Faith & Public Life

The beginning of a new year brings many questions. Still, we are energized by the potential of what lies ahead, spurred on by the focus of a new strategic plan, and strengthened by the support of longstanding and new members alike.

God has called us, redeemed us, and transformed us to be agents of change. “For we are what he has made us, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand to be our way of life” (Ephesians 2:10). We will therefore offer a faithful response to God’s call for love, justice and stewardship. Read more »

The hope of Christmas extends beyond our homes and workplaces and into all aspects of our world. The good news Christ ushered in nearly two thousand years ago is a message of hope. Christmas is not simply that Christ has come, but that in that small baby lying humbly in a manger, we can hope. Despite all that is falling apart in our lives, our communities, and the world around us, we can hope for something different. Read more »

Once upon a time there was a man named Boaz. You may have heard of him. Boaz lived in ancient Israel at the time of the judges. It was a time of increasing violence against women, tribal warfare and increasing economic hardship, for there had been a famine in the land.

As a result, it was also a time of poverty. There were women who had been widowed; there were men who had been injured too much to work; and there were refugees coming to the land. Read more »

As a youngster growing up in Saint John and being Catholic it was customary, even when the schools were closed because of snow, to go to Mass every morning during Lent.

I recently found myself again praying at noon during the month of March, this time in front of the Ontario Legislature. The Ontario budget was coming down at the end of March, and we stood there in prayer, theological reflection and vigil, advocating that poverty reduction be a major way to stimulate the economy in these recessionary times. It was a Lenten moment for me. Read more »

How and why does poverty happen? Who is experiencing poverty in Canada? How are communities and institutions addressing poverty? What further action must be taken?

These are some of the questions that CPJ staff members Chandra Pasma, Karri Munn-Venn and Mariel Angus will be reflecting on next week when they attend the Canadian Social Forum. Read more »

Cabinet minister Gary Goodyear recently made headlines for refusing to state his beliefs on evolution. The response highlighted the uncertainty with which many Canadians approach the topic of faith and politics. Some Canadians believe that faith has no place in politics; others believe that politics is a power struggle in which people of religion must seek to impose their religious values on others. These are both problematic propositions. Faith cannot be separated from politics, but people of all faiths have a responsibility to engage in respectful, dialogue-based politics that practice public justice and seek the common good. Read more »

“Human dignity is a right to be protected and promoted.” People of many persuasions and perspectives in society would likely agree with this statement; and Christians in particular would nearly unanimously affirm that this is among the first principles of their faith.

While we might readily agree on the priority of human dignity in principle, putting principle into practice is a continuing challenge. Let me offer here a brief reflection on resources from Jewish and Christian biblical traditions that might help with the challenge of putting belief into action. Read more »

Poverty is an unnecessary injustice, for God created a world with abundant resources to use for sustaining healthy and dignified lives. The cause of poverty does not lie in the availability of resources and capital, but in the scarcity of practices such as stewardship and neighbourly love. Read more »