Recently, the Lord has challenged me to reassess the way I live my faith.
Yes, I’m active in my church community, I give to the food bank, I sponsor children in far off countries, I give to missions and PWS&D. But those are safe things. They don’t interfere with my life. They don’t threaten my security.
For me, some of the most interesting aspects of the General Assembly have centered around this issue. What, as safe and secure Canadian Christian, is God calling me to do to further His kingdom here on earth?
I admit I’ve been reluctant to consider this question. I don’t believe we can create God’s kingdom on earth. That’s something He will do that when Christ returns.
But God is opening my eyes to see that although we cannot do anything as grand as He, He has still called me to do my part—as a foot soldier, I suppose, if you’ll pardon the military reference.
Archbishop Elias Chacour, this year’s recipient of the E.H. Johnson Award, challenged us through his words and his life, to love all people equally, regardless of race, or faith. “All of us are created in God’s image and worthy of respect,” he said.
This week I saw examples of how our Presbyterian Church in Canada is striving to achieve that goal.
Whether it was commemorating the church’s apology to Canada’s Aboriginal peoples and our part in the heartbreak of residential schools, or the special Commissioner’s Overture addressing North Korea’s most recent actions, I’m proud to say the Presbyterian Church in Canada is on the move.
However, we cannot become complacent. As one commissioner reminded us, Canada’s history of ignoring people’s civil liberties is as old as our country. In 1914 we refused landing to Indian immigrants aboard the Komataga Maru. We interred German Canadians during WWI and Japanese Canadians during WWII. Prime Minister Mackenzie King’s decision to refuse Jews fleeing German persecution was in part supported by Canadian Presbyterians. And, of course, there is our part in the residential schools.
After all this, you’d think we’d learn. But we haven’t. And I’m saddened to say that despite all the good works we as Presbyterians are doing, not one person at the 135th General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church in Canada, stood to condemn our government’s refusal to intervene on behalf of two Canadians, Omar Khadr and Abousfian Abdelrazik.
Why are we silent?
