Articles

August 22 is the International Day Commemorating the Victims of Acts of Violence Based on Religion or Belief. While this day might easily pass unnoticed, for Christians, it is a significant occasion to remember those who have suffered and died because of their faith. The Christian story has included persecution from its earliest days. The first Christian martyr was Stephen, whose death is recorded in Acts 7. A book published in 2025, The Martyrs of the New Millennium, documen

A new policy forbids military chaplains from not only praying, but from referring to God or the divine in spiritual reflections. They are being required to be publicly secular. The eminent Canadian philosopher Charles Tayor calls our time the Secular Age, a time when life can be lived without reference to God or the transcendent. Belief in God is only one option. For military chaplains, conforming to the secular age in their public pronouncements is now compelled. The policy

The EFC is deeply concerned over a new national policy that forbids military chaplains from not only praying, but from using words, actions or symbols tied to a specific religious or faith tradition or making any reference to God or the divine in public spiritual reflections. “This policy goes beyond banning prayer and prohibits even the acknowledgment to those gathered that some may believe in the divine and others not,” said Bruce Clemenger, Senior Ambassador and President

The Evangelical Fellowship of Canada (EFC) and the Canadian Centre for Christian Charities (CCCC) have been granted co-intervener status before the Supreme Court of Canada in Vabuolas v. British Columbia (Information and Privacy Commissioner). The case is scheduled to be heard on October 9, 2026. The case raises an important and unresolved constitutional question: to what extent are internal religious communications and institutional deliberations protected from examination b

Use the link below to download the full, four-page PDF for Aug/Sep 2026, or read the main story below. Version française à venir. As Canadian culture and laws shift rapidly around us, the need for Canadian Christians to stay informed and discern together is very important. The EFC continues to address this need on the national level as we always have – and more recently also with Faith Matters workshops at the community level. In the last two years we’ve held gatherings in Re

The date when MAiD for mental illness would be allowed has been looming for years. The law allowing this expansion was passed in 2021, with a delay until it would take effect. Thankfully that take-effect date has been pushed back more than once – in 2023 and 2024. Now, it’s looming again. In less than 8 months, on March 17, 2026, the law allowing MAiD for mental illness will take effect, unless a bill is passed to delay it again – or stop it altogether. Over the summer, the J

This article is reprinted with permission from Faith Today (Jul/Aug 2026). →en français There is a certain energy that comes from living close to the headlines. A court ruling lands, a government policy shifts, a natural disaster tears through a region in Canada or overseas, or a wildfire forces families from their homes. Before the day is over everyone has an opinion, a concern or at least a reason to pay attention. Those of us who work in the Christian media sector live clo

This article is reprinted with permission from Faith Today (Jul/Aug 2026). →en français I've spent the last 23 years of my life in Christian higher education in Western Canada. This means I’ve had the opportunity to observe young adults and to ponder what it means to come of age, both in life and more importantly in Christian faith. I’ve also been surrounded by narratives of church decline for most of these years. A recent article pegs regular church attendance in Canada arou

To respond to the devastation caused by two earthquakes on June 24, the federal government announced June 25 that it will donate $5 million in humanitarian assistance funding. UPDATE: On June 30 it announced it will match humanitarian donations given from June 25 to July 14 through members of the Humanitarian Coalition and the Canadian Red Cross up to $4 million. As Canadians consider where to direct their donations, they may want to consider international relief and develop

Does your congregation observe World Refugee Sunday? The World Evangelical Alliance has supported such an annual observance for decades, in connection with June 20 being World Refugee Day. Even if it's not your church practice, now is a good time to reflect on how support of refugees can be part of Christian living. Perhaps you'll be inspired by a recent blog over at FaithToday.ca on the topic. Perhaps you'll want to download the latest version of the EFC's resource Welcome t

Bill C-9 has now passed in both the House of Commons and the Senate, and is now law. In its final stage, the House of Commons voted on June 17, 2026, to accept a change to the bill’s list of symbols that had passed in the Senate. The provisions of Bill C-9 took effect on July 18, which was 30 days after it received Royal Assent. Many Canadian Christians are wondering what has changed with the passing of Bill C-9. The good faith religious belief defence is removed If a person

