September 2008 National Updates

October 2, 2008

'Bible belt' school district halts 'gay-friendly' course
A SCHOOL district at the heart of British Columbia's 'Bible belt' has halted the teaching of a controversial "gay-friendly" social justice course in one of its secondary schools...
Religulous a ridiculous look at religion
RELIGULOUS is a documentary in which stand-up comedian turned talk-show host Bill Maher tours the world, visiting Jews, Muslims and Christians of various stripes in a bid to prove that religious belief is foolish, childish and basically dangerous.
OttawaWatch: Thoughts from Saskatoon
IN THIS election, it seems that the major parties are seeing British Columbia, Ontario and Quebec as critical to their placement in the October 14 results.
News briefs
• Documentary on religious satire
• One loonie feeds a village
• Religious freedom case
• more
News round up
• Religious and multicultural issues in Quebec
• Convicted youth excelled at training camp
• Real women
• more

October 9, 2008

Fontaine offers olive branch to Catholic bishops
ASSEMBLY of First Nations (AFN) National Chief Phil Fontaine made an historic plea for reconciliation with the Catholic Church...
A million Bibles for China: An untold story
"WE NEED a million Bibles."
It was 1979. Mao Zedong had recently died, the massive oppression of the Cultural Revolution...
OttawaWatch: Pre-election reflections
IT WAS three-and-one-half years ago, on April 15, 2005, that I wrote the following: "By God's grace, I hope to be in and around Parliament Hill for another three years...
News briefs
• Passion fills arena with worship
• Right to Sight
• Fast for change
• more
News round up
• Bolingo Etibako, arson survivor
• Islam and the West
• Slain teen remembered for love of God, nature
• more

October 16, 2008

Believers are generous, but for a reason, says new psychological study
BELIEF in God encourages people to be helpful, honest and generous -- but only under certain psychological conditions.
Veteran apologist tackles Tolle bestseller
A WIDELY RESPECTED Christian apologist has set himself a formidable task: to confront and refute spiritual teachings being promoted by one of the world's most popular media personalities.
OttawaWatch: Reflections on collaboration
FROM the perspective of collaborative governance, this week's federal election results could not have provided a better workshop.
News briefs
• A lot to sing about
• A long way to go for a haircut
• Your mission is to complete the survey
• more
News round up
• The Anglican schism
• The pastor with the 10-year-old "wife"
• Investigations at Christian schools
• more

October 23, 2008

Trinity Western to open new campus
TRINITY Western University is poised to begin work on creating a new satellite campus in downtown Richmond, BC that could begin admitting students by the fall of 2010.
Credit crisis hasn't affected charitable giving -- yet
IT IS too early to tell how the global financial crisis will affect the work of Canadian relief and development agencies, say agency representatives.
OttawaWatch: Reviewing the numbers
HERE ARE a few tentative thoughts on the occasion of Stephane Dion's moderately long goodbye.
News briefs
• Imago gives art a face
• Tyndale seeks new president
• Posterski's new chair
• more
News round up
• Justice Harry LaForme's resignation from the residential school commission
• The Quebec teen desecrating the Eucharist on YouTube
• The pro-gay "social justice" course
• more

October 30, 2008

One year closer to heaven
LAST YEAR, it sold out the hockey rink. This year, organizers hope it will sell out the baseball park.
Pacific Theatre's Ron Reed reflects on turning 25
VANCOUVER'S Pacific Theatre (PT) is a small, quality theatre company in a city with many onstage options.
OttawaWatch: Janice Henry's 'collective leadership'
TODAY presents another opportunity to ride my hobby horse -- collaborative governance.
News briefs
• Ambrose celebrates grand opening
• Ron Gray retires
• TheCRY in Toronto
• more
News round up
• Residential schools Truth and Reconciliation Commission
• Peter McKnight's series on science and religion
• Sikh refugee Laibar Singh
• more

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