# Cambridge Inter-Collegiate Christian Union > Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Cambridge_Inter-Collegiate_Christian_Union > Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Cambridge_Inter-Collegiate_Christian_Union.md > Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cambridge_Inter-Collegiate_Christian_Union > Source revision: 1350529299 > License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/) The **Cambridge Inter-Collegiate Christian Union**, usually known as **CICCU**, is the [University of Cambridge](/source/University_of_Cambridge)'s most prominent student Christian organisation, and was the first university [Christian Union](/source/Christian_Union_(students)) to have been founded. It was formed in 1877, but can trace its origins back to the formation of the Jesus Lane Sunday School in 1827 and the Cambridge Prayer Union in 1848. CICCU's stated purpose is "to make Jesus Christ known to students in Cambridge".[1] CICCU is a registered charity.[2] Students in many other universities followed Cambridge's lead in forming their own Christian Unions, beginning with [OICCU](/source/OICCU) being founded in [Oxford](/source/University_of_Oxford) in 1879. CICCU was an early member of the [Student Christian Movement](/source/Student_Christian_Movement_of_the_United_Kingdom), which it left in 1910 to provide a specifically [conservative evangelical](/source/Conservative_evangelicalism_in_the_United_Kingdom) ministry in Cambridge.[3] Again, OICCU and other Unions followed them in this move, and together they founded the Inter-Varsity Fellowship of Evangelical Unions in 1928, which is now the Universities and Colleges Christian Fellowship or [UCCF](/source/UCCF).[4] UCCF spread to Canada in the same year and later to the United States, Australia ([Australian Fellowship of Evangelical Students](/source/Australian_Fellowship_of_Evangelical_Students)), New Zealand ([Tertiary Students Christian Fellowship](/source/Tertiary_Students_Christian_Fellowship)) and in 1947 across the globe as the [International Fellowship of Evangelical Students](/source/International_Fellowship_of_Evangelical_Students). ## Membership declaration Students who become members of CICCU are asked to sign the following statement, "I desire in joining this Union to declare my faith in Jesus Christ as my Saviour, my Lord and my God". This was one of the issues in the dispute with the SCM.[*[when?](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Manual_of_Style/Dates_and_numbers#Chronological_items)*][*[citation needed](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Citation_needed)*] ## Leadership CICCU is led by Christian students from a wide variety of backgrounds, united in a common desire to "make Jesus Christ known to students in Cambridge." Past CICCU members have included [Josh Moody](/source/Josh_Moody), [Basil Atkinson](/source/Basil_Atkinson), [Helen Roseveare](/source/Helen_Roseveare), [John W. Wenham](/source/John_W._Wenham), [John Stott](/source/John_Stott), [Gordon Wenham](/source/Gordon_Wenham), [David Wenham](/source/David_Wenham_(theologian)), [Hugh G. M. Williamson](/source/Hugh_G._M._Williamson) and [Vaughan Roberts](/source/Vaughan_Roberts). The leadership operates on two levels – university wide and within colleges. A committee of eight students, known as the Exec organise CICCU. Two reps in each college lead college events and meetings.