Shout for Darfur

Religious NGOs, Senator Romeo Dallaire participate in “Shout for Darfur”—House of Commons convenes for debate A four hour emergency session in the House of Commons was held October 3rd addressing the need for increased UN intervention in Darfur in light of ongoing genocide, but no decision was made. KAIROS, an ecumenical justice initiatives organization that helped organize the Day for Darfur September 17, asked constituents to call MPs and pressure Canadian foreign minister John McKay to help implement UN resolution 1706. read the full story>

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Bibby assesses status quo of evangelicals in Canada The results of a 2005 survey conducted by social science pollster Reginald Bibby suggests that church leaders looking to bring people into their church should concentrate more on family ministry in their communities rather than events and programs. “The key is not in major crusades. Evangelicals are always looking for the magic solution–what’s the flavour of the month,” says Bibby, professor of sociology at the University of Lethbridge. “Family ministry should be front and centre. The moment parents find something is touching their family and their teenagers, they’ll want to be involved. Leaders need to listen to people and try to respond.” read more>

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“It’s a New Day” celebrates 30 years In 1976, Willard Thiessen had a great job selling rockets for Winnipeg’s Bristol Aerospace. One of his customers was NASA, and he travelled the world. But then he and his wife, Betty, felt a call to start “It’s a New Day,” Canada’s first Christian TV talk show. read more>

Hawks and doves
MCC organizes inter-faith meeting with Iranian president

NEW YORK, N.Y.—Mennonite Central Committee (MCC) executive director Robb Davis and Iranian president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad met September 20 at a New York interfaith conference organized and sponsored by MCC. The event brought together 45 religious leaders from Christian and Islamic backgrounds with Ahmadinejad to discuss the role of religious communities in the deepening crisis between Iran and the U.S. It was the first face-to-face meeting between the Iranian leader and leaders from mainline Protestant, Catholic, evangelical and historic peace churches.

Topics of discussion in the 70-minute meeting included the harsh language between the U.S. and Iranian governments, Ahmadinejad’s controversial position on the Holocaust, and the role of religious groups in the nuclear weapons dispute.

“The Iranian government invited us to organize a conversation between religious leaders and President Ahmadinejad,” says Davis. “As an agency of one of the historic peace churches, we viewed this as an opportunity to build mutual understanding between two peoples who have lived too long with mutual suspicion. We believe that people of faith must come together to mend the breeches that exist and seem to grow.”

Although delegates were skeptical of Iranian PR answers, promises of further discussion and a possible visit to Iran by a religious delegation were agreed upon by the delegation and Ahmadinejad.