Oxford Group

views updated Jun 27 2018

Oxford Group. Founded by Frank Buchman (1878–1961), an American who had experienced new conversion (1908). Evangelizing (1920s) at Cambridge and especially Oxford, where his undergraduate following was strong—hence the name—its influence rapidly spread through English professional classes. Vehemently anti-communist— Hitler was briefly respected (1936)—Buchman launched the Moral Rearmament movement (1938) which at its peak (1950s) claimed to effect international and industrial reconciliation. Though he held world conferences and had headquarters in USA and Switzerland, the thrill of 1920s group evangelism had moderated to MRA's ‘undoctrinal moralism’. Criticized for shallow conversions, it nevertheless touched many outside the churches.

Revd Dr William M. Marshall