As Don Hutchinson noted in his blog post last week, Catholic parents in the Toronto Catholic District School Board (TCDSB) have been fighting to retain the integrity of the Catholic teaching in their schools. The school board’s equity policy, required as part of the Government of Ontario’s equity and inclusive education strategy, would (as drafted) necessitate the school board to stand in opposition to the Vatican.

The EFC sent a letter to the TCDSB trustees last week, on the eve of a crucial meeting in which the trustees would vote on several proposed amendments to the equity policy designed to ensure compliance with Catholic doctrine. In the letter, trustees were encouraged to vote in a way which would respect the religious freedom, beliefs and the denominational rights of the Catholic school board.

Unfortunately, all but one proposed amendment was rejected. Shockingly, those rejected included the following, rather straight-forward statements:

  • That clubs (like Gay-Straight Alliances) would only be approved if they are not inconsistent with the Catholic Church’s moral and doctrinal teachings.
  • That teachers should promote personal conduct or a lifestyle that is consistent with the teachings of the Catholic Church.

The amendment that did pass stated that in the case of a conflict between Catholic denominational rights and the province’s education policies, that “the protection of the denominational aspect takes precedence.” However, board staff have stated that any conflicts between the two would need to be determined by the courts. Other amendments that did pass were considered to be “watered-down” versions of what many Catholic parents hoped to see pass.

This situation is simply one of many cases across the country where the government or special interest groups, in aggressive pursuit of a troubling alteration to the concept of ‘diversity’, attempt to crush any expression of belief that is inconsistent with their own. Beliefs considered inadequate by the purveyors of the new diversity, which often include certain Christian beliefs, are often ridiculed, caricatured, condemned and the holders of those beliefs told to take their beliefs to their churches or behind the closed doors of their homes – away from public view. Some parents have been told that it would be un-Canadian to teach their beliefs and values to their children. In which case, state schools should override parental authority and the religious freedom of individuals, families and entire religious communities (churches, synagogues, etc).

A diverse Canada, in the opinion of the marketers of this new diversity, doesn’t include the beliefs or practices of some, particularly Christians and social conservatives. Does it get anymore ‘non-diverse’ than that?

The EFC has intervened in many court cases and has made submissions to several government bodies advocating broad and robust religious freedom as part of a diverse pluralism in a free and democratic society. We’ve argued that the Charter enshrined right to freedom of religion extends not only the right to believe the beliefs we hold, but to express them in our daily living. This expression includes the right to attend places of worship, but also to teach our children our beliefs and to share them with our neighbours.

Canadian society is, in fact, now diverse in many ways. Our society includes people from different backgrounds, cultures, countries, religions and philosophies. This is the country in which we live. How then do we live in this country? As Christians, what position should we take when faced with this diversity?

First, we need to hold fast and defend the broad principles of freedom in this country; particularly religious freedom which intersects with so many others (belief, peaceful assembly, association, expression, etc). Whether this means supporting organizations actively involved in court interventions or standing up and making a bold, clear statement at a meeting of school board trustees,  we are challenged to stand up for our right to freely live with and live out our faith. It resides with us to leave for our children the legacy of freedom we have inherited. Such challenge also provides us with opportunities to share the truth about our faith and ministries of compassion with those who would seek to violate our rights, likely without informed knowledge of us or proper understanding of our beliefs.

Second, we are called to love our neighbours and witness to them.

Living in a society characterized by diverse languages, cultures and religions affords us unique opportunities to live out the gospel of Christ. Not all forms of diversity should be resisted; some are to be celebrated, some accommodated and others must be challenged so that justice and righteousness will prevail. Our duty is to engage our neighbours in dialogue and seek to persuade them of the wisdom and blessing of living a life of faithfulness to God. (Source)

It does require a certain amount of effort to live with people from different backgrounds and different beliefs. Frankly, anyone who has been married knows that it can sometimes be challenging to live with someone who we once thought had most things in common with us. But difficulty and challenges provide us with opportunities to grow, learn, develop new skills and abilities, and strengthen our commitment to ‘together.’ After all, we are in it together.

The challenges certainly provide more opportunity to shape a peaceful country than does attempting to smother certain self-defined ‘unpopular’ beliefs as part of striving for some type of utopic, homogenous society.

Not simply Evangelicals or Christians, but all Canadians are blessed by an historic foundation that encourages us to remain firm in our beliefs, while providing opportunity to respectfully and peacefully share our lives and beliefs with others. We can be a witness to the world that we can live enriching lives in a plural society. We can model a healthy form of diverse diversity. It’s up to us. It’s up to all of us.

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