CHRISTIAN YOUTH CONFERENCE

Dominion, Volume 32, Issue 258, 29 July 1939, Page 8

CHRISTIAN YOUTH CONFERENCE

All Nations Represented WIDE RANGE OF SUBJECTS FOR DISCUSSION The conference of Christian youth now in session in Amsterdam, to which a message of greeting was sent by Queen Wilhelmina, according to a cable message, is highly important and significant. It represents Christian youth of all nations and 70 delegates are attending it. . Responsible world organizations which stand behind the conference are the World Alliance for International Friendship Through the Churches, the Universal Christian Council for Life and Work, the World Alliance of Young Men’s Christian Associations, the World’s Young Women’s Christian Association, and- the World’s Christian Student Federation. ■ The subjects to be dealt with at the conference are: — , . 1. Nationalism: “Christian Youth in the Nation and the State.” This deals with the entire relationship of the individual citizen to the State, and faces the problems of nationalism and State absolutism, which have emerged in totalitarian nations. 2. Internationalism: “Christian Youth in a World of Nations.” The basis of a world community is discussed ; as also problems of peaceful chafige, or by the violence of war; and the(practicability of the Christian ethic under existing world conditions. 3. Economics: “Christian Youth in the Economic Order.” The changed conditions of labour due to scientific discovery and invention, mass production, and the rationalization of industry are discussed. And problems of vocational training, transference of groups from a languishing industry to new series, and unemployment are faced. 4. Racial: “Christian Youth and Race.” This reviews the trends toward racial superiority complexes, and seeks an orderly application of the underlying principles on which, racial ties should be valued, and responsibilities to other races fulfilled. . 5 Education and Culture: “Christian Youth and Education.” These discussions cover the whole field in its pres-ent-day aspects. . 6 Sex Problems: “Christian Youth and Family Life.” The attitude of the conference here is indicated in the introductory words of the study: ‘ The subject is one of the most vital for a World Conference of Christian Youth (1) because such relations are of the very staff of life; (2) because all traditional standards which governed these relations have been called in question, and there is urgent need, for evolving new standards which take into full account the changed conditions of modern life; (3) because it is on young people who will be forming new centres of family in the immediate future that; the responsibility for the future de-, velopment of the family rests; (4) because the intrusion of the State into, family life is of paramount importance to youth; (5) because non-Christian assumptions about the relations between men and women so often prevail in novel and film; (6) because there' is an explicit Biblical teaching on the oct.’’ 7. “The Church: Its Nature and Mission ” Here the discussion is directed toward “a clear understanding of the mutual responsibilities of youth and the Church.' The Church’s duty to understand and meet the needs o* youth; youth’s duty to understand the problems of the Church and to help in facing them constructively.” Delegates from New Zealand are in attendance at Amsterdam and two New Zealand organizations concerned for youth are in touch—the New Zealand Council of Religious Education and the Christian Youth Council of New Zealand. Under the auspices of the latter a Round Table of Youth, leaders from all the churches has met for some months weekly at the Y.M.C.A., Wellington, and has taken the studies which are being discussed this week in Amsterdam. Affiliated with this Dominion Christian Youth Council are youth movements with an approximate membership of 30,000 young people.