The Evangelical Fellowship of Canada (EFC) Launches the Centre for Research on Canadian Evangelicalism (CRCE)
The Centre for Research on Canadian Evangelicalism (CRCE) was launched in July 2007. The Centre was formed to improve public and scholarly representations of Canadian Evangelicals, to foster and carry out research, and to provide ministry leaders with information that will help them in their work. The CRCE also functions as a clearing house for research on Canadian Evangelicalism.
The establishment of the CRCE was made possible through a generous donation from Bridgeway Foundation. John G. Stackhouse, Jr. was appointed Senior Advisor in August 2007, and Rick Hiemstra was brought on as the Centre’s Program Manager.
Trinity Western University Launches the Religion in Canada Institute (RCI)
In the spring of 2007, Trinity Western University (TWU) launched the Religion in Canada Institute (RCI). The RCI is a TWU-based interdisciplinary research centre and intellectual community of scholars committed to understanding the multifaceted role of religion in Canada for culture, individuals, and social institutions. RCI members have a wide range of research interests including Evangelicalism, Pentecostalism, spirituality and health, and politics and religion. TWU is hosting its second Religion, Culture, and Conflict Symposium on “Politics and the Religious Imagination” from March 12 to 15, 2008.
Advisory Council to Meet in November
The Centre for Research on Canadian Evangelicalism (CRCE) Advisory Council meets on November 2 and 3, 2007, in Toronto to set research priorities for the coming year. John Stackhouse as the Senior Advisor for the CRCE, will chair the CRCE Advisory Council.
Centre for Research on Canadian Evangelicalism Hosts Researchers Consultation
On June 18 and 19, 2007, the Centre for Research on Canadian Evangelicalism brought together more than 30 researchers and ministry leaders in Toronto. Researchers helped identify what research on Canadian Evangelicalism is currently underway and where there are research needs. Participants also gave advice on how to establish a research centre.
Wilfrid Laurier Professor Looks at Evangelicals in the National Television News
David Haskell, assistant professor of journalism at Wilfrid Laurier University, published an article titled, "Evangelical Christians in Canadian National Television News, 1994-2004: A Frame Analysis,” in the Journal of Communication and Religion (March 2007). While overall media coverage was found to be balanced, Haskell did find that some negative messages, or frames, were repeated more frequently, giving them a greater influence over viewers’ perceptions.
Website Opens Window on Evangelicalism in Canada
The CRCE website has links to helpful lists of books, articles, and thesis papers that deal with some aspects of Canadian Evangelicalism. There are also links to journals and organizations that carry out research on Canadian Evangelicals, and to Statistics Canada resources on religion in Canada. To learn about Canadian Evangelicalism as a movement, check out the Centre’s list of Recommended Books.
Campagnola Completes Children's Ministry and the Missional Church Project
A research project has been completed for the Centre for Research on Canadian Evangelicalism by Shelley Campagnola, chair of the Children’s Ministry Partnership, which operates on the EFC Ministry Partnerships platform. The report, titled “Come to the Table: The Missional Church in Canada,” deals with the relation of children’s ministry to the “Missional Church.”