National Indigenous Peoples Day is coming this Sunday. This annual celebration has been held each June 21 since 1996. The EFC is working on a documentary about a momentous yet often forgotten Sacred Assembly that helped spark this special day. There is now a trailer on Vimeo.com that can be shown to raise awareness. National Indigenous Peoples Day was declared by Canada’s governor general in 1996, in part as a response to the Royal Commission on Aboriginal Peoples, and in par

The Senate made one change to Bill C-9 and passed it on June 4, 2026. The Senate did not pass any amendments to help clarify and protect religious expression. The bill has been sent back to the House of Commons for a vote on the change. Bill C-9 has passed in the Senate. What’s next? The Senate amended Bill C-9 by adding the noose to the list of symbols in the offence of promoting hatred through the use of symbols. The bill was then passed by the Senate. A bill has to pass wi

The Evangelical Fellowship of Canada looks a little different as it launches into a new fiscal year on June 1, 2026. We’ve promoted several staff and reorganized our management structure to align with our 2025-2028 strategic plan, summarized in the new EFC tagline “Calling Evangelicals to greater visible unity in gospel witness.” The plan has four ends: EFC Affiliate leaders will lead with theological soundness and prophetic imagination in the face of current and future chall

Traduit de l'anglais par François Godbout Alors que nous prenons le temps de réfléchir aux dix années qui se sont écoulées depuis l’adoption de la première loi canadienne sur l’euthanasie, comment entendons-nous Dieu nous parler ? Comment notre foi nous encourage-t-elle, nous donnant espoir et sens à notre vie ? L’aide médicale à mourir (AMM) constitue le cadre juridique régissant l’euthanasie et le suicide assisté au Canada, une pratique qui s’est rapidement généralisée et

This article is reprinted with permission from Faith Today (May/Jun 2026). →en français “But you’re going to have to serve somebody, yes indeed. / You’re going to have to serve somebody. / Well, it may be the devil or it may be the Lord, / but you’re going to have to serve somebody.” These lyrics from Bob Dylan’s "Gotta Serve Somebody" point to a biblical truth. People can claim to be nonreligious, but we all believe in something. Despite claims to the contrary, there is no n

Traduit de l'anglais par François Godbout Liberté de religion : Providence Health Care est poursuivie en justice par une famille et des partisans de l’euthanasie qui contestent la politique du gouvernement de la Colombie-Britannique autorisant les établissements confessionnels à ne pas pratiquer l’euthanasie. L’AÉC s’est vu accorder le statut d’intervenant et a plaidé en faveur de la liberté de religion pour les établissements de santé religieux privés. Les audiences de l’aff

This article is reprinted with permission from Faith Today (May/Jun 2026). →en français If asked to recount the main events of Jesus’ life, most will probably list His birth, death and resurrection. But what about His ascension? Jesus’ ascension is probably easily overlooked because of how minimally the Scriptures directly mention it. A disputed longer ending of Mark includes it (Mark 16:19), but otherwise only Luke mentions it briefly in Luke 24:51 and Acts 1:9. Compared to

Download the full, four-page PDF of the June/July 2026 issue, or read the main story below. Aussi disponible en français. As we pause and reflect on the 10 years since Canada’s first euthanasia law was passed, how do we hear God speaking to us? How does our faith encourage us, giving us hope and purpose? Medical assistance in dying (MAiD) is the legal framework for euthanasia and assisted suicide in Canada, a practice that has been rapidly expanded and adopted like in no othe

Articles de fond L'euthanasie et sa future légalisation pour les maladies mentales. Une interview de David Guretzki et Julia Beazley de l'Alliance évangélique du Canada. Faire face à la cri$e financière personnelle. Une aide chrétienne pour les difficultés financières et de logement. Les algorithmes traitent nos enfants comme des disciples. Élever des enfants à une époque où le sexisme est à la mode et où l'Évangile est toujours d'actualité. Jonas et le toxicomane : une révél