To Reap, Thou Shall Tweet

(by Brenda Suderman, Winnipeg Free Press, Oct. 26, 2013)

When it comes to social change and political engagement, Allison Chubb believes the millennial generation has a thing or two to teach their elders about communicating ideas.  "In this particular case, we need to listen to those who come after us and allow them to take the reins," explains the University of Manitoba chaplain and youth outreach worker.

Gareth Neufeld and Bob Gilbert
(Photo: Glowacki)

Although she's only 27, the Anglican chaplain at St. John's College found she had to adapt to the ways teenagers communicate and stay connected. Because millennials communicate mostly by text or social media, Chubb says their elders need to acknowledge -- and even embrace -- how these new media are vital in creating community for that demographic.

"There's this whole wing of Christianity that has this idea that social media is purely bad and should be resisted," says Chubb, an ordained Anglican deacon headed for the priesthood.  "As Christians, we believe God is the creator of both culture and community."

Chubb speaks about social media and how it can be a tool of the church -- and yes, even of God -- to provoke social change at the upcoming Faith in the City I conference, which runs Friday, Nov. 1 to Sunday, Nov. 3 at Augustine United Church, 444 River Ave.

The three-day ecumenical conference grew out of a 20-member justice study group at the Osborne Village church (http://justlivingaugustineuc.blogspot.ca/), which explores issues such as fair trade, environmentalism and political engagement, explains conference organizer Gareth Neufeld.
"We want to bring a justice-seeking faith voice into the life of a congregation in the heart of the city," he explains.  "Most of the voices (at the conference) are exploring this question: To what extent ought Christians to rely on politics to bring about the just and peaceful world God is intending?"

Neufeld has lined up some of the city's social-justice heavy hitters, including David Northcott of Winnipeg Harvest, former NDP MLA Marianne Cerilli, now of the Social Planning Council, city councillor Jenny Gerbasi and Geez magazine editor Aiden Enns.

For Bill Blaikie, a former NDP provincial cabinet minister and MP and an ordained United Church minister, the question is not whether people of faith are engaged in the political process, but how they do it.  "The prophetic tradition of the Bible is the prophets and Jesus speaking truth to power," says Blaikie, who delivers the keynote address 7 p.m. Friday.  "But in a democracy, should churches be speaking to the government or should churches be speaking to the people?"

Sometimes, the conversation doesn't even go that far, he laments.  "I think churches speak to their own people, but do they try to speak to anyone else?" asks Blaikie.  "There's a lot of preaching to the converted."

And there's also a lot of preaching about how things once were, adds Chubb, which isn't the way to engage the generation of Idle No More and the Occupy movements. She says the organizers of those recent social movements understood how to connect, but older generations experienced in social justice can help them focus and articulate their positions.

"There's enough of a cultural shift (that) 'Do it the way we do it' just isn't going to work," says Chubb.

brenda@suderman.com

Republished from the Winnipeg Free Press print edition October 26, 2013 D12

Participating in the Conversations

 (in alphabetical order) 

Jane Barter Moulaison is Acting Chair of the Religion and Culture Department of University of Winnipeg.  She is also an Anglican priest.  She has published several works in Theology and is interested in the manner in which religions can give rise to social and political change.

"Christians are called to a delicate balance, to love and protect the earthly city without being seduced by its conceptions of power and glory."

Bill Blaikie is a United Church Minister who was a Member of Parliament for almost 30 years, and subsequently served as a Manitoba cabinet minister for two years.  Prior to his time in public life, Bill was involved in an inner city ministry of the United Church in Winnipeg.  His recently published book, The Blaikie Report, explores the intersection of faith and politics.

"Always called to work with those who hunger and thirst for justice, the faith community is unavoidably engaged in the political dimensions of life."

Marianne Cerilli is a program and policy analyst for the Social Planning Council of Winnipeg.  Marianne has been an MLA with the NDP, a candidate for Mayor of Winnipeg, a school counselor, and recreation leader.

"For more than a century, faith-based organizations and secular community groups in our city have tackled the challenges of working together for social justice."

Allison Chubb is an Anglican deacon, has recently assumed the chaplaincy at St. John's College, University of Manitoba, and is also serving at All Saints' Anglican doing youth outreach in West Broadway.



"Social media, friend or foe:  could the Holy Spirit really be on twitter?"

Aiden Enns is editor of Geez Magazine, former managing editor of Adbusters magazine and founder of "Buy Nothing Christmas". 

"The legitimacy of Christians' political action - whether within organized politics or not - comes from its roots in the struggle, alongside and allied with those who suffer."

