Making Sense of the TWU Court Decision
Last Friday, June 15, the Supreme Court released a disappointing 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 Trinity Western University's proposed law school.
To help make sense of the Supreme Court’s decision, EFC President Bruce Clemenger has published a series of three short blogs. In Part One he writes: "In weighing the religious freedom of students and the statutory obligation of the LSBC, [the majority] concluded the refusal to accredit was a proportionate and a reasonable conclusion," and then goes on to explain what that means. Read the full series here.
The EFC intervened in this case with Christian Higher Education Canada (CHEC), an association of Christian higher education institutions. TWU is an affiliate of the EFC and a member of CHEC. For additional responses to the Supreme Court's decision and resources such as the EFC-CHEC intervention, visit TheEFC.ca/TWUlaw.
EFC Webinar on the TWU Decision: Join us Tomorrow
How does the Supreme Court of Canada's decision about the Trinity Western University law school impact religious freedom and the future of education in Christian schools in Canada? Join us for our webinar tomorrow, June 27 at noon EDT. Registration is free online. We invite you to send us your top questions about the TWU decision 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. Guests: Bruce J. Clemenger is president of The Evangelical Fellowship of Canada. Albertos Polizogopoulos is legal co-counsel for the EFC in this case. Justin Cooper is executive director of Christian Higher Education Canada.
End the Values Test: New Letter on Summer Jobs Program
The EFC sent a letter today to the Hon. Patty Hadju, Minister of Employment, asking her to "make a real, substantive change to the attestation" required for its Canada Summer Jobs granting program next year, "and not to merely tweak the wording or add clarification." The current attestation "amounts to a values test," a "troubling precedent" opposed by many civil liberty organizations and faith groups. Read the full letter.
Three Questions on Recent Reconciliation Meetings
Major Shari Russell is territorial Indigenous ministries consultant for the Salvation Army. She’s part of a group of EFC affiliates who are discussing how to move forward in reconciliation with Indigenous communities. We asked her to give us an update as part of our Three Questions Series of short online interviews.
Multiple Faces of India: Dispatch from Brian Stiller
"Although Christian witness has a long presence in India, what is surfacing now is the power of religious nationalism. But we should not be dismayed," cautions World Evangelical Alliance global ambassador Brian Stiller in his latest Dispatch.
Your Stories of Palliative Care: Gaye and Don Patterson
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. This week you can read about a couple in British Columbia married 56 years. Gaye Patterson writes: "I have no idea how long this palliative care journey will go, and as long as the Lord gives me grace and strength I will be okay. It is exhausting." And later: "Life is good, and God is good all the time." Read her story and others in the series at TheEFC.ca.
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.
Raising Funds Without Losing Our Souls
The Bible teaches us to rely on God for our needs, yet most Christian organizations are also heavily involved in raising their own funds. As a result, Christian fundraisers can feel both guilty and conflicted. Our writer Larry Matthews looks at two books, Love Giving Well: The Pilgrimage of Philanthropy and Keeping Faith in Fundraising which both give a new perspective to questions Christians may have about fundraising.
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.
Audio: Short term missions are good for whose soul?
The Canadian Missions Research Forum dug deep into how Canadian Christians do mission trips, and turned up some surprising finds, including who really benefits from short term trips. Listen to our latest podcast.
Publicize your event for free.
→ Youth for Christian 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 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
→ 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
→ EFC President Bruce Clemenger Responds to Supreme Court’s TWU Decision (video)
→ An Early Response from Earl Phillips of TWU Law School (EFC podcast on Soundcloud)
→ Faith Today Writers Awarded (TheWordGuild.com)
→ New Canada Summer Jobs Resources
→ Letter to All MPs on Canada Summer Jobs Attestation
→ When Big Youth Events Aren’t Advancing God’s Kingdom (Faith Today)