The ymca and globalisation of pysical education

Conclusion

In general, the impact of the adoption of Four-fold Programme and emphasis on social issues has widened the mission view of the YMCA from traditional evangelism to general welfare concerns. While traditional Evangelicalism emphasised evangelism, Bible classes and Christian charity, the Four-fold Programme expanded charity to mean the well being of the whole man, and the Social Gospel expanded it to be the welfare of the whole society. At the same time, the focus changed from reactive charity to prevention of the need of charity by teaching hygiene, giving education and advocating a healthy lifestyle. Although the core of physical education was in gymnastics and sports, it also included the whole range of human physical well being. With the Four-fold Programme, the YMCA aimed to sacralise the secular.

When the idea of the Red Triangle was legitimated, it had similar consequences to those which are known from the missionary fields. If proclaiming the Gospel is impossible, it can be put aside because other fields of activities compensate for the lack of preaching (like missionary hospitals in countries that do not permit religious preaching).

In making physical education as part of the primary mission, the YMCA emphasised the first paragraph of the Christian Creed: human's body was a creation of God and not just a dwelling place of sin. This thinking changed the idea of God's kingdom from transcendent to immanent and sacralised the earthly hobbies and duties. Extending God's kingdom became to mean implementing justice and peace in the world and nurturing balanced citizens who could take care of their societies.

The idea of the fourfold programme was extended to other countries by two principal activities of the North American YMCA. First, the American World Service implanted American-type associations round the world. In this task, physical education was both a goal of itself and an advertisement of the YMCA. Especially, when other types of activities were difficult to implement, the focus on physical education gave the YMCA missionaries a feeling that they did their proper work.

Another major channel for the expansion of YMCA physical education was the work for the victims of war, soldiers, prisoners of war and refugees. For soldiers, YMCA program was both physical training and a secluded niche from the military environment. It is worth to remember that some 90% of the British and American military canteens were run by the YMCA in the WW I. In the WW II, the American YMCA joined with several other organisations and formed the United Service organisation (USO). From this on, the military canteen work started to live a life of its own.

Work for prisoners of war and for refugees grew out of the military canteen work. In both, the sports activities were an important method to keep the apathy away.

I would like to end with a story that I heard some 20 years ago. The world Alliance of YMCAs run a refugee-camp in Traiskirchen, Austria. Most of its taff were volunteers. There was also a young Scottish teacher who had decided to spend his sabbatical year in the camp. He was given the responsibility of the boys recreational activities in the centre. Mostly it was playing table-tennis with boys and the guy became frustrated thinking that he could have played ping-pong in Scotland as well. Until, when one mother came to him, thanked him and said that the surrounding of the table-tennis board has been the only place where she had seen her son smiling.

Appendix A: The Paris Basis 1855

This fundamental principle being admitted, the Conference further proposes:

0. 
   That any differences of opinion on other subjects, however important in themselves, but not embraced by the specific designs of the Associations, shall not interfere with the harmonious relations of the confederated Societies.
   
1. 
   That a travelling certificate of membership be designed, by which members of the confederated Societies shall be entitled to the privileges of any other Society belonging to this Confederation, and to the personal attentions of all its members.