EFC and CHEC Disappointed with Supreme Court TWU Decision
Last Friday, June 15, the Supreme Court released its decision in the Trinity Western University case. In a complex split ruling, a majority of the Supreme Court upheld the decision of the law societies of BC and Ontario not to approve TWU's proposed law school. Although the justices acknowledged that the Court's decision infringes upon Charter-protected religious freedoms, the majority decision ruled that restriction was reasonable given the mandate of law societies in serving the public interest and providing open access to legal education. A core issue was TWU's community covenant that all students are required to sign and that included the restriction of sexual intimacy to married heterosexual couples.
"This is a sad day," said EFC President Bruce J. Clemenger in a video recorded after the decision’s release. “In a society of deep pluralism, there must be room for a Christian university to remain faithful to its purposes and contribute to the public good." Bruce will share his further thoughts on the decision in a three-part series, with Part One expected online later tomorrow.
The EFC intervened in this case with Christian Higher Education Canada, an association of Christian higher education institutions. TWU is an affiliate of the EFC and a member of CHEC. For additional resources on the EFC-CHEC intervention, visit www.theEFC.ca/TWUlaw.
The EFC will continue to examine the 250+ page decision of the Court and work with its partners to decide on a strategy in the months to come. Please pray for TWU, CHEC and EFC staff as we process the decision.
EFC Webinar on the TWU Decision
How does the Supreme Court of Canada's decision about the proposed law school at Trinity Western University impact religious freedom and the future of education in Christian schools in Canada? Join us for our webinar on Wednesday, June 27 at noon EDT. Registration is free online. We invite you to send us your top questions that you would like us to address in the webinar. Our expert guests will share their thoughts, and then we will field your questions live. Webinar Guests: Bruce J. Clemenger (President, The Evangelical Fellowship of Canada); Albertos Polizogopoulos (Legal Co-Counsel for the EFC); Justin Cooper (Executive Director of Christian Higher Education Canada).
Faith Today Writers Awarded
A variety of Canadian Christian writers won awards from The Word Guild, a national writers’ association, on June 15. The Debra Fieguth Award for writing on social justice, named after a former Faith Today senior writer, went to Faith Today senior editor Karen Stiller.
The award for an up-and-coming journalist, named after veteran journalists Bob Harvey and Lloyd Mackey, went to Craig Macartney, a regular Faith Today writer.
Winning articles that appeared in Faith Today include work by Carolyn Arends, Craig Macartney, Karen Stiller and Sheila Wray Gregoire, as well as book excerpts by Preston Manning and Preston Pouteaux. Love Is Moving student author Carly Ververs also won an award.
Read a complete list of winners at www.TheWordGuild.com/Media and see photos from the event online.
Audio Podcast: An Early Response from Earl Phillips of TWU Law School
Earl Phillips, director of TWU’s proposed law school, shared his response on our audio podcast immediately after the decision: “Right now we know that diversity in Canada is not so broad as to allow for a law school at a Christian university that holds to traditional Christian values…. That is something we are going to have to sort out for ourselves, what that means for us. But we don't think it affects the mission that Trinity Western has.”
You can listen to individual episodes of The EFC Podcast (or subscribe to download each new episode automatically) at Google Play, iTunes, SoundCloud, and RSS (Feedburner). Check out our full list of recent episodes.
Your Stories of Palliative Care
Have you witnessed the difference palliative care made for a loved one? Along with our new Palliative Care Toolkit, the EFC is publishing a series of personal experience stories of palliative care. Do you have an experience with palliative care that you’d be willing to share? Email us to tell us about it. To say thank you, we’ll give you a free one-year subscription to Faith Today, Canada’s Christian magazine. We’re also publishing the Stories of Palliative Care on the Faith Today blog.
When Big Youth Events Aren’t Advancing God’s Kingdom
James Clarence of First Assembly Church in Calgary shares how Calgary churches shifted their focus from their individual youth programs, banding together to make a difference. They founded the 403 Network, which has launched 37 student-led Youth Alpha programs in schools and opened the door for hundreds of students to join the conversation about faith.
This article is free online in the latest Faith Today, but you can also support us and receive our print magazine by subscribing at FaithToday.ca/subscription. You can also read a version of this article in Love Is Moving, the EFC’s magazine for youth and young adults.
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→ Science & Christianity as Cultural Authorities, Amherst, June 20; Halifax, June 23
→ Our Heart, God’s Home Retreat, St. Albert, June 21-23
→ You Lead: Equipping Every Woman’s Passion & Purpose, Calgary, June 21-22
→ WICC 100: Pursuit of Justice, Toronto, June 22
→ Living Proof Live with Beth Moore, Calgary, June 22-23
→ WICC 100th Anniversary Celebration, Toronto, June 23
→ World Refugee Sunday, worldwide, June 24
→ Youth for Christ 2018 National Ministry Conference, Princeton, June 27-July 1
→ The Revival / Prayer & Fast Meetings, Hope, B.C., July 2-6
→ Pentecostal Missionary Church of Christ 4th Watch 25 Years & More, Toronto, July 8
→ Crystal Lewis Live in Concert, Toronto, July 8
→ Canada’s Gospel Music Celebration, Red Deer, July 12-14
→ BC Christian Ashram, Langley, July 13-15
→ Understanding and Answering Summit, Toronto, July 18-21
→ Canada Mission Trip, Brantford, July 15-22
→ Festival of Faith Conference by the United Church of Canada, Oshawa, July 21-22
→ Taste of Jesus in the City of Toronto, Toronto, July 21-22
→ He Is Not Afraid (Stories of Palliative Care)
In Case You Missed It
→ Supreme Court Decision Affirms Churches' Religious Freedom in ‘Wall’ case
→ New Canada Summer Jobs Resources
→ Letter to All MPs on Canada Summer Jobs Attestation
→ Worship Resources for World Refugee Sunday
→ Three Questions on Summer Grant Announcements for 2018
→ Finishing High School, But Dropping Out of Faith?
→ Faith Today at a Store Near You?