John Stott

==Life==
===Early life and education===
John Robert Walmsley Stott was born on 27 April 1921 in London, England, to [[Arnold Stott|Sir Arnold]] and Emily "Lily" Stott (née Holland).{{sfnm |1a1=Chapman |1y=2012 |1p=11 |2a1=Steer |2y=2009 |2pp=17, 21}} His father was a leading physician at [[Harley Street]] and an [[agnostic]],{{sfnm |1a1=Chapman |1y=2012 |1p=11 |2a1=Greenman |2y=2007 |2p=246}} while his mother had been raised [[Lutheran]]{{sfn|Dudley-Smith|1999|p=44}} and attended the nearby [[Church of England]] church, [[All Souls Church, Langham Place|All Souls, Langham Place]].{{citation needed|date=January 2018}} Stott was sent to boarding schools at eight years old, initially to a prep school, [[Cirencester|Oakley Hall]].{{sfn|Dudley-Smith|1999|pp=53–54}} In 1935, he went on to [[Rugby School]].{{sfn|Dudley-Smith|1999|p=69}} While at Rugby School in 1938, Stott heard [[E. J. H. Nash|Eric Nash]] (nicknamed "Bash"), director of the [[Iwerne camps]], deliver a sermon entitled "What Then Shall I Do with [[Jesus]], Who Is Called the Christ?"{{sfn|Eddison|1992|p=82}} After this talk, Nash pointed Stott to [[Revelation 3:20]], "Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me."  Stott later described the impact this verse had upon him as follows:

{{quote|Here, then, is the crucial question which we have been leading up to. Have we ever opened our door to Christ? Have we ever invited him in? This was exactly the question which I needed to have put to me. For, intellectually speaking, I had believed in Jesus all my life, on the other side of the door. I had regularly struggled to say my prayers through the key-hole. I had even pushed pennies under the door in a vain attempt to pacify him. I had been baptized, yes and confirmed as well. I went to church, read my Bible, had high ideals, and tried to be good and do good.  But all the time, often without realising it, I was holding Christ at arm's length, and keeping him outside. I knew that to open the door might have momentous consequences. I am profoundly grateful to him for enabling me to open the door. Looking back now over more than fifty years, I realise that that simple step has changed the entire direction, course and quality of my life.<ref>Quoted in {{harvnb|Dudley-Smith|1999|p=95}}.</ref>}}

Stott was mentored by Nash, who wrote a weekly letter to him, advising him on how to develop and grow in his Christian life, as well as practicalities such as leading the Christian Union at his school.

At this time, also, Stott was a [[pacifist]] and a member of the [[Anglican Pacifist Fellowship]].{{sfn|Steer|2009|p=48}} In later life he withdrew from pacifism, adopting [[Just war theory|a 'just war' stance]].<ref>{{cite news |last=Turner |first=David |date=29 July 2011 |title=The Rev John Stott |newspaper=The Guardian}}</ref>

Stott studied modern languages at [[Trinity College, Cambridge]], where he graduated with [[British undergraduate degree classification|double first-class honours]]{{sfn|Steer|2009|pp=51–52, 59}} in French and theology. At university, he was active in the [[Cambridge Inter-Collegiate Christian Union]], where the executive committee considered him too invaluable a person to be asked to commit his time by joining the committee.{{citation needed|date=January 2018}} After Trinity he transferred to [[Ridley Hall, Cambridge|Ridley Hall Theological College]], affiliated to the [[University of Cambridge]], to train for ordination as an [[Anglican]] cleric.

He later received a [[Lambeth degrees|Lambeth]] [[Doctor of Divinity|Doctorate of Divinity]] in 1983.{{sfn|Greenman|2007|p=246}}<ref name="The Times">{{cite news |date=29 July 2011 |title=The Rev John Stott |url=https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/the-rev-john-stott-23j3mkjdfr3 |url-access=subscription |newspaper=The Times |location=London |access-date=20 January 2018}}</ref>

