Advocacy

“17.2 million people leaving their homes because of climate disasters is not a change.” This was a sign I saw as I first stepped off the metro in Madrid, Spain in early December. I had just arrived for the COP25 (Conference of the Parties), the global climate negotiations conference hosted by the United Nations. As I walked out of the metro to the conference center, more signs lined the hallway with startling statistics, many of which I had heard before. However, in the week ahead these statistics would become real people with real stories. 

Not too long ago, I was in a Christian Climate Observers Program (CCOP) leadership meeting discussing and making plans for COP25 which concluded last month. During the course of this planning meeting, our team wrestled with the idea of what ‘role’ as well as the scope of engagement our CCOP delegates would have with other civil society groups present at COP25. 

In 2018 National Post columnist Kelly MacPharland wrote an opinion piece criticising Environment Minister Cathernie McKenna and what he called the Liberal party’s “faith in their moral infallibility”. Building on this during the 2019 election campaign, Andrew Scheer took issue with Justin Trudeau’s use of campaign jets and accused him of hypocrisy.

I recently attended a lecture at Redeemer University College, Albert Mohler discussed ‘Living Conviction in an Age of Unbelief.’ And he gave us his airplane questions. You know, the questions that Christians like to ask their seatmates when conversations turn deep. I would think there’s no way of avoiding these questions when you’re the president of a seminary. Mohler’s questions are, “What are you living for?” and “How is it working for you?” The questions seem particularly relevant as I sit in an airport waiting for a delayed flight. 

The Canadian government has given citizens two weeks to provide feedback on proposed legislative changes to Medical Assistance in Dying. We spoke with chaplain Tim De Jonge about his experience on the front lines of this issue. He helps break down what’s happening and how we should respond.  

As we embark into this new year, the new journey, the new decade it is with a sense of urgency that the people of God are awakened. In our world today we there are wars and rumors of wars, calamities happening across the land; Australian fires, earthquakes, floods, and the likes. Hatred and bigotry spewing like never before; children and adults locked in cages bound by walls, young black women being kidnapped by the droves, with no explanation as to where they have gone, sex and human trafficking at an all-time high, and what is our response?

Many years ago, the Rev. M.P. Bill Blaikie  explained to Church leaders that it’s important for people of faith to show up in legislatures as often as the Canadian Fire Fighters Association does - every year, like clockwork! , Blaikie’s point was and remains straightforward: relationships and regular presence create opportunities to bring constructive ideas to our leaders that become our faithful contribution to the journey of justice.  Relationships and presence are core to what I call a theology of advocacy.

Thank you for joining us this year on Do Justice.  It is our hope and prayer that these articles blessed you and moved you to new action.  Enjoy this look at the top Do Justice articles written in 2019 (ranked by top pageviews).  

As reformed believers the staff at the Office of Social Justice and Centre for Public Dialogue understand that we live and work to the glory of God.  This past year has continued to demand much of our hearts, minds, bodies, and souls as we seek to live in light of that. So as we place the labour of 2019 in God’s hands and turn the page towards 2020 we’ve taken a moment to reflect on our lives, learning and work in 2019 and appreciate how we’ve learned and grown over the past year.  Enjoy!  

Elderly women from a near-by senior low-income housing building sat at the back of our church foyer, bending over boxes overflowing with apples, carrots, and onions. They unrolled plastic produce bags, rubbed the top edges to open them, and filled them with fresh produce. They talked and laughed as they worked. “Come on over,” one of them called, “You need to meet someone we invited to join us today.” The ladies were getting ready for the monthly food pantry at our church and had asked someone new to help.