In these tumultuous times, public acts of hatred in Canada have risen significantly. Much of this increase was sparked from the Oct. 7 massacre of Jews by Hamas militants and the subsequent conflict between Israel and Hamas in Gaza.
Antisemitism has dramatically increased since then as well as anti-Muslim hatred. People, businesses and religious institutions have been targeted. There are also other international conflicts that have caused tensions among Canadians based on religious identity.
Hate can be disseminated in seconds, particularly through social media. Attacks on church buildings across Canada have also risen dramatically.
Will we allow suspicion and distrust to grow? Will we hide our religious beliefs from others out of fear of judgment and condemnation?
The EFC believes faith traditions can nurture civility and respect across religious differences in the face of injustices and the spectrum of grief. We can encourage dialogue and even cooperation for the public good.
The EFC has been involved in such efforts for decades, with the help of our donors and supporters. Promoting civility and dialogue among faith communities diffuses hatred and a mob mentality. It promotes peace.
One significant expression of civility is the Canadian Interfaith Conversation. The EFC is a founding member. We gather together as organizations from a variety of faith traditions for dialogue and collaboration. I serve and represent the EFC on the executive committee along with representatives of the Jewish, Muslim, Baha’i and Latter-day Saints communities, and different Christian traditions.
While we have deep differences on matters of faith and belief (which we acknowledge in a civil way), there is also much we can agree upon, including condemning hate and denouncing its expression towards individuals and religious institutions and by mutually promoting dialogue about living peaceably.
In a June press conference, this group released
Standing Together Against Hate Based on Religious Identity. The statement was signed by a number of leaders from a variety of faith communities – and more than half of the signatories were affiliates of the EFC.
“We aspire to dialogue which facilitates mutual understanding and enables people of diverse backgrounds to work together for the public good. Across our differences, we appeal to all Canadians to reject hateful rhetoric and stand together against hate,” as I said at the press conference.
The signatories of the statement committed to stand against hate, to work towards understanding, justice and peace, to reject the glorification of the perpetrators of violence, and to urge those of our own faith tradition to not allow their faith to be a cause for hatred of another.
We called on the Canadian government to support the efforts of faith groups to provide medical and humanitarian aid to victims, particularly children, of international conflict. We also asked the government to ensure faith communities had proper resources to protect their facilities in Canada,
to develop a comprehensive strategy to foster understanding about hate based on religious identity, to work with other levels of government to ensure hate crimes units are informed about hate based on religion, and to offer our assistance to hate crimes units.
The Interfaith Conversation will continue to foster dialogue between major faith traditions in Canada. We work with the federal All-Party Interfaith Caucus to promote conversations exploring the intersection of faith and public policy and host a biannual conference exploring the contribution of religious communities to the public good.
As Christians we affirm the importance of toleration and respectful dialogue to practise civility and show hospitality, particularly to those who are suffering and in need. The EFC’s participation in this group is one expression of this task.
Please join us
- Spend some time making a positive connection with your local member of Parliament, even if you disagree with them.
- Set a goal to pray for your MP daily or weekly.
- Thank your MP for serving in office.
- Visit TheEFC.ca/CivicEngagementKit for more tips on connecting with politicians and those who serve our communities.
Updating you on Canada’s most immediate issues
- Online harms bill: MPs are expected to continue debate on Bill C-63, the Online Harms Act, when Parliament resumes in the fall. While Bill C-63 addresses the ways children and youth are sexually victimized online, the EFC has serious concerns about the hate crime provisions and changes to the Canadian Human Rights Act. Learn more at TheEFC.ca/C-63.
- Update on euthanasia: A bill moving through the Senate, Bill S-248, would allow advance requests for MAiD. This bill has passed two of three Senate votes and will next be studied by a committee of senators. Advance requests set a dangerous precedent of not requiring people’s consent at the time their lives are ended. Throughout the summer, EFC staff have spoken at events to raise awareness on MAiD and collaborated with other organizations on initiatives to support the sanctity of life and to support people in vulnerable situations.
- Supreme Court intervention: The EFC and the Association for Reformed Political Action were granted cointervener status before the Supreme Court in a case called R. v. Kloubakov. Two men who worked for a Quebec-based escort agency run by convicted traffickers were convicted of financially benefiting from prostitution and procuring women into the sex trade. Our joint intervention has submitted legal arguments in support of Canada’s prostitution laws.
- Protecting Canadians from sexually explicit material: As Parliament resumes this fall, the EFC will be supporting two bills that seek to protect Canadians, particularly youth, from the harms of sexually explicit material online. Bill S-210 and Bill C-270 would require pornography platforms to prevent minors from accessing pornography and to verify the age and consent of those depicted in sexually explicit images before they are uploaded. See TheEFC.ca/S-210 and TheEFC.ca/C-270.
- Advocacy on prostitution: The EFC, the World Evangelical Alliance, and the Salvation Army delivered a video statement to the UN Human Rights Council. They affirmed the report on prostitution by the Special Rapporteur on violence against women and girls. The Christian organizations are urging countries, including Canada, to recognize prostitution as a system of violence and exploitation that harms women and girls. See TheEFC.ca/UNprostitution.
EFC resources available for you
Small groups, churches and organizations are using EFC booklets to inform, prompt discussion and reflection, and consider practical responses to key issues. We’re hearing encouraging stories how these booklets are being used in ministries across Canada.
Bryan Gillmore, staff at Karis Disability Services (formerly Christian Horizons), just ordered 300 copies of the
Life Together booklet (also available in French) to distribute at leadership conferences this summer. He says
, “Life Together: Disability and Belonging in the Church is a resource every Christian leader must read. The content and conversations explored provide real practical tools for Canadian Churches in becoming communities of belonging. The Canadian Church cannot be the full living Body of Christ unless all people belong and are actively participating. This resource is a practical tool to help the church live the gospel well.”
At a workshop for the parents of junior and senior students on the dangers of pornography, Pastor Leon Johnston gave out copies of the
How Pornography Harms booklet (only available in English). He says, “Your booklet served us well, as it deals with the dangers of pornography from a variety of angles. Furthermore, it refers you to other resources for exploration. I highly recommend it to Canadian local churches.”
EFC donors enable this good work, which helps individuals, churches and ministries across Canada. You can order or download free resources at TheEFC.ca/Documents. If you have used them, or have suggestions for other topics or booklets that should be translated, our team would love to hear from you at efc@TheEFC.ca.