===Ministry===
Stott was ordained as a deacon in 1945{{sfn|Livingstone|2013}} and became a [[curate]] at [[All Souls Church, Langham Place]] (1945–1950), then [[Rector (ecclesiastical)|rector]] (1950–1975).<ref>{{London Gazette|issue=38952|page=3256|date=23 June 1950}}</ref> This was the church in which he had grown up and where he spent almost his whole life apart from a few years spent in Cambridge. While in this position he became increasingly influential on a national and international basis, most notably being a key player in the 1966–1967 dispute about the appropriateness of [[evangelicalism|evangelicals]] remaining in the Church of England. He had founded the [[Church of England Evangelical Council]] (CEEC) in 1960 to bring together the different strands of evangelicals.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Baker |first1=David |title=Where is the Church of England Evangelical Council when we need it? |url=https://www.christiantoday.com/article/where.is.the.church.of.england.evangelical.council.when.we.need.it/111306.htm |website=Christian Today |access-date=26 April 2021 |language=en |date=31 July 2017 |quote=What would happen, he mused, if different evangelicals within the CofE could be brought together to talk, pray, plan and resolve any differences? Thus was born the Church of England Evangelical Council (CEEC) in 1960.}}</ref> In 1970, in response to increasing demands on his time from outside the All Souls congregation, he appointed a vicar of All Souls, to enable him to work on other projects.{{citation needed|date=January 2018}} In 1975 Stott resigned as rector and [[Michael Baughen]], {{citation needed span |date=January 2018 |text=the then vicar,}} was appointed in his place; Stott remained at the church and was appointed rector emeritus.{{sfn|Steer|2009|p=169}}

In 1974 he founded [[Langham Partnership International]] (known as John Stott Ministries in the US until 2012),{{citation needed|date=January 2018}} and in 1982 the [[London Institute for Contemporary Christianity]],{{sfn|Steer|2009|p=209}} of which he remained honorary president until his death.{{citation needed|date=January 2018}} During his presidency he gathered together leading evangelical intellectuals to shape courses and programmes communicating the Christian faith into a secular context. He was regularly accompanied by a leading paediatrician, [[John Wyatt (physician)|John Wyatt]], and the institute director, the broadcaster [[Elaine Storkey]], when they spoke across the country to large audiences on "Matters of Life and Death".{{citation needed|date=January 2018}} Following his chairmanship of the second [[National Evangelical Anglican Congress]] in April 1977, the Nottingham statement was published which said, "Seeing ourselves and Roman Catholics as fellow-Christians, we repent of attitudes that have seemed to deny it."<ref name=nott>{{cite web |year=1977 |title=The Nottingham Statement |url=http://www.spurgeon.org/~phil/creeds/nott.htm |publisher=National Evangelical Anglican Congress |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120627041149/http://www.spurgeon.org/~phil/creeds/nott.htm |at=sec.&nbsp;M |url-status=dead |archive-date=27 June 2012}}</ref> This aroused controversy amongst some evangelicals at the time.{{sfn|Murray|2000}}

===Retirement and death===
Stott announced his retirement from public ministry in April 2007{{sfn|Stott|2010|p=28}} at the age of 86. He took up residence in the College of St Barnabas, [[Lingfield, Surrey]], a retirement community for [[Anglican]] clergy<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.st-barnabas.org.uk/john-stott/|title=John Stott &#124; The College of St Barnabas|website=www.st-barnabas.org.uk}}</ref> but remained as [[Rector (ecclesiastical)|rector emeritus]] of All Souls Church.{{sfn|Steer|2009|p=169}}

Stott died on 27 July 2011 at the College of St Barnabas in Lingfield at 3:15&nbsp;pm local time. He was surrounded by family and close friends and they were reading the [[Bible]] and listening to [[Messiah (Handel)|Handel's Messiah]] when he peacefully died.<ref name="AS">{{cite web |url=http://www.allsouls.org/Publisher/Article.aspx?ID=273279 |title=John Stott Tributes |location=London |publisher=All Souls, Langham Place |date=26 September 1950 |access-date=31 January 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110803122813/http://www.allsouls.org/Publisher/Article.aspx?ID=273279 |archive-date=3 August 2011 |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref name="CT">{{cite web |last=Stafford |first=Tim |date=27 July 2011 |title=John Stott Has Died |url=http://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2011/julyweb-only/john-stott-obit.html |website=Christianity Today |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111001041909/http://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2011/julyweb-only/john-stott-obit.html |archive-date=1 October 2011 |access-date=14 January 2018}}</ref> An obituary in ''[[Christianity Today]]'' reported that his death was due to age-related complications and that he had been in discomfort for several weeks. The obituary described him as "An architect of 20th-century evangelicalism [who] shaped the faith of a generation."<ref name="CT" /> His status was such that his death was reported in the secular media. The [[BBC]] referred to him as someone who could "explain complex theology in a way lay people could easily understand".<ref>{{cite news| url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-14320915 | work=BBC News | title=Reverend John Stott Dies Aged 90 | date=28 July 2011 | access-date=31 January 2013}}</ref> Obituaries were published in ''[[The Daily Telegraph]]'' and ''[[The New York Times]]''.<ref>{{cite news| url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/obituaries/religion-obituaries/8668938/The-Rev-John-Stott.html | location=London | work=The Daily Telegraph | title=The Rev John Stott | date=28 July 2011 | access-date=31 January 2013}}</ref><ref name="The New York Times">{{cite news |last=Saxon |first=Wolfgang |date=27 July 2011 |title=Rev. John Stott, Major Evangelical Figure, Dies at 90 |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2011/07/28/world/europe/28stott.html |url-access=limited |work=The New York Times |access-date=14 January 2018}}</ref>

