Steve Chalke
Encyclopedia
Steve Chalke
is an ordained Baptist minister who is a prominent, and often outspoken, Christian leader and social activist based in the UK. He is the author of numerous books and articles as well as a regular presenter and contributor on television and radio programmes. In 2004 he was awarded an MBE
for his services to social inclusion by the Queen.
which he started with his wife in 1985.
Over the last 25 years Oasis has developed into a group of charities now working in 11 countries over five continents around the world to deliver housing, education
, training
, youthwork and healthcare. It is a significant voluntary sector
provider, delivering services for local authorities and national governments, as well as self-funded initiatives providing opportunity to people across the globe. Oasis Trust has also set up Oasis Community Learning, the Faithworks movement, Stop the Traffik
and Church.co.uk.
through the government’s Academies programme. Three Oasis Academies, in Enfield Lock, Grimsby and Immingham, opened in September 2007, with six more in Southampton (x2), Bristol (x2), Salford and Coulsdon (Croydon) in September 2008. September 2009 saw the opening of Oasis first All-through (3-19) school, to be known as Oasis Academy Shirley Park, in Croydon as well as a second academy in Enfield. Oasis Academy Oldham became Oasis Community Learning's 12th Academy when it opened in September 2010. Other projects are planned for future years.
Oasis Community Learning aims to serve its Academy students as well as to provide a centre of life-long learning for the entire community, including; adult learning courses, community workers, fitness suites, healthy living programmes, sports courts and out-of-hours youth activities.
. More recently Chalke founded Church.co.uk, a developing network of community churches around the UK which began with the formation of Church.co.uk in Waterloo, central London in 2003 and now includes churches in Salford, Enfield, Bristol and a growing number of other locations. Chalke still serves as the senior minister of the central London church in Waterloo.
and BBC
as well as presenting a regular show on BBC Radio 4
. He is a regular commentator and contributor to television and radio programmes. In April 2011 he became the latest contributor to Pause for Thought on the Chris Evans Breakfast Show on BBC Radio 2.
social action. Faithworks resources and supports churches of all denominations
across the UK as they engage with their local communities. Chalke has become a spokesman for the church in the ongoing national debate about the provision of public services
by faith-based
groups.
, a global coalition
of over 1600 charities in 97 countries that is working to stop the buying and selling of people. He was appointed Special Advisor on Community Action to the UN GIFT, following STOP THE TRAFFIK’S delivery of 1.5 million signatures in support of a global declaration against human trafficking at a UN conference in Vienna in February 2008. March 2009 saw the publication of “STOP THE TRAFFIK" – "People should not be Bought and Sold" which Chalke co-authored with Cherie Blair and looks at the worldwide issue of people trafficking and our response to it. Steve Chalke continues to work with STOP THE TRAFFIK pioneering campaigns, including the schools campaign 'Start Freedom' and the hugely successful traffick-free chocolate campaign, which serve to raise awareness of the dangers of human trafficking across all countries and communities.
. Chalke's views drew much criticism as well as support, with numerous articles, blogs and books being written on both sides of the debate.
The continuing controversy led to the Evangelical Alliance
organising a symposium in July 2005 to discuss the issue, and a record of this symposium, includes a chapter by Chalke and his views are also contained in "the atonement debate". A group of three conservative evangelical
theologians responded to Chalke with their book, Pierced for our Transgressions (Crossway Publishing, 2007), which strongly criticised Chalke's position as inconsistent with some evangelical confessions of faith. However, the former bishop of Durham
and prominent theologian, N. T. Wright, endorsed Chalke as a leading evangelical and spoke out against the latter book, commenting, for instance, that ‘despite the ringing endorsements of famous men, it [Pierced For Our Transgressions] is deeply, profoundly, and disturbingly unbiblical.’
. Chalke claims that though Christian Faith is personal it is never private, and has written extensively about Public Theology (see "Intelligent Church" Zondervan 2006)
Chalke contends that there are two elements to healthy democracy - representative and participatory. He and others have suggested that democracy used to be focused around participation as much as representation (volunteering as much as voting), two ideas which together created a balance. Chalke believes that ‘we have to look beyond what we now call politics to find leaders to address these underlying issues. The struggle to reshape the meaning of politics is one we must engage in. The church has a major role and responsibility in this process.’