[*[citation needed](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Citation_needed)*] ## Events This section does not cite any sources. Please help improve this section by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. (April 2026) (Learn how and when to remove this message) There are weekly meetings in almost every college during term time – these include Bible study, prayer and praise. The college groups then meet together as a whole for Bible Teaching and prayer each week. The CICCU organises weekly talks, explaining what Christians believe, and discussion groups ([Christianity Explored](/source/Christianity_Explored) courses). The college groups organise termly events in the colleges where people can come and find out more about Christianity. Every year there is a high-publicity main event, during which events are held in most of the colleges and there are lunchtime and evening talks. Currently CICCU runs two main outreach activities – 'Events Week' in [Lent term](/source/Lent_term), and 'Big Questions' lunches on Fridays in [St Andrew the Great](/source/St_Andrew_the_Great) which feature short talks and Q&As about questions of life and faith – along with a variety of occasional events, and bigger activities in colleges. ## Doctrinal basis CICCU adopts the [doctrinal basis](/source/Creed) of the [UCCF](/source/UCCF#Doctrinal_basis), to which it is affiliated.[5] ## Controversy Attitudes towards [homosexuality](/source/Homosexuality) have been a particular area of controversy, in particular during their 2004 Promise Week event, in which it was alleged that homosexual relations were equated with [bestiality](/source/Bestiality).[6] CICCU members deny that their organisation is anti-gay, stressing "equality in the sight of God", and point out that they love homosexual and heterosexual friends equally, as does God.[*[citation needed](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Citation_needed)*] Comment on the CICCU during the 2010s was more ambivalent – surprised by the intense focus on sharing rather than simply maintaining their faith, but impressed by the warmth of their welcome, and the depth of their conviction.[7][8][9] ## Presidents - 1877: A. Coote - W. Mitchell-Carruthers - 1877–78: J.C. Taylor - 1878–79: G.H. Pole - 1879–80: J. Harford-Battersby - 1880–82: *Names lost* - 1882–83: [J.E.K. Studd](/source/Kynaston_Studd) - 1883–84: I.B. Wane - 1884–85: Hon. W.G. Scott - 1885–86: E.D.M. Hamilton - 1886–87: A. Klein - 1887–88: R.M. Webb-Peploe - 1888–89: D.W. Carr - 1889–90: A. Rouse - 1890–91: L.F.D. Blair - 1891–92: C.T. Horan - 1892–93: N. Bennett - 1893–94: A.H. Swann - 1894–95: [F.T. Woods](/source/Theodore_Woods) - 1895–96: A.G. Dodderidge - 1896–97: H.F. Buxton - 1897–98: D.R. Barclay - 1898–99: T.W. Thompson - 1899–1900: J. Stenhouse - 1900–01: W.G. Hardie - 1901–02: R. Hodgkin - 1902–03: S. Donnithorne - 1903–04: G.A. Barclay - 1904–05: D.P. Robinson (*afterwards* Brereton) - 1905–06: [J.R.S. Taylor](/source/John_Taylor_(bishop_of_Sodor_and_Man)) - 1906–07: A.E. Bradley - 1907–08: R.L. Pelly - 1908–09: H.N. Rodgers - 1909–10: A.C.B. Bellerby - 1910: G.F.B. Morris - Lent 1911 – Easter 1912: [H.W.K. Mowll](/source/Howard_Mowll) - 1912–13: G.B. Sellwood - 1913–14: W.R.D. Robertson - 1914–15: J.W.McK. Nicholl - 1915–16: E.W. Hare - 1916–17: G.R. Lindsay - 1918–19: R.P. Dick - 1919–20: [B.G. Buxton](/source/Godfrey_Buxton) - Easter 1920: M.H. Webb-Peploe - Michaelmas 1920: C.A. Martin - Lent 1921 – Easter 1921: T.S. Goodwin - 1921–22: C.H.M. Foster - 1922–23: C.G. Webb-Peploe - 1923–24: F.H. Pickering - 1924–25: C.J.B. Harrison - Michaelmas 1925: H.W. Boake - Lent 1926 – Easter 1927: [H.R. Gough](/source/Hugh_Gough_(bishop)) - 1927–28: K.H. Hooker - 1928–29: N.A.L. Miller - 1929–30: H.A.Evan Hopkins - 