Why are the major Canadian faith groups offering silence on the one thing that everybody in Canada is talking about?
Silence on a Major Issue
One of the biggest issues facing Canadians today is the pivot of our southern neighbour. You’ll hear about the issue on the federal election campaign trail. It’s in every media stream. People are anxious about tariffs. Could the US annex Canada? The 51st State? Really? People are uncertain about their future. Is it safe for a Canadian to travel to the US?
There’s one place you won’t find any talk of it.
John Longhurst fills a unique role as a newspaper Winnipeg columnist. More on that in a moment. John told CBC Manitoba, “Politicians, celebrities, sports figures, you name it, it (annexation) was on the minds of every Canadian but when I went to the major faith group websites I could find zero. It’s like they didn’t even acknowledge it was happening.” That’s ironic because faith groups often bemoan the lack of objective coverage by the media on faith in Canada. Here was an opportunity for faith groups to weigh in on a vital subject and there were only crickets. Why?
The threat to Canadians is real. An ongoing shift would create lasting trauma. to not only our way of life but our souls. Faith has always been a source of solace in times of crisis. The moment we are in goes beyond partisan politics or political solutions.
Jocelyn and I are praying for you. We repeat to ourselves that God is soverign. God is good. Good wins.
If I’ve learned anything from the COVID pandemic or being in war torn Ukraine, it is resilience arises out of purpose. Security is formed around clarity. It is clear that God answers prayer and that he ultimately brings about good.
There’s a lesson for us of sincere faith and innovation in John’s story.
John Longhurst
John’s story is rare in Canada.
He is the only religion columnist for a major Canadian newspaper. Not too long ago, major newspapers employed writers and editors for their Saturday religion page. When I started in ministry 45 years ago, I wrote columns for our local paper in Essex, Ontario. And editors for the Montreal Gazette and Edmonton Journal not only accepted and published my articles but they solicited me to write on certain topics. But that hasn’t been the case for over a decade. Budget cuts. But John found a way around that.
He told the Winnipeg Free Press that he would raise his own expenses if they would let him publish articles about faith. When they agreed, John rallied 30 different faith groups and crowdfunded over 200 people in Winnipeg and went to town. Since then, he wrote over 800 faith stories and 250+ columns.
John has received numerous awards including the Distinguished Contribution to Religious Communications, the Manitoba Lieutenant Governor’s Award for the Advancement of Interreligious and he was appointed to the Order of Canada for his interfaith reporting. He recently joined CBC Radio in Manitoba.
Who will rise up and find a way forward for Canadians in this era?
How are you responding? How are you feeling? What do you think? Please join the conversation and post a comment below. Thank you.
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Could it be that Christian writers are hesitant to speak because of the tension around politics, as in being labelled… right, left, liberal, conservative, moderate, socialist, etc. The electorate is polarized and online discussions often become angry. What should be a debate becomes an outright argument. There is a widespread belief that Christians should vote for a certain party.
That widespread belief is off the mark, isn’t it. Favouring a party because they favour the Church is not supported by Scripture or in history. It’s not working well in the US. Tariffs are non-partisan. Angst is real. God is a source of help in times of trouble. That is good news and a light in darkening times.