  

Jenny Gerbasi, a former Community Health Nurse, has been on Council since 1998.  She is a strong advocate for public art, accessible transportation options, ethics in government and neighbourhood planning.

 "Enlightened and progressive people from everywhere in our community need to be involved in the democratic process in order to bring positive change."
 

Kevin Lamoureux is an award-winning instructor with the Faculty of Education's ACCESS program, leading groundbreaking mentorship and inclusion programs within Aboriginal education.

"The Idle No More movement invites Canadians to think critically about identity and history and offer one another mutual support in creating positive change."

David Northcott has been Executive Director of Winnipeg Harvest since 1984 (with a brief interruption between 2004-2007), is a member of the Order of Canada and the Order of Manitoba, and maintains an active and passionate commitment to food security issues and human rights.

“Justice, rooted in love, can change the face of the planet.  How are we doing at home?”

Tim Sale, an Anglican priest and former MLA, has spent most of life working in the area of politics and public policy, including helping to found CHOICES, and serving in Cabinet (Minister of Health).

"Christians must be justice-seeking people, and engaging in political activity is one of the routes to bringing about right relationships among people and with creation."

Lynda Trono is the West Broadway Community Minister (United Church), as well as chair of the Education Committee of the Manitoba Multifaith Council.
"Doing good is more than simply random acts of kindness:  as people of faith, we must raise our voices to call for, and commit ourselves to the long work of systemic change."

Gordon Zerbe is a professor of New Testament at Canadian Mennonite University.  His recently published book, Citizenship: Paul on Peace and Politics, is a collection of essays that offers "a revisiting of Paul's theological vision and practical activism around the theme of citizenship."

"The very presence and manner of life of the Christian community is its supreme political gesture."

God's up to something on Social Media

In anticipation of the Faith in the City event, Allison Chubb has submitted the following article to the Rupert's Land News, an online news-service of the Diocese of Rupert's Land (Anglican Church of Canada).  Thank you, Allison, for getting the news out.

Allison

I have heard it said that social networking is a symptom of our consumerist, individualistic culture which should be prophetically resisted. Yet after several years of prayer, research, and experimentation, I’ve become convinced of quite the opposite: the Holy Spirit is, in fact, on twitter. As a postmodern in her late twenties who can remember life without the internet, I have watched my peers and my students change the ways they interact with one another. And while opinions on what this means abound, changing methods of communication is quite a normal thing.

While some Christians are afraid that communication changes mean a growing irrelevance for the Church and a narcissism which prevents young adults from seeking community, I would argue that God is up to something here, perhaps calling us to a new way of doing life together. After all, the Holy Spirit has never been one to sit idly by as humanity changes beyond recognition. We worship the God of yesterday, today, and tomorrow, One who is the master creator of culture and at work in all times and places.

On November 2^nd at the Faith and the City conference hosted by Augustine United Church, I will argue that social media is not only a valuable tool for the Church, but it is a place where God is already at work, drawing people into community and into God’s self. The ecumenical conference will focus on faith and political engagement, so I will look at how Christians might use social networking as a way to live into God’s call to pursue justice and mercy in the city. Other panelists include Jane Barter-Moulaison, Tim Sale, Aiden Enns, Lynda Trono, Bill Blaikie, and others.

Keynote Speaker Bill Blaikie's interview w. CBC's Strombo

In April 2012, Bill Blaikie (Faith in the City's Keynote Speaker on Friday evening) was interviewed by CBC's George Stroumboulopoulos, shortly after Bill's book The Blaikie Report: An Insider's Look at Faith and Politics was released.  This is how Strombo's website sets up the interview:

The Bio  
There are two things you should never talk about: religion and politics. Unless, of course, you're Bill Blaikie. Then you don't just TALK about religion and politics, you LIVE it. The United Church minister spent twenty-eight years in the House of Commons, two as Deputy Speaker. After he left, Bill went on to spend another two in the Manitoba legislature.

Photo Caption: CBC

But now that he's retired, Bill has some time for a little venting. You see, Bill doesn't see faith as only belief. He's committed to faith in action. He's a believer in the idea of the Social Gospel - the notion that Christian ethics can provide solutions for social problems and that economic justice is a religious value too.
So why the venting? Well, he's put off by the idea that religion in politics is just a conservative thing. Canadians seem to have forgotten that religion and politics was very much a thing of the left. And now that Bill's retired from formal politics he can address that. How? Well, for starters, he recently released a book. It's called 'The Blaikie Report: an Insider's Look at Faith and Politics'. We'll ask him about it and we'll find out what advice he has for the young, faithful, and politically motivated.

Please click here to view the interview. It's worth a look.