Haere mai.
The Student Christian Movement Aotearoa (SCMA) is called to be a prophetic witness on tertiary campuses around Aotearoa to the radical and liberating way of God made known in Jesus Christ, bringing justice, peace, and fullness of life to all people and to our world.
Our values
We are an ecumenical community being shaped by God’s radical and liberating way through ongoing learning, generous hospitality, broad inclusivity, and prophetic action.
As a Movement in this land of Aotearoa, we honour Te Tiriti o Waitangi and recognise our responsibility in upholding the rights of Māori. In pursuit of God’s liberating way, we are committed to the ongoing work of decolonisation, reconciliation, and justice.
Ongoing Learning
We believe the Spirit of God is constantly expanding our imaginations, calling us to look further and to go deeper together. We resist easy answers, welcome questions and doubts, and discern together what it might mean to be a prophetic witness to the coming way of God today. We believe this ongoing learning involves decolonising our faith and seeking an expression of progressive Christianity grounded in Aotearoa.
Generous Hospitality
We believe we are called into a new way of being in community together, being generous with one another in spirit and assuming the best in each other even when we disagree. We aim to work constructively with other groups and are not precious with our resources. We financially support the work of the World Student Christian Fellowship – Asia Pacific region. We recognise the importance of manaakitanga, making space for others, and sharing fellowship especially over food.
Broad inclusivity
We believe diversity is a gift and celebrate one another’s uniqueness. We believe the radical and liberating way of God breaks down divides and brings those on the margins to the centre. Consequently, we seek to be welcoming to all, especially people marginalised by sexuality, ability, gender, health, or ethnicity. We are a rainbow-affirming community and seek to be a safe space to have faith-based conversations about gender and sexuality.
Prophetic action
We believe the Spirit of God is calling us to radical action that points to the coming way of God. In Aotearoa, we seek to protect the rights of mana whenua and, as appropriate, to partner with tangata whenua in the work of decolonisation. We are committed to the work of justice and peace, especially for queer people, for those differently-abled, and for the environment.
Who are we?
Founded in 1896, SCM Aotearoa has a proud history of progressive theology and active involvement with current affairs in the world, Church and student life. SCM Aotearoa connects local SCM units in tertiary institutions throughout New Zealand and also globally as a member of the World Student Christian Federation.
As Jesus invites all people to share relationship, we too welcome everyone to our table at SCM – those with burning questions, those who have been hurt by the Church, those who simply need a place to rest and worship… We look forward to having you with us.
What does that mean in action?
SCM’s vision is that every student can find a vibrant, open and inclusive Christian community, where they can explore faith and be inspired to put faith in to action.
There are groups at universities across the country, who are each their own SCM unit – and of course they each have their own flavour!
There are pizza nights, study sessions, public lectures, pub debriefs, prayer labyrinths, theological discussions, yarn bombing, solidarity nights and a good bit of student activism… what would you like your SCM group to add to this list?
Being part of the Student Christian Movement is about being real, being challenged and being together!
About Us
The Student Christian Movement is an inclusive and progressive group of people of many faiths, dreamers, philosophers, cynics and theologians.