Chalke is developing the Charities Parliament, in order to establish a stronger voice for third sector organizations in public life. Chalke is recorded stating; “We’ve been working hard for some time to create, what we believe will become, a significant base for a wide group of charities right at the heart of one of the world’s mega-cities. We want to provide a fertile environment where the energy generated by the organisations sharing the facilities helps everyone get further, faster, as we engage with each other and government.”
The Charities Parliament has already received warm support from Rt Hon Stephen Timms MP who said "I welcome Oasis’ proposal for a major centre close to Parliament, and I look forward to its activities helping to shape the public debate in the years ahead." The Bishop of Liverpool Right Rev'd James Jones has also endorsed Charities Parliament saying "This new initiative is based on the well established principles of Christ-centred vision, rigorous thinking, a depth of community engagement and a clear articulation of a biblical worldview, which are the foundations on which Oasis' work has been built."
is an ordained Baptist minister who is a prominent, and often outspoken, Christian leader and social activist based in the UK. He is the author of numerous books and articles as well as a regular presenter and contributor on television and radio programmes. In 2004 he was awarded an MBE
MBE
MBE can stand for:* Mail Boxes Etc.* Management by exception* Master of Bioethics* Master of Bioscience Enterprise* Master of Business Engineering* Master of Business Economics* Mean Biased Error...
for his services to social inclusion by the Queen.
Introduction
Chalke was born in South London in 1955. As a teenager he became a Christian and decided to spend his life working to end poverty and specifically to set up housing, healthcare and educational projects to that end. He is best known as the founder of the Oasis TrustOasis Trust
Oasis Trust is a UK-based Christian registered charity. It was founded by Rev Steve Chalke in August 1985, who had been assistant minister at Tonbridge Baptist Church, Kent, for four years...
which he started with his wife in 1985.
Over the last 25 years Oasis has developed into a group of charities now working in 11 countries over five continents around the world to deliver housing, education
Education
Education in its broadest, general sense is the means through which the aims and habits of a group of people lives on from one generation to the next. Generally, it occurs through any experience that has a formative effect on the way one thinks, feels, or acts...
, training
Training
The term training refers to the acquisition of knowledge, skills, and competencies as a result of the teaching of vocational or practical skills and knowledge that relate to specific useful competencies. It forms the core of apprenticeships and provides the backbone of content at institutes of...
, youthwork and healthcare. It is a significant voluntary sector
Voluntary sector
The voluntary sector or community sector is the sphere of social activity undertaken by organizations that are for non-profit and non-governmental. This sector is also called the third sector, in reference to the public sector and the private sector...
provider, delivering services for local authorities and national governments, as well as self-funded initiatives providing opportunity to people across the globe. Oasis Trust has also set up Oasis Community Learning, the Faithworks movement, Stop the Traffik
Stop the Traffik
STOP THE TRAFFIK was founded in 2006 by Steve Chalke MBE as a campaign coalition which aims to bring an end to human trafficking worldwide. Initially STOP THE TRAFFIK was set up as a two year campaign to coincide with the bicentenary of the abolition of the slave trade...
and Church.co.uk.
Educationalist
From its early days Oasis has been involved in the provision of education not only in the UK but also in South America, Asia and Africa. As a development of this, in 2004 Chalke set up Oasis Community Learning as part of the Oasis Group of charities, in order to deliver secondary educationSecondary education
Secondary education is the stage of education following primary education. Secondary education includes the final stage of compulsory education and in many countries it is entirely compulsory. The next stage of education is usually college or university...
through the government’s Academies programme. Three Oasis Academies, in Enfield Lock, Grimsby and Immingham, opened in September 2007, with six more in Southampton (x2), Bristol (x2), Salford and Coulsdon (Croydon) in September 2008. September 2009 saw the opening of Oasis first All-through (3-19) school, to be known as Oasis Academy Shirley Park, in Croydon as well as a second academy in Enfield. Oasis Academy Oldham became Oasis Community Learning's 12th Academy when it opened in September 2010. Other projects are planned for future years.
Oasis Community Learning aims to serve its Academy students as well as to provide a centre of life-long learning for the entire community, including; adult learning courses, community workers, fitness suites, healthy living programmes, sports courts and out-of-hours youth activities.
