Notes From Day Seven: Religion and Canadian politics
People often say that religion and politics
don't mix. When they do, there is often a
comment about the "separation of church
and state." Or if the speaker has a knack for
history, there might be a statement or two
about the Wars of Religion that made
Europe a less-than-five-star tourist attraction
for some decades.
To be accurate, we should remember that the "separation of church and state" is an American mantra that here, a few kilometres north of Washington, we seem to have picked up by osmosis or from American media — one of the two, anyway. And the religion people have in mind in the "separation" as well as in the Wars of Religion is not just any religion. It's Christianity.
As I consider what Canada has become, though, it seems to me that it is not possible to imagine the country without the traditions specific churches have brought. Consider the tradition of Presbyterian orderliness, the social justice currents of the Catholic Church (probably three-quarters of the past members of the Liberal Party were Catholic) and the values of community and inclusion one sees expressed in the United Church of Canada.
Nevertheless, as with our friends south of Windsor and west of Port Huron, Canadians don't go in for political parties being aligned with churches. Ditto for mosques, synagogues, temples and sweat lodges. And most Canadians have no patience with wars fought in the name of any religion.
Having said that, Canadian politics, and education too, have a long history of personalities who were inspired by their Christian religious views to lead the way they did. Most of the universities in this fair land were started by Christian ministers. Look up, for example, the roots of the University of Western Ontario. Or consider the person credited with founding Canadian health care and the NDP. He is none other than a Baptist church Minister, Tommy Douglas.
Christianity has, in fact, generated quite a number of people who, here in Canada, have been able to avoid mixing the institutions of church and nation while at the same time figuring out how to integrate their Christian faith with their political life.
Roman Catholic Paul Martin, past Prime Minister of Canada, became well known for his attempts to define how his faith and politics relate. He acknowledged that in some areas, homosexual rights for example, the Catholic Church's views might not win the day. But that did not stop him from hoping to give good leadership to the whole country. Elizabeth May, current Leader of the Green Party, has made public her attempts to integrate her faith and her politics. She is a clergy of the Anglican church.
Up until recently — well, until 2008, which to some readers seems recent and to others not so much — one of Canada's leading Members of Parliament worked to integrate his religious perspectives and his political life. And he did pretty well. William Blaikie was an NDP member from 1979 to 2008, making him Canada's longest-serving MP yet. Then, up until 2011 he served as NDP member of the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba. He is also an official minister of the United Church of Canada, the largest Protestant (non-Catholic) church in the country.
According to the online newsletter of Emmanuel College, the United Church's theological school, Blaikie has worked hard to find a language that makes Christian views understood in public discussions. At the same time he has championed opportunities for those who have different commitments to also make their contributions.
What difference, though, you might ask, could a religious voice make in public political discourse? Well, take our relationship with political power itself. We typically have two alternatives. The first is to buy into the political power structures without asking serious questions about the way politics seems virtually wedded to economics, by which I mean large business. The second is to join protest movements, to write off politics and business and condemn both houses.
Influenced by his Christian theology, Blaikie wrote that he wants to avoid both accommodation to the powers that be and withdrawal into protest mode. Instead, his approach as a political leader has been twofold: to encourage respect for all voices in our institutions of power and to seek common core values and the political goals those values suggest.
is a long-standing example of how many Canadians have attempted to bring their faith to bear on public policy discussions. He joins a national tradition advanced by those who work to integrate Christianity with public life. Go Bill.
Editorial opinions or comments expressed in this online edition of Interrobang newspaper reflect the views of the writer and are not those of the Interrobang or the Fanshawe Student Union. The Interrobang is published weekly by the Fanshawe Student Union at 1001 Fanshawe College Blvd., P.O. Box 7005, London, Ontario, N5Y 5R6 and distributed through the Fanshawe College community. Letters to the editor are welcome. All letters are subject to editing and should be emailed. All letters must be accompanied by contact information. Letters can also be submitted online by clicking here.
To be accurate, we should remember that the "separation of church and state" is an American mantra that here, a few kilometres north of Washington, we seem to have picked up by osmosis or from American media — one of the two, anyway. And the religion people have in mind in the "separation" as well as in the Wars of Religion is not just any religion. It's Christianity.
As I consider what Canada has become, though, it seems to me that it is not possible to imagine the country without the traditions specific churches have brought. Consider the tradition of Presbyterian orderliness, the social justice currents of the Catholic Church (probably three-quarters of the past members of the Liberal Party were Catholic) and the values of community and inclusion one sees expressed in the United Church of Canada.
Nevertheless, as with our friends south of Windsor and west of Port Huron, Canadians don't go in for political parties being aligned with churches. Ditto for mosques, synagogues, temples and sweat lodges. And most Canadians have no patience with wars fought in the name of any religion.
Having said that, Canadian politics, and education too, have a long history of personalities who were inspired by their Christian religious views to lead the way they did. Most of the universities in this fair land were started by Christian ministers. Look up, for example, the roots of the University of Western Ontario. Or consider the person credited with founding Canadian health care and the NDP. He is none other than a Baptist church Minister, Tommy Douglas.
Christianity has, in fact, generated quite a number of people who, here in Canada, have been able to avoid mixing the institutions of church and nation while at the same time figuring out how to integrate their Christian faith with their political life.
Roman Catholic Paul Martin, past Prime Minister of Canada, became well known for his attempts to define how his faith and politics relate. He acknowledged that in some areas, homosexual rights for example, the Catholic Church's views might not win the day. But that did not stop him from hoping to give good leadership to the whole country. Elizabeth May, current Leader of the Green Party, has made public her attempts to integrate her faith and her politics. She is a clergy of the Anglican church.
Up until recently — well, until 2008, which to some readers seems recent and to others not so much — one of Canada's leading Members of Parliament worked to integrate his religious perspectives and his political life. And he did pretty well. William Blaikie was an NDP member from 1979 to 2008, making him Canada's longest-serving MP yet. Then, up until 2011 he served as NDP member of the Legislative Assembly of Manitoba. He is also an official minister of the United Church of Canada, the largest Protestant (non-Catholic) church in the country.
According to the online newsletter of Emmanuel College, the United Church's theological school, Blaikie has worked hard to find a language that makes Christian views understood in public discussions. At the same time he has championed opportunities for those who have different commitments to also make their contributions.
What difference, though, you might ask, could a religious voice make in public political discourse? Well, take our relationship with political power itself. We typically have two alternatives. The first is to buy into the political power structures without asking serious questions about the way politics seems virtually wedded to economics, by which I mean large business. The second is to join protest movements, to write off politics and business and condemn both houses.
Influenced by his Christian theology, Blaikie wrote that he wants to avoid both accommodation to the powers that be and withdrawal into protest mode. Instead, his approach as a political leader has been twofold: to encourage respect for all voices in our institutions of power and to seek common core values and the political goals those values suggest.
is a long-standing example of how many Canadians have attempted to bring their faith to bear on public policy discussions. He joins a national tradition advanced by those who work to integrate Christianity with public life. Go Bill.
Editorial opinions or comments expressed in this online edition of Interrobang newspaper reflect the views of the writer and are not those of the Interrobang or the Fanshawe Student Union. The Interrobang is published weekly by the Fanshawe Student Union at 1001 Fanshawe College Blvd., P.O. Box 7005, London, Ontario, N5Y 5R6 and distributed through the Fanshawe College community. Letters to the editor are welcome. All letters are subject to editing and should be emailed. All letters must be accompanied by contact information. Letters can also be submitted online by clicking here.
