David Locke reviews the book REACHING FOR A NEW WORLD by Hennie de Pouse-de Jonge, which deals with the history and ideas of Initiatives of Change.

REACHING FOR A NEW WORLD

by Hennie de Pous-de Jonge

This is a book for anyone who is new to the ideas of Initiatives of Change (IofC) and wants to know its history and background. It is also a book for people like myself who have been associated with it for many years. In particular it is important reading for those who feel a sense of calling to take responsibility for the future.

Hennie de Pous relates the history of IofC from the initial change of motivation of Frank Buchman in 1908 to the developments that have led to its worldwide impact today. She describes how the movement became known as the Oxford Group in the late 1920s, and the changes of name to Moral Re-Armament (MRA) in 1938 and to Initiatives of Change (IofC) in 2001. Coming from the Netherlands she writes from a Dutch perspective and as a Britisher I found seeing the history through her eyes brought me new knowledge and insight.

She describes house parties in the Netherlands in the 1930’s, when many people found a new philosophy and motivation for their lives and moving stories from the years of World War II, when people trained in the ideas of MRA took brave action under the occupation of a foreign power. Through these accounts and stories from post-war years of expansion of MRA in Europe and beyond, we are treated to a well-researched and very readable narrative.

Chapters are devoted to Dutch relationships with former enemies, including her former colony Indonesia, the expansion of the work with young people in the 1960s and family conferences at Caux, Switzerland, the use of literature and films, the formation of the Caux Round Table and many other developments with stories of men and women who have taken bold action to change society, beginning with a change in themselves.

In the final two chapters the author outlines some of the more recent developments in the worldwide work – the reasons for the change of name from Moral Re-Armament to Initiatives of Change, the development of International Consultations which started in 1989 and which led eventually to the formation of an International Council and an International Association. I found it very helpful to have a summary of some of the decisions made at some of these Consultations. She writes of the challenge to ‘translate’ IofC’s message for the present time and of how the different Consultations have attempted to do that.

Not all will find this book comfortable reading for she does not shy away from constructive criticism and gives examples from her own experience of where mistakes have been made. Some comments may be considered controversial. Throughout the book however, her sincerity and commitment to reach out for a new world shine through and I recommend this book to all who wish to be seriously involved in building the future.

David Locke 17 September 2009

Reaching for a New World is published by Caux Books (price CHF22) and available from national IofC centres. ISBN: 978-2-88037-520-1, 256 pages.

(David Locke has been associated with IofC for over fifty years. For 25 years he was one of those responsible for IofC publications in UK)