Decrease font sizeReset font sizeIncrease font size

Faith & Public Life

Faith commitments – each person’s deepest commitments, whether formally religious in nature or not – shape how each person interacts with our neighbours, our institutions, and our environment. CPJ is convinced that Canada needs to engage in serious reflection on core values and faith perspectives and their implications for our public life together – the common good. Without such a debate, the public sphere will continue to be a place for individuals or groups to advance only their own particular interests rather than come to meaningful consensus on how to address important public issues.

One of the key components of a person’s and a community’s identity is the deepest convictions they hold which shape their private, but also their public life. Faith shapes the most basic questions of identity: Who am I? How did I get here? What is wrong in the world? How can it be fixed? The faith perspectives of Canadians, whether Aboriginal, Muslim, Jew, Christian, Hindu, Sikh or Humanist, shape how they participate as citizens in building and shaping a cohesive and inclusive Canadian society.

Some have argued that people must deny their religion, ethnicity, and culture to participate fully in Canadian life. Some have a deep distrust of religion and a tendency to regard public life as distinctly secular – having no room for faith perspectives. CPJ believes that differing faith convictions should be acknowledged as key elements of how individuals and communities can best contribute to the common good. Learning how to do that in a multi-cultural and multi-faith society is crucial to the common good.

Faith and Politics

For CPJ, our faith calls us beyond apathy or powerlessness. It calls us to a faith that opens us to our common humanity, our calling to love God by loving our neighbour also in our political life together.

So together, we have donned the perspective of public justice. It is a vision which helps us not to be lured into false dichotomies, or black and white positions when they are not necessary. We see the need for healing steps to be taken. Real people are suffering real hardships that concrete policies and prophetic vision can alleviate. That’s the call of public justice, the calling from God for government, government which Romans 13 says is “for our good.” Justice for all – an economy of care – the joining together of all circles of society for the well-being of all and for the common good – that is public justice.

Groundings

Our work is grounded in God’s call to do justice, love our neighbours and be stewards of creation. In this section you will find reflections on this biblical call and what our faithful response can be.

Looking beyond the numbers

Senior ladiesThe federal government's announcement last week of possible reforms to the retirement income system highlights the fact that financial decisions are never just that. We must consider the social implications behind the numbers and how they reflect our values as a nation. The 2012 federal budget will soon be tabled, and Canadians have the opportunity to make their voice heard. Read more »

Faithfully living God's call: a look back at 2011

Parliament HillFor nearly 50 years now, CPJ has been bearing witness to God's call for love, justice and stewardship in the Canadian public sphere. Together, we have diligently worked for public justice and the common good. In this feature, we look back and celebrate what we accomplished in 2011. Read more »

The Deal in Durban

Youth for Eco-Justice at a demonstration in Durban - photo courtesy of World Council of ChurchesDuring the COP17 talks on climate change in Durban, South Africa, Canada would only say that it was not prepared to commit to a second commitment period within the Kyoto Protocol. Our negotiators said that they had no reason to believe that Canada was preparing to withdraw entirely from Kyoto. Then, as soon as the delegation arrived home, Canada announced its withdrawal from the Kyoto Protocol. So were there any signs of hope in the UN process in Durban, and is there any chance for environmental objectives to be meaningfully advanced as a result? Read more »

A Discourse of Disrespect Lessens Us All

 WikipediaMany leaders of faith communities see climate change as a moral issue. Global warming affects major questions such as humanity’s relationship with nature and each other, solidarity with the poor, and the possibilities for future generations. So when media outlets suggest that faith leaders who challenge certain policies should “shut their trap,” rather than debating the content of the moral message, the public discourse is diminished. Read more »

Faith’s Role in Addressing Climate Change

Globe/burning candleThis week, a two-day event was held in Ottawa, where, for the first time, faith leaders met to address the growing crises caused by climate change. Leaders from faith, political and environmental communities discussed the recently created Canadian Interfaith Call for Leadership and Action on Climate Change. This event was organized by a collaborative interfaith committee on climate justice, including Citizens for Public Justice, The Commission of Justice and Peace of the Canadian Council of Churches, Faith and the Common Good, The Hill Times and Embassy Magazine. Read more »

Canadian Interfaith Call for Leadership and Action on Climate Change

Call to Action on Climate Change. Read more »

Gerald: Accomplishments

Gerald being invested as Member of the Order of Canada by Governor General Adrienne ClarksonIf, as Martin Luther King Jr. wrote, the ultimate measure of a man is where he stands at times of challenge and controversy, Gerald Vandezande was truly an exceptional man. Gerry, as he liked to be known, never backed down from a challenge when it came to the causes he believed in. During his career as a public policy analyst and social justice advocate, Gerry took to his public justice pulpit to speak on a number of different issues affecting Canadian society. These issues included everything from aboriginal rights, economic development and educational equality to poverty and refugee rights. Read more »

Gerald Vandezande - public justice advocate

Gerald shares his view of public justice with Citizens for Public Justice. Read more »

Bob Goudzwaard: Living Faithfully in a Rapidly Changing World

Where is our world heading? What is a Christian response to this direction? Is hope possible in these seemingly dark times?

These are all questions that Bob Goudzwaard, a long-time friend of CPJ explored on Thursday, May 12 following CPJ’s Annual General Meeting in Toronto. We give you the highlights of his talk and those of the response by Toronto City Councillor Joe Mihevc. Read more »

Election 2011: The Way Forward

Heading into Election 2011, nobody could have predicted the vastly different political landscape that Canadians would wake to on Tuesday morning. Some were jubilant and others deflated. There was the historic rise of the NDP and the election of the first ever Green MP, the demise of the Liberal Party, and of course, Stephen Harper’s previously elusive majority government.

While it will be some time before we know for certain how this new government will play out, it is clear that things have changed and we are now working within a new context. However, one important factor has not changed: CPJ’s commitment to offer our faithful response to God’s call for love, justice and stewardship. Read more »

XML feed