C. Stacey Woods and the Evangelical Rediscovery of the University, A. Donald MacLeod
Stacey Woods may be a name you know. He was a crucial leader in the development of the evangelical student movement in Canada, the United States and internationally in the period following the Second World War. Even those of us who didn't instantly recognize the name Woods will know of the organizations which he led—Inter-Varsity in Canada and its sister organization in the United States, and the International Fellowship of Evangelical Students.
Donald MacLeod has given us a richly detailed, well-written biography. Woods was born in Australia in 1909 into a deeply religious family. His father was a Brethren lay preacher and Woods followed his father into ministry but with a somewhat different focus—the University community. Woods studied at the Evangelical Theological College in Dallas before moving to Canada and leading the Inter-Varsity Christian Fellowship. One of the challenges in recounting this life is that he often held more than one significant position at the same time. He was the General Secretary of IVCF Canada (1934-1952), led the expansion of InterVarsity into the United States and then was in primary leadership in that organization (1940-1960), while at the same time leading the International Federation of Evangelical Students (1947-1972). This overlap caused more difficulties for the organizations he led than it does in the biography. MacLeod skilfully takes us through the various interlinked organizations and Woods' associations with each of them. The book is very detailed—a clear strength to those with long associations with Inter-Varsity. For those less familiar, MacLeod manages not to lose us in these details, but keeps the main storyline moving forward.
The portrait which emerges of Woods is remarkably honest, focusing on both the strengths and weaknesses of his character. He was clearly a man of deep faith, extremely hard-working, a powerful preacher and speaker, a visionary, and deeply committed to the organizations which he led. The international speaking itinerary for various years is exhausting simply to read. It is not surprising that later in life Woods' health suffered from this workload. Another strength which MacLeod highlights is Woods' ability to spot talent and mentor young leaders in the movement. Woods' weaknesses are not glossed over. He seems to have been more of a visionary than an administrator. Given his many speaking engagements and his involvements in more than one organization at a time, it is easy to imagine how details would have slipped and how frustrating working for him on a day-by-day basis might have been. Certain management issues, particularly in InterVarsity in the United States, are also highlighted. There are other places where the weaknesses are more alluded to than clearly spelled out. Woods certainly saw the university campus as a mission field, a place where evangelical Christians needed to be involved. What remains less clear is in what other ways he sought to engage the academic world.
This biography details the life of Woods as well as the various evangelical student organizations with which Woods was involved. For those who were active in Inter-Varsity in high school, university or camping ministry this will be a fascinating account full of recognized names and personalities. Those who were involved in other Christian organizations will find this story less familiar, but no less interesting, as it gives great insight into the development of evangelical student movements in Canada and beyond in the post-Second World War period.
