Feels wrong to shill my own book, but . . .

Ramadan began last week. While it is for Muslims, Christians can use it to learn more about Islam. That’s the view of Anna Piela and Michael Woolf in their new book, Confronting Islamophobia in the Church: Liturgical Tools for Justice. tinyurl.com/my3atrhj

“Having development support our trade is key. We are trying to focus on where there are trade opportunities.” That’s the message from Randeep Sarai, Secretary of State for International Development. whocaresaboutforeignaid.blogspot.com/2026/02/havi...

The winter Olympics are just about half-way over. It's a good time to explore the role religion played in the creation of the ancient Olympics, how religion caused those ancient games to come to an end, and how religion influenced the modern revival. onfaithcanada.blogspot.com/2026/02/the-...

Are You Dead? The app is designed for people in that country who live alone, and who don’t have anyone to check on them regularly. With so many living alone in Canada, it might be useful here. Or maybe we already have an app for that: Places of worship. onfaithcanada.blogspot.com/2026/02/are-...

The news cycle is nuts. Who can keep up? No sooner is there one major story than it is replaced by another—and so on. Soon, we don’t remember the item that made us angry or upset. Like when Israel suspended aid groups from working in Gaza. whocaresaboutforeignaid.blogspot.com/2026/01/cana...

What are some American church leaders saying about the current situation in that country? onfaithcanada.blogspot.com/2026/01/get-...

Amidst all the unpeace today, peaceful scenes from Bunn’s Creek In Manitoba.

News about the Canadian government and religion (the kind that doesn't fit the anti-religion narrative). About how StatsCan is moving up the date to ask about religious affiliation and Public Health reaching out to faith groups about measles. onfaithcanada.blogspot.com/2025/12/news...

Christian, Muslim and Jewish organizations are responding to a proposal to eliminate a religious exemption to Canada’s federal hate crimes legislation. www.canadianaffairs.news/2025/12/09/f...

When Dan & Emily Coyne attend Sunday services at their church in Evanston, Il, they bring their Bibles and whistles. The Bibles are so they can follow along with sermons. The whistles are so they can warn their neighbors if ICE agents are in the area. onfaithcanada.blogspot.com/2025/12/fait...

It’s called the House of the Risen Son, but everyone in Winnipeg calls it the “Biker Church.” According to one member, "It’s for people who don’t fit into a normal Sunday morning scene." onfaithcanada.blogspot.com/2025/11/bike...

As Canada's Global Affairs ponders the future of international assistance during a time of shrinking budgets, Nicolas Moyer, CEO of Cuso International, has some thoughts about how it can do better. whocaresaboutforeignaid.blogspot.com/2025/11/a-fr...

Serving Soup with dignity on the side: People with disabilities find meaningful employment through the Raw Carrot. “It’s great to get out, have work and be productive,” said Kieran Schellenberg, adding that having a job also aids with self-esteem. onfaithcanada.blogspot.com/2025/11/serv...

60 years ago, Pierre Berton’s book The Comfortable Pew was published. It received widespread media attention. That would be hard to imagine today--except at the Winnipeg Free Press, the only media outlet in Canada with a dedicated faith beat. onfaithcanada.blogspot.com/2025/11/the-...

Canadian aid groups are expressing concern with the federal government’s decision to cut the country’s foreign aid budget. But they also note that aid can support Canada’s overall trade and investment strategy. whocaresaboutforeignaid.blogspot.com/2025/11/cana... @cdnaffairs.bsky.social

I decided to wait a day to post some northern lights pictures.

“Budgets are moral documents.” That quote is attributed to Martin Luther King Jr. King never said that exact phrase. But it is in keeping with his general philosophy that how governments choose to spend money reveals their moral character. onfaithcanada.blogspot.com/2025/11/if-g...

Canadian churches and religious groups can relax. The federal government is not going to take away their ability to issue tax receipts for donations. Not that it ever was. But, you know, misinformation is so much more fun to share. onfaithcanada.blogspot.com/2025/11/ever...

During his career as foreign correspondent, Brian Stewart kept bumping into religion. He writes about that in his new book, and speaks about it in my interview with him for the @winnipegfreepress.com onfaithcanada.blogspot.com/2025/10/on-g...