1930–31: [J.N.D. Anderson](/source/Norman_Dalrymple_Anderson) - 1931–32: R.G. Allison - 1932–33: R.J. Cobb - 1933–34: C.G. Scorer - 1934–35: H.T. Hughes - 1935–36: B.C. Gough - 1936–37: R.J. Knight - 1937–38: R.J.B. Eddison - 1938–39: D.C. Argyle - 1939–40: [F.D. Kidner](/source/Derek_Kidner) - 1940–41: R.F. Hettlinger - Michaelmas 1941 – Michaelmas 1942: [O.R. Barclay](/source/Oliver_Barclay) - Lent 1943 – Easter 1943: J.D. Davis - 1943–44: G.K. Barker - 1944–45: J.H.F. Batstone - 1945–46: R.S. Dell - Michaelmas 1946: [J.C. Pollock](/source/John_Pollock_(author)) - Lent 1947 – Easter 1947: J.A. Boyes - Michaelmas 1947 – Lent 1948: G.F. Grobecker *From this point the usual tenure was from the [Easter term](/source/Easter_term) of one year to the [Lent term](/source/Lent_term) of the next* - 1948–49: D.J. Drew - 1949–50: J.F. Sertin - 1950–51: J.T.C.B. Collins - 1951–52: M.C. Griffiths - 1952–54: *Names lost* - 1954–55: A.A.W. Kimpton - 1955–58: *Names lost* - 1958–59: J. Morris - 1959–63: *Names lost* - 1963–64: S. Baldock - 1964–69: *Names lost* - 1969–70: M. Cuthbertson - 1970–71: M. Elston - 1971–72: D. Evans - 1972–73: D. Hunt - 1973–74: R. Capper - 1974-75: P. Doyle - 1975–76: J. Glauert - 1976–77: J. Samuel - 1977–78: J. Partington - 1978–79: P. Weston - 1979–80: J. Barclay - 1980–81: J. Stuart - 1981–82: T. Green - 1982–83: T. Pickett - 1983–84: C. Naylor - 1984–85: *Tim Law* - 1985–86: I. McIntosh - 1986–87: [V.E. Roberts](/source/Vaughan_Roberts) - 1987–88: A. Horn - 1988–89: K. Green - 1989–90: T. Thomas - 1990–91: T. Cole - 1991–92: [J. Moody](/source/Josh_Moody)[10] - 1992–93: G. Treece - 1993–94: U. Mayr-Harting - 1994–95: J. Rea - 1995–96: D. Horrocks - 1996–97: J. Sidders - 1997–98: D. Gobbett - 1998–99: S. Wearn - 1999–2000: J. White - 2000–01: R. Mann - 2001–02: R. Evans - 2002–03: K. Butler - 2003–04: J. Percival - 2004–05: G. Shearer - 2005–06: D. Pfeiffer - 2006–07: B. Monteiro - 2007–08: C. Butler - 2008–09: J. Young - 2009–10: M. Pilkington - 2010–11: P. Hammersley - 2011–12: C. Nickerson - 2012–13: M. Lewis - 2013–14: A. Greaves - 2014–15: J. Thompson - 2015–16: G. Sterlini - 2016–17: D. Palmer - 2017–18: J. Payne - 2018–19: T. Colpus - 2019–20: T. Saer[11] - 2020–21: A. Webb - 2021–22: K. Heasman - 2022–23: P. McCartney - 2023–24: D. Read - 2024–25: T. France - 2025-26: D. King Sources in the [Cambridge University Library](/source/Cambridge_University_Library) ## Affiliation - [UCCF](/source/UCCF) (Universities and Colleges Christian Fellowship) - [IFES](/source/International_Fellowship_of_Evangelical_Students) (International Fellowship of Evangelical Students) ## See also - [Cambridge Seven](/source/Cambridge_Seven) - [Oxford Inter-Collegiate Christian Union](/source/Oxford_Inter-Collegiate_Christian_Union) ## References 1. **[^](#cite_ref-1)** [CICCU website](http://www.ciccu.org.uk/) 1. **[^](#cite_ref-2)** Charity number: [1080230](https://register-of-charities.charitycommission.gov.uk/en/charity-search/?p_p_id=uk_gov_ccew_onereg_charitydetails_web_portlet_CharityDetailsPortlet&p_p_lifecycle=0&p_p_state=maximized&p_p_mode=view&_uk_gov_ccew_onereg_charitydetails_web_portlet_CharityDetailsPortlet_regId=1080230&_uk_gov_ccew_onereg_charitydetails_web_portlet_CharityDetailsPortlet_subId=0) 1. **[^](#cite_ref-3)** Goodhew, David (January 2003). "The rise of the Cambridge inter-collegiate Christian union, 1910-1971". *The Journal of Ecclesiastical History*. **54** (1): 62–88. The causes of the split were plain: CICCU stood for a conservative Evangelical view of the Bible and deeply mistrusted higher criticism, whilst SCM accepted the validity of new views of the Bible 1. **[^](#cite_ref-4)** Bruce, Steve (May 1980), [*The Student Christian Movement and the Inter-varsity Fellowship: a sociological study of the two student movements*](https://hdl.handle.net/1893/2398), University of Stirling, retrieved 22 April 2026 1. **[^](#cite_ref-5)** ["CICCU - Our Doctrinal Basis"](https://www.ciccu.org.uk/about/the-db/). *Cambridge Inter-Collegiate Christian Union*. Retrieved 22 April 2026. