John Stott

===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>