OttawaWatch: An event to ponder

By Lloyd Mackey

Having been involved in writing about The Hill for almost ten years, I have become aware of the many Christian groups that cluster around the political institutions here, all with the objective of providing some kind of influence on the body politic.

Increasingly, several people close to the Hill scene have been wondering if there might be a way of bringing representatives of these groups together for a day or two, to get to know each other better. In addition, some are wondering about providing, within such an event, a cohesive opportunity to present a common front to public servants, Christian leaders in the city, politicians and diplomats.

One day, while contemplating this possibility, I jotted down the names of about three dozen groups that I encounter in and around Parliament Hill. This list is not comprehensive, by any means, and is purposely presented in no particular order, to illustrate the stream-of-consciousness way by which it came together.

Here it is, as I composed it, several months ago, while letting compassionate professionals help God to make my heart work better:

1. Evangelical Fellowship of Canada
2. Mennonite Central Committee
3. Salvation Army
4. Laurentian Leadership Centre (Trinity Western University)
5. Citizens for Public Justice
6. Work Research Foundation
7. National Prayer Breakfast
8. Christian Embassy (Campus Crusade for Christ)
9. Institute for Family and Marriage Canada (Focus on the Family)
10. Habitat for Humanity
11. Inter-Church Committee for Corrections and Justice
12. Prison Fellowship Canada
13. National House of Prayer
14. Vote Marriage Canada
15. Enshrine Marriage Canada
16. Defend Marriage Canada
17. Campaign Life Canada
18. Centre for Cultural Renewal
19. Institute for Canadian Values
20. Nation at Prayer
21. World Vision Canada
22. Watchmen for the Nations
23. Ottawa Christian Leadership Centre
24. Mission Ottawa/Outaouais
25. One Way Ministries
26. Canadian National Christian Foundation
27. Christian Business Ministries Canada
28. Tyndale University College and Seminary
29. Augustine College
30. Redeemer University College
31. Inter-Varsity Christian Fellowship
32. Public Service Christian Fellowship
33. Military Christian Fellowship
34. Christian Info Canada
35. CHRI-FM
36. ChristianWeek Ontario

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In addition, my mind wandered toward the naming of several groups which might have some points in common with some of the above groups, but spring from some other part of the Christian spectrum. I will name them, without expressing any view as to what particular stripe of Christianity they might represent, leaving it to OttawaWatch readers to make their own assumptions.

Those particular groups are:

1. Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops
2. Canadian Council of Churches
3. Initiatives for Change (formerly Moral Rearmament)
4. Metropolitan Community Churches
5. Community of Christ (formerly Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ, Latter Day Saints)
6. Church of Jesus Christ, Latter Day Saints

Each of those other groupings, as well as the increasing number of organizations and movements coming from other non-Christian faith backgrounds, have their own equivalent spinoffs providing a range of unique faith/political interfaces.

For example, one of the most organized and, for matters of bringing about some cohesiveness to faith-based influence, is the Aga Khan Foundation. Among other things, the AKF is developing a partnership with the federal government, to turn the former war museum, located almost within eyesight of my press gallery perch in the Parliament Buildings, into a centre for the advancement and understanding of religious pluralism.

(It would actually be within direct eyesight, if it was not blocked by the sleek glassy facade of the National Gallery, parked beside the intersection of the Rideau Canal and Ottawa River.)

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At this point, I am not sure what will happen with respect to bringing together an event that will facilitate the goals of a forum and showcase for the three dozen or so groups. I know there is a resonance among a fair number of Christian leaders to see such a thing develop.

My hope would be that something like this could be two-tiered: an actual event, held close to The Hill, and some communication vehicle that could plug Christian leaders across the country into what is happening here -- and vice versa.

From time to time, over the next couple of months, I will try to report progress or otherwise on this event idea. And I would appreciate feedback from readers who might have some ideas on how to make this a reality.

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Lloyd Mackey is a member of the Canadian Parliamentary Press Gallery in Ottawa and author of Stephen Harper: The Case for Collaborative Governance (ECW Press, 2006). He can be reached at lmackey@canadianchristianity.com.

June 28/2007