arguing for the necessity of 'holistic' mission that applied the Gospel of Jesus to every area of life, including social and political questions. But he will be remembered most warmly as an expositor of scripture and a teacher of the faith, whose depth and simplicity brought doctrine alive in all sorts of new ways." (
Rowan Williams,
Archbishop of Canterbury)
[12]"It will not be possible to write the history of the church in the 20th century without reference to John Stott. His remarkable ministry spanned the whole of the second half of the century and even in his eighties he was making an impact on the 21st.
His leadership of the evangelical movement, both in the Anglican Communion and in wider inter-denominational settings, was a major factor in moving it from rather narrow-minded fundamentalism after the Second World War, to the fastest growing part of world Christianity that it is today. The list of movements and institutions he founded, fostered and strengthened can be read in the biographical pages of this website. His books have challenged and nourished millions of Christians into a balanced and thinking biblical faith. His legacy through the global impact of the Langham Partnership International and the London Institute of Contemporary Christianity is incalculable.
For the vast majority of people whose lives he influenced profoundly, however, he was simply 'Uncle John' - a much loved friend, correspondent, and brother, to whose prayers we will never know how much we owe. Like Moses, he was one of the greatest leaders God has given to his people, and yet at the same time, one of the humblest men on the face of the earth. He was, for all of us who knew him, a walking embodiment of the simple beauty of Jesus, whom he loved above all else." (Chris Wright, Langham Partnership International Director)
[13]"I think he set an impeccable example for leaders of ministries of handing things over to other leaders. He imparted to many a love for the global church and imparted a passion for biblical fidelity and a love for the Saviour." (Benjamin Homan, President, John Stott Ministries)
[8]"We are deeply grateful for this long publishing partnership and friendship with one of the most influential and beloved evangelical leaders for the past half-century. John Stott was not only revered; he was loved. He had a humble mind and a gracious spirit. He was a pastor-teacher whose books and preaching not only became the gold standard for expository teaching, but his Christian character was a model of truth and godliness. We will miss 'Uncle John' but we celebrate his life and writings as an extraordinary testimony of one who was abundantly faithful to his Lord Jesus Christ." (Bob Fryling,
InterVarsity Press publisher)
[14]"Stott is credited with leading the post-war resurgence of the British evangelical movement. As well as inspiring generations of evangelical within and beyond the Church of England he worked in partnership with Billy Graham in his groundbreaking UK missions from the 1950s onwards . . . After retiring . . . Stott continued to exert enormous influence on global Christianity. He was instrumental in framing the 1974
Lausanne Covenant . . . He remained celibate his whole life, lived modestly, and poured royalties from book sales into the work of raising up church leaders in developing countries." (Justin Brierly, Premier Radio Presenter, writing in
Christianity Magazine)
[15]Further tributes from current and former clergy at All Souls' Church were also published.
[7]
Stott's
funeral was on 8 August 2011 at All Souls' Church.
[16] It was reported that the church was full with people queuing for a considerable time before the service started.
[17]
A memorial website was also unveiled, which indicated that
memorial services for Stott would be held at
St Paul's Cathedral, London,
Holy Trinity Cathedral, Auckland, New Zealand, and
College Church, Wheaton, Illinois, United States.
[18]
[edit] Influence
Stott has had considerable influence in evangelicalism. In a November 2004 editorial on Stott,
New York Times columnist
David Brooks 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."
[19]
[edit] 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 stated, "No other treatment of this supreme subject says so much so truly and so well."
[citation needed]
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:
- In 2008, he produced The Anglican Evangelical Doctrine of Infant Baptism with J. Alec Motyer.[20]
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.
- 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.
[edit] 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, 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.
[21]
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.
[22]
[edit] Honours
Stott was appointed a
Chaplain to
Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom in 1959
[23] and, on his retirement in 1991, an Extra Chaplain.
[24] He was appointed a
Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) in the
New Year Honours 2006.
[25] He received a number of honorary doctorates, as well as a
Lambeth Doctorate of Divinity.
[edit] Controversy
Stott publicly espoused the idea of
annihilationism, which is the belief that hell is incineration into non-existence,
[26] 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."
[27] This led to a heated debate within mainstream
evangelical Christianity: some writers criticised Stott in very strong terms while others supported his views.
[28] Stott also supported the ordination of women deacons and presbyters, although he did not believe they should be in positions of headship.
[edit] Personal life
Stott remained
celibate 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."
[29]
Stott's favourite relaxation was
birdwatching; his book
The Birds Our Teachers draws on this interest.
[30]
[edit] Bibliography
- The Message of Romans: God's Good News for the World (The Bible Speaks Today). ISBN 978-08380812462.
- Chris Wright, editor, John Stott: A portrait by his friends (Leicester, Nottingham, Inter-Varsity Press, 2011).
- Chris Wright, editor, Portraits of a Radical Disciple: Recollections of John Stott's Life and Ministry (Leicester, Inter-Varsity Press, 2011). ISBN 0830838104, 9780830838103
- Roger Steer, "Basic Christian: The Inside Story of John Stott" (Leicester, Inter-Varsity Press, 2010). ISBN 0830838465, 9780830838462
- Timothy Dudley-Smith, John Stott: The Making of a Leader (Leicester, Inter-Varsity Press, 1999). The authorised biography of the first forty years of the life of John Stott. ISBN 978-0851117577.
- Timothy Dudley-Smith, John Stott: A Global Ministry (Leicester, Inter-Varsity Press, 2001). The second volume of the authorised biography of John Stott, covering 1960 onwards. ISBN 978-0851119830.
- Books by John Stott
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Princess Bejaratana Rajasuda Sirisobhabannavadi of Thailand was the only daughter of the late King Vajiravudh of Thailand. She was a first cousin of current King Bhumibol Adulyadej and third cousin with King Norodom Sihanouk of Cambodia.
Princess Bejaratana was born on 24 November 1925 in the Royal Grand Palace, Bangkok, as the only child of King Vajiravudh (Rama VI) and Princess Suvadhana. After having seen his only child for a day, the King died, on 25 November 1925. Her uncle, King Prajadhipok (Rama VII), performed the naming ceremony for the princess on 30 December.