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-6)** Jozwiak, Gabriella; Foley, Laura-Jane 1 (6 February 2004). ["Predator – Pray? CICCU defends itself from accusations of homophobia"](http://archive.varsity.co.uk/594.pdf) (PDF). *Varsity*. No. 594. pp. 1–2.{{[cite news](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Template:Cite_news)}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list ([link](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:CS1_maint:_numeric_names:_authors_list)) 1. **[^](#cite_ref-7)** Tegelaars, Rosie (29 January 2010). ["Confessions of a Chr*sti*n"](http://www.varsity.co.uk/comment/1868). *Varsity*. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-8)** Wilkinson, Hannah (13 February 2014). ["My week with Jesus"](http://www.varsity.co.uk/news/6885). *Varsity*. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-9)** Sheard, Sarah (16 February 2015). ["Searching for salvation"](http://www.varsity.co.uk/news/8281). *Varsity*. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-10)** "SENIOR PASTOR CANDIDATE". *archive.ph*.{{[cite web](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Template:Cite_web)}}: CS1 maint: deprecated archival service ([link](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:CS1_maint:_deprecated_archival_service)) 1. **[^](#cite_ref-11)** ["CICCU Executive"](http://ciccu.org.uk/the-exec/). *ciccu.org.uk*. Retrieved 11 May 2019. ## Bibliography - [*Old Paths in Perilous Times*: an account of the Cambridge Inter-Collegiate Christian Union](http://www.tertullian.org/rpearse/scanned/old_paths_in_perilous_times.htm), [Basil F. C. Atkinson](/source/Basil_Atkinson) : London, [Inter-Varsity booklet](/source/Inter-Varsity_Press), 1932. - *A Cambridge Movement*, [J. C. Pollock](/source/John_Pollock_(author)): London, John Murray, 1953. - *Whatever Happened to the Jesus Lane Lot?*, Oliver R. Barclay : Leicester, [Inter-Varsity Press](/source/Inter-Varsity_Press), 1977, [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [0-85110-396-0](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/0-85110-396-0). - *From Cambridge to the World: 125 years of student witness* / Oliver R. Barclay and Robert M. Horn : Leicester, [Inter-Varsity Press](/source/Inter-Varsity_Press), 2002, [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [0-85111-499-7](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/0-85111-499-7). - '[*The Rise of the Cambridge Inter-Collegiate Christian Union*](http://www.journals.cambridge.org/action/displayAbstract?fromPage=online&aid=148535), 1910–1971', David Goodhew, in *Journal of Ecclesiastical History* Vol.LIV no.1, pp. 62–88. - *Cambridge Students and Christianity Worldwide: Insights from the 1960s*, [Ian M. Randall](/source/Ian_Randall), Cambridge, UK: [Cambridge Centre for Christianity Worldwide](/source/Cambridge_Centre_for_Christianity_Worldwide), 2019. ## External links - [Official website](http://www.ciccu.org.uk/) - [Tomorrow](http://ciccu.org.uk/tomorrow/) – CICCU Events Week 2019 website - [Life](http://ciccu.org.uk/life/) – CICCU Events Week 2020 website v t e University of Cambridge People Chancellor