Church Leader
Chalke was ordained as a Baptist Minister in 1981, having studied at Spurgeon's Theological College in London, and was a local minister of Tonbridge Baptist Church in Kent for four years before setting up the Oasis TrustOasis Trust
Oasis Trust is a UK-based Christian registered charity. It was founded by Rev Steve Chalke in August 1985, who had been assistant minister at Tonbridge Baptist Church, Kent, for four years...
. More recently Chalke founded Church.co.uk, a developing network of community churches around the UK which began with the formation of Church.co.uk in Waterloo, central London in 2003 and now includes churches in Salford, Enfield, Bristol and a growing number of other locations. Chalke still serves as the senior minister of the central London church in Waterloo.
Writer and Broadcaster
Chalke is the author of more than 40 books. He has also written monthly columns for 'Prima Baby' on fatherhood and for 'Christianity' magazine on Church leadership. His latest book "Different Eyes" – The Art of Living Beautifully was published by Zondervan in April 2010. Chalke has hosted his own television series' for ITVITV
ITV is the major commercial public service TV network in the United Kingdom. Launched in 1955 under the auspices of the Independent Television Authority to provide competition to the BBC, it is also the oldest commercial network in the UK...
and BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
as well as presenting a regular show on BBC Radio 4
BBC Radio 4
BBC Radio 4 is a British domestic radio station, operated and owned by the BBC, that broadcasts a wide variety of spoken-word programmes, including news, drama, comedy, science and history. It replaced the BBC Home Service in 1967. The station controller is currently Gwyneth Williams, and the...
. He is a regular commentator and contributor to television and radio programmes. In April 2011 he became the latest contributor to Pause for Thought on the Chris Evans Breakfast Show on BBC Radio 2.
Guinness World Record Holder
In 2005 Chalke became the official holder of the Guinness World Record for the largest amount of sponsorship money ever raised by an individual through a single event. He broke this record by raising £1.25 million for Oasis' work with schools in disadvantaged communities, through running the London Marathon. His record was beaten at the following year's marathon by Sir Steve Redgrave who officially raised over £1.785 million. However in April 2007 Chalke recaptured his title, as well as becoming the fastest money-generating sports person in history, by raising over £1.855 million in 3 hours 58 minutes 40 seconds. When he crossed the finishing line at the 2011 London marathon, after 4 hours 31 minutes, Chalke broke this record for a third time by raising £2.32m.Faithworks
In 2001 Chalke founded Faithworks a movement for ChristianChristian
A Christian is a person who adheres to Christianity, an Abrahamic, monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth as recorded in the Canonical gospels and the letters of the New Testament...
social action. Faithworks resources and supports churches of all denominations
Christian denomination
A Christian denomination is an identifiable religious body under a common name, structure, and doctrine within Christianity. In the Orthodox tradition, Churches are divided often along ethnic and linguistic lines, into separate churches and traditions. Technically, divisions between one group and...
across the UK as they engage with their local communities. Chalke has become a spokesman for the church in the ongoing national debate about the provision of public services
Public services
Public services is a term usually used to mean services provided by government to its citizens, either directly or by financing private provision of services. The term is associated with a social consensus that certain services should be available to all, regardless of income...
by faith-based
Faith-based
The term faith-based is a neologism , mostly current in US English, to describe any organization or government idea or plan based on religious beliefs, specifically Christian beliefs....
groups.
Stop The Traffik
Chalke is the Chair of Stop the TraffikStop the Traffik
STOP THE TRAFFIK was founded in 2006 by Steve Chalke MBE as a campaign coalition which aims to bring an end to human trafficking worldwide. Initially STOP THE TRAFFIK was set up as a two year campaign to coincide with the bicentenary of the abolition of the slave trade...
, a global coalition
Coalition
A coalition is a pact or treaty among individuals or groups, during which they cooperate in joint action, each in their own self-interest, joining forces together for a common cause. This alliance may be temporary or a matter of convenience. A coalition thus differs from a more formal covenant...
of over 1600 charities in 97 countries that is working to stop the buying and selling of people. He was appointed Special Advisor on Community Action to the UN GIFT, following STOP THE TRAFFIK’S delivery of 1.5 million signatures in support of a global declaration against human trafficking at a UN conference in Vienna in February 2008. March 2009 saw the publication of “STOP THE TRAFFIK" – "People should not be Bought and Sold" which Chalke co-authored with Cherie Blair and looks at the worldwide issue of people trafficking and our response to it. Steve Chalke continues to work with STOP THE TRAFFIK pioneering campaigns, including the schools campaign 'Start Freedom' and the hugely successful traffick-free chocolate campaign, which serve to raise awareness of the dangers of human trafficking across all countries and communities.
