News From
Atheist Ads Prompt Faith Discussion
The planned bus advertising cam- The ministry and its founder, David
paign addressed by Bruce J. Clem- Harrison, were profiled in Faith Today
enger, president of the EFC, in last in Jul/Aug 2008.
issue’s Faith Today editorial continued Alpha Canada, another EFC affili-to garner public attention this spring. ate, issued a news release welcoming
The Freethought Association of Can- the advertising as a way of encourag-ada announced in mid-January it was ing public discussion.
raising funds to sponsor ads similar to The EFC’s Don Hutchinson ad-those that appeared recently on the sides dressed the issue at length on Talk Ot-
of buses in London, England and Wash- tawa. Watch the video at www.evangel
ington, D.C. The ads say: “THERE’S icalfellowship.ca/issues.
PROBABLY NO GOD. NOW STOP
WORRYING AND ENJOY YOUR COURTS AND GOVERNMENT
LIFE.” Human Cloning at Supreme Court
Christian groups that have been The EFC contributed a 10-page legal
advertising on buses and billboards for argument to the Supreme Court of Can-many years welcomed the possibility. ada in a major reproductive technolo-
Bus Stop Bible Studies is a Scar- gies case. The EFC supports the need
borough, Ont., ministry affiliated with for federal regulation of assisted human
the EFC. It has 600 ads in play, mainly reproduction technologies and related
inside public transit buses. Each ad in- experimentation, contrary to the chal-cludes a quote from the Good News lenge by the Government of Quebec
Bible, followed by several thought- that each province should set its own
provoking questions. rules. The case was set for April 24.
Trafficking Issue Heats Up
The EFC has publicly endorsed a private
member’s bill introduced by MP Joy
Smith. Bill C-268 proposes mandatory
minimum sentences for trafficking children (under age 18). The EFC released a
report in April that reviews connections
between human trafficking and major
international events. It recommends action governments can take to prepare for
the 2010 Vancouver Olympic Games
and beyond. It’s available at www.evan-
gelicalfellowship.ca/issues.
COMING EVENTS
details at www.evangelicalfellowship.ca/events or call 1-866-302-3362
• Celebration 2009. plan a local event expressing the love of Jesus in a visible way between
May 31 and June 14, 2009, at the same time as many other Christians across Canada. order
the free promo dvd That They May See Jesus for outreach ideas and related inspirational
teaching at 1-866-302-3362 (local 905-479-5885) ext. 236.
• Global Day of Prayer, Pentecost, May 31. This event, one of many ways to celebrate
pentecost, drew millions of participants in 214 nations last year. all Canadian municipalities
holding gdop events are listed at www.gdopcanada.com. gdop, which began in south
africa in 2001, encourages groups to observe 10 days of preparation prayer before pentecost
and 90 “days of blessing,” including community service projects, afterwards.
• A World Vision spring forum, The Face of Poverty in Canada, is well underway. Church
leaders in hamilton, vancouver and Calgary have already come together to learn about
and discuss critical issues concerning local poverty. dates for May and June include halifax,
Montreal, winnipeg and Toronto.
• Canadian National House Church Conference. keynote speaker frank viola addresses
the dream of organic Christianity. viola is author of Pagan Christianity, Reimagining Church
and other books. June 26-27, newmarket, ont. visit www.starfishnetworkconference.org.
• EFC Christian Leaders Connection. new season of one-day leadership seminars on current Canadian trends, legislation and events that affect local congregations. presenters
include efC president bruce J. Clemenger on the theme “being evangelical in a Complex
world: stats, facts and Trends.” visit the website for fall dates in Manitoba, ontario and
british Columbia.
Evangelicals Fit for Government?
A variety of groups made public objections to the recent appointment of
Douglas Cryer, the EFC’s former director of public policy, to Canada’s Immigration Review Board (IRB). In light of
Cryer’s earlier advocacy work, several
pro-homosexual individuals in particular worried aloud whether Cryer would
be able to offer fair and reasoned assessment of homosexual applicants.
The EFC’s Don Hutchinson addressed the issue recently in a column at www.christianity.ca. “Would
an atheist be a better adjudicator of
Christian applicants?” asked Hutchinson. “The IRB is composed of people
of many cultures and faiths, including
Christians who by reason of the basic
tenets of the Christian faith are inclined
to respect the opinions of others and
care for their needs.”
Hutchinson’s column also pointed
out that criticizing politicians because
of their religious affiliation, as recently
occurred with Gary Goodyear, the federal minister of science and technology,
is unhelpful and inappropriate. “There
are Christians on all sides of Parliament. Christians have served as cabinet
ministers and as prime ministers. Christian service has added, and still adds,
important value to public policy debate
and development,” writes Hutchinson,
who is an EFC vice-president and director of the EFC Centre for Faith and
Public Life.