Chris Smith, Baron Smith of Finsbury Vice-Chancellor Deborah Prentice List of University of Cambridge people Colleges Christ's Churchill Clare Clare Hall Corpus Christi Darwin Downing Emmanuel Fitzwilliam Girton Gonville and Caius Homerton Hughes Hall Jesus King’s Lucy Cavendish Magdalene Murray Edwards Newnham Pembroke Peterhouse Queens’ Robinson St Catharine’s St Edmund’s St John’s Selwyn Sidney Sussex Trinity Trinity Hall Wolfson Schools, faculties and departments Arts and Humanities English Anglo-Saxon Norse and Celtic Architecture CRASSH Existential Risk Classics Divinity Music Philosophy Biological sciences Genetics Gurdon Institute Pathology Physiology, Development and Neuroscience Plant Sciences Botanic Garden Sainsbury Laboratory Stem Cell Institute Clinical Medicine Autism Research Centre Cancer Unit Cognition and Brain Sciences Unit Mitochondrial Biology Unit Oncology Wolfson Brain Imaging Centre Humanities and Social sciences Economics Education History History and Philosophy of Science Human, Social, and Political Science Archaeological Research Politics and International Studies Law Criminology Physical sciences Astronomy Chemistry Earth Sciences Palaeoclimate Research Geography Scott Polar Research Institute Mathematical Sciences Mathematics Theoretical Cosmology Materials Science and Metallurgy Physics Technology Business School Alternative Finance Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology Computer Science and Technology Engineering Manufacturing Others ADC Theatre Professional and Continuing Education Library Press (journals) Student life Students' Union Graduate Union Air Squadron Amateur Dramatic Club Apostles BlueSci Cam FM Christian Union Conservatives Footlights May Week May Ball Labour Club Liberal Democrats Light Entertainment Society Moral Sciences Club Musical Society Philosophical Society Railway Club SCA Spaceflight Union Society Cambridge University Wine Society Varsity (student newspaper) The Mays Sport Association football Rules Aussie Rules Boxing Cricket Cross Country Dancing Golf Handball Ice Hockey Real Tennis Rifle shooting Rowing Openweight Men (CUBC) Lightweight Men (CULRC) Women (CUWBC) Rugby union Tennis Competitions Cuppers The Boat Race Women's Boat Race Henley Boat Races The Varsity Polo Match Rugby League Varsity Match Rugby Union Varsity Match University Cricket Match University Golf Match Affiliates Alan Turing Institute Cambridge Theological Federation Cambridge University Health Partners Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust Cambridgeshire and Peterborough NHS Foundation Trust Royal Papworth Hospital NHS Foundation Trust Partner institutions Animal Health Trust Babraham Institute British Antarctic Survey CCDC EMBL-EBI Laboratory of Molecular Biology NIAB Wellcome Sanger Institute Museums Fitzwilliam Museum Hamilton Kerr Institute Kettle's Yard Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology Museum of Classical Archaeology Museum of Zoology Sedgwick Museum of Earth Sciences Polar Museum Whipple Museum of the History of Science Related Awards and prizes Cambridge Zero Regent House Senate House Old Schools Cambridge University Council Fictional Cambridge colleges Cambridge University Reporter Category --- Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Cambridge Inter-Collegiate Christian Union](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cambridge_Inter-Collegiate_Christian_Union) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cambridge_Inter-Collegiate_Christian_Union?action=history)). 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