Evangelical Christians in Canada are finding opportunity to work collaboratively with people from other Christian traditions and with those from non-Christian faith traditions as well. Such collaboration often shows up in coalitions around social issues, such as euthanasia and palliative care.
Going back to the late 1980s Roman Catholics have been frequent partners for Evangelicals, especially around sanctity of human life issues (abortion, reproductive technologies, euthanasia). In 2011 the EFC established the Roman Catholic-Evangelical Dialogue, together with the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops. The Dialogue members meet two times per year to pray together, study doctrinal similarities and differences, and plan events that draw more people into the conversation.
The EFC also participates in the Canadian Interfaith Conversation, which was established in 2012 to provide a forum for people from various faith traditions who believe that religious communities play a positive role in Canadian society and need the freedom to do so. Conversation between people of faith – and also with those who claim no religious allegiance – is essential to advocating for religion in Canadian public life.
Canadian Interfaith Conversation: The EFC is an active partner in a series of interfaith conferences called Our Whole Society.
The EFC is part of a group called the
Roman Catholic-Evangelical Dialogue formed in 2011. The dialogue with the Canadian Council of Catholic Bishops has led to the development of several resources available in both English and
en français:
Our Roman Catholic Neighbours (2019) and
Our Evangelical Neighbours (2016). and
We Are Neighbours: Catholics and Evangelicals in Canada (2021).
The EFC worked with the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops to develop a
statement on euthanasia and assisted suicide that was signed by leaders of over 30 Christian denominations and over 20 Jewish and Muslim leaders, and released in October 2015.
The
Canadian Interfaith Conversation’s website contains
statements made by the Conversation on religious freedom, as well as a variety of links to materials on interfaith dialogue. Note that the EFC does not endorse all statements made by other participants in the Conversation.
Aileen van Ginkel, a former EFC vice-president, talks about working in an interfaith context in a
2016 video on her work with the Canadian Interfaith Conversation. Two evangelical participants of the Roman Catholic-Evangelical Dialogue (David Freeman and Aileen van Ginkel) talk about their work in a
videorecording made by Salt + Light Television in 2016.
Saskatoon was the location for a gathering in 2015 of the
international dialogue established by the
World Evangelical Alliance and the Vatican’s Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity.
A dialogue between the Roman Catholic Diocese of Saskatoon and the Saskatoon Evangelical Ministers’ Fellowship produced a study document in 2015 entitled
Called to Common Witness.
Pray:
- for greater understanding about the differences and similarities that evangelical Christians hold with people of other Christian traditions
- for ways of engaging in interfaith dialogue that allow evangelical Christians to maintain their identity and at the same time join with others to contribute to the common good of all people
Participate in interchurch and interfaith conversation:
- Find out if interchurch and/or interfaith dialogues have been established in your community, and join in the conversation.
- If such dialogues do not yet exist, you may benefit from consulting with the leaders of dialogues already in place – email efc@TheEFC.ca for more information.