Tributes were paid to Stott by a number of leaders and other figures within the Christian community.{{citation needed|date=January 2018}} The American evangelist [[Billy Graham]] released a statement saying, "The evangelical world has lost one of its greatest spokesmen, and I have lost one of my close personal friends and advisors. I look forward to seeing him again when I go to heaven."<ref name="The New York Times"/> The [[Archbishop of Canterbury]], [[Rowan Williams]], wrote:
{{quote|The death of John Stott will be mourned by countless Christians throughout the world.  During a long life of unsparing service and witness, John won a unique place in the hearts of all who encountered him, whether in person or through his many books.   He was a man of rare graciousness and deep personal kindness, a superb communicator and a sensitive and skilled counsellor.  Without ever compromising his firm evangelical faith, he showed himself willing to challenge some of the ways in which that faith had become conventional or inward-looking.  It is not too much to say that he helped to change the face of evangelicalism internationally, arguing for the necessity of "holistic" mission that applied the Gospel of Jesus to every area of life, including social and political questions.  But he will be remembered most warmly as an expositor of scripture and a teacher of the faith, whose depth and simplicity brought doctrine alive in all sorts of new ways.<ref>{{cite press release |last=Williams |first=Rowan |author-link=Rowan Williams |title=Archbishop Remembers John Stott |url=http://rowanwilliams.archbishopofcanterbury.org/articles.php/2144/archbishop-remembers-john-stott |publisher=Archbishop of Canterbury |date=28 July 2011 |access-date=14 January 2018}}</ref>}}

Stott's [[funeral]] was held on 8 August 2011 at All Souls Church.<ref name="Funeral Service">{{cite web|url=http://www.allsouls.org/Publisher/Article.aspx?ID=275197 |title=Funeral Service |location=London |publisher=All Souls, Langham Place |date=8 August 2011 |access-date=31 January 2013}}</ref> It was reported that the church was full with people queuing for a considerable time{{explain|date=January 2018}} before the service started.<ref name="Funeral Service"/>

A memorial website remembrance book (closed 2017) attracted comments from over one thousand individuals.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.johnstottmemorial.org/remembrance-book/ |title=Remembrance Book |website=John RW Stott Memorial |publisher=Langham Partnership International |access-date=31 January 2013 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130214053730/http://www.johnstottmemorial.org/remembrance-book/ |archive-date=14 February 2013 |df=dmy-all }}</ref> [[Memorial service]]s for Stott were held at [[St Paul's Cathedral]], London; [[Holy Trinity Cathedral, Auckland|Holy Trinity Cathedral]], Auckland, New Zealand; [[St Andrew's Cathedral, Sydney]], Australia; [[College Church]], Wheaton, Illinois, United States; Anglican Network Church of the Good Shepherd, Vancouver, Canada; [[St. Paul's, Bloor Street]], Toronto, Canada; as well as in cities across Africa, Asia and Latin America.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.johnstottmemorial.org/events-updates/ |title=Events & Updates |website=John RW Stott Memorial |publisher=Langham Partnership International |access-date=31 January 2013 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110917063438/http://www.johnstottmemorial.org/events-updates/ |archive-date=17 September 2011 |df=dmy-all }}</ref> Upon his death, he was cremated, his ashes were interred at [[Dale, Pembrokeshire|Dale]] Cemetery, in [[Pembrokeshire]], Wales.<ref>{{cite web|last=Wright|first=Chris|url=http://www.virtueonline.org/wales-john-stotts-earthly-resting-place|title=John Stott's Earthly Resting Place|publisher=VirtueOnline|date=6 September 2011|access-date=26 June 2016}}</ref>{{unreliable source?|date=January 2018}}