The Lost Message Of Jesus
In 2003 Chalke co-authored, "The Lost Message of Jesus", with Alan Mann. (Zondervan). This book provoked considerable controversy within evangelical Christian circles. The debate rose mostly because of Steve Chalke's rejection of a conventional evangelical theological understanding of the atonement, known as penal substitutionPenal substitution
Penal substitution is a theory of the atonement within Christian theology, developed with the Reformed tradition. It argues that Christ, by his own sacrificial choice, was punished in the place of sinners , thus satisfying the demands of justice so God can justly forgive the sins...
. Chalke's views drew much criticism as well as support, with numerous articles, blogs and books being written on both sides of the debate.
The continuing controversy led to the Evangelical Alliance
Evangelical Alliance
The Evangelical Alliance is a London-based charitable organization founded in 1846. It has a claimed representation of over 1,000,000 evangelical Christians in the United Kingdom and is the oldest alliance of evangelical Christians in the world....
organising a symposium in July 2005 to discuss the issue, and a record of this symposium, includes a chapter by Chalke and his views are also contained in "the atonement debate". A group of three conservative evangelical
Conservative Evangelicalism
Conservative Evangelicalism is a term used in Britain to describe a theological movement found within Evangelical Protestant Christianity, and is sometimes simply synonymous with Evangelical within the United Kingdom...
theologians responded to Chalke with their book, Pierced for our Transgressions (Crossway Publishing, 2007), which strongly criticised Chalke's position as inconsistent with some evangelical confessions of faith. However, the former bishop of Durham
Durham
Durham is a city in north east England. It is within the County Durham local government district, and is the county town of the larger ceremonial county...
and prominent theologian, N. T. Wright, endorsed Chalke as a leading evangelical and spoke out against the latter book, commenting, for instance, that ‘despite the ringing endorsements of famous men, it [Pierced For Our Transgressions] is deeply, profoundly, and disturbingly unbiblical.’
The Role of Faith in the public Square
Chalke is a prominent social activist and leading advocate of the role of Christian Faith in public life and the delivery of public services including education, health care, youth services, etc. He has drawn strong criticism from leading atheists and secularists such as Polly Toynbee and Keith Porteous Wood, the director of the National Secular SocietyNational Secular Society
The National Secular Society is a British campaigning organisation that promotes secularism and the separation of church and state. It holds that no-one should gain advantage or disadvantage because of their religion or lack of religion. It was founded by Charles Bradlaugh in 1866...
. Chalke claims that though Christian Faith is personal it is never private, and has written extensively about Public Theology (see "Intelligent Church" Zondervan 2006)
Chalke contends that there are two elements to healthy democracy - representative and participatory. He and others have suggested that democracy used to be focused around participation as much as representation (volunteering as much as voting), two ideas which together created a balance. Chalke believes that ‘we have to look beyond what we now call politics to find leaders to address these underlying issues. The struggle to reshape the meaning of politics is one we must engage in. The church has a major role and responsibility in this process.’
Chalke is developing the Charities Parliament, in order to establish a stronger voice for third sector organizations in public life. Chalke is recorded stating; “We’ve been working hard for some time to create, what we believe will become, a significant base for a wide group of charities right at the heart of one of the world’s mega-cities. We want to provide a fertile environment where the energy generated by the organisations sharing the facilities helps everyone get further, faster, as we engage with each other and government.”
The Charities Parliament has already received warm support from Rt Hon Stephen Timms MP who said "I welcome Oasis’ proposal for a major centre close to Parliament, and I look forward to its activities helping to shape the public debate in the years ahead." The Bishop of Liverpool Right Rev'd James Jones has also endorsed Charities Parliament saying "This new initiative is based on the well established principles of Christ-centred vision, rigorous thinking, a depth of community engagement and a clear articulation of a biblical worldview, which are the foundations on which Oasis' work has been built."