When psychologist Hillary McBride encountered clients from religious backgrounds who had been hurt by their churches, she found their challenges didn’t fit into standard psychological categories. So she wrote a book about it, called Holy Hurt. onfaithcanada.blogspot.com/2025/10/holy...

In a polarized world, where many may feel lonely and isolated, Paul Jenkinson has a message: “You are not alone. I will listen.” That’s what it says on a sign the retired social worker plunks down in public spaces during his cross-country listening tour. onfaithcanada.blogspot.com/2025/10/you-...

Uncertain times. But sunsets.

If you want to understand what's happening in the U.S. today, you need to know about the Seven Mountains Mandate, the belief by some evangelicals that Christians should dominate the seven pillars of society, including the government. onfaithcanada.blogspot.com/2025/09/if-y...

What does it mean to be a Canadian Muslim? That is the question being asked by Imam Sikander Hashmi, the new executive director of the Canadian Council of Imams. “It’s a work in progress,” he said. onfaithcanada.blogspot.com/2025/09/new-...

“We May Not Be Big, But We’re Small.” That was the motto of The Vinyl Cafe by CBC radio host Stuart McLean. It could also be the new motto for the United Church of Canada, according to its newly-elected moderator. @unitedchurchcda.bsky.social onfaithcanada.blogspot.com/2025/09/new-...

Should aid for homeless people and evangelism be mixed? Some experts weigh in. onfaithcanada.blogspot.com/2025/09/mixi...

A new paper promoted by the Pew Research Centre describes what it says are the three stages of religious decline in countries around the world. Canada is near the end of the second stage. onfaithcanada.blogspot.com/2025/09/new-...

Some people leave complicated legacies. James Dobson, who died on Aug. 21, was one of those people. For some, he was a positive force. But others viewed him in a very different light. This included Christians who were members of the LGBTTQ+ community. onfaithcanada.blogspot.com/2025/09/jame...

Aug. 29 is the 20th anniversary of Hurricane Katrina. I spent a week there with Mennonite Disaster Service in 2008, doing repair work on homes damaged by the storm and writing about my experiences for the Winnipeg Free Press. onfaithcanada.blogspot.com/2021/12/ive-...

Is traditional religion obsolete, like the typewriter? It still works, but it's been supplanted by new ways of practicing spirituality, the way computers replaced typewriters. That’s the argument made in a new book by religion scholar Christian Smith. onfaithcanada.blogspot.com/2025/08/is-t...

A Canadian bride realized her dream of a lifetime after her wedding when she and her husband received a personal blessing from Pope Leo XIV in Rome. onfaithcanada.blogspot.com/2025/08/winn...

Is Sean Feucht, the American evangelical worship leader, being persecuted in Canada? Is he really bringing revival, or will his appearance in that country cause the opposite? Why is he so unwelcome here? Some questions and observations. onfaithcanada.blogspot.com/2025/08/sean...

Should we move homeless encampments off main routes, like Donald Trump wants to do, because that sight offends us? A new book by a Mennonite pastor in Winnipeg says we need to see people who society regards as "nothing" for our own salvation. onfaithcanada.blogspot.com/2025/08/when...

Sometimes you need a sunset.

Driven by faith, frustrated by funding: Faith-based care-home operators in Manitoba say miracles are in short supply when trying to feed residents with 2009-level resources. @winnipegfreepress.com www.winnipegfreepress.com/arts-and-lif...

Muslim youth from across Canada gathered in Winnipeg July 26-27 for the first-ever national Muslim Youth conference. @winnipegfreepress.com www.winnipegfreepress.com/arts-and-lif...

If the Anglican Church of Canada is going to survive and thrive, it will need to make deep changes — and Shane Parker, the denomination’s new primate, is ready to guide that change. @cdnaffairs.bsky.social onfaithcanada.blogspot.com/2025/07/i-wa...

The goal of a Vatican conclave is to choose a new pope. But a conclave is also a referendum on the previous pope and his legacy. That’s the argument former Vatican correspondent Christopher White makes in his new book about Pope Leo’s election. www.winnipegfreepress.com/arts-and-lif...

2025 is the 25th anniversary of GrowWinnipeg, which has helped bring more than 6,800 Jews have to Manitoba through from 13 countries. @winnipegfreepress.com www.winnipegfreepress.com/arts-and-lif...

Canadian Imams, church leaders issue joint letter urging Ottawa to call for a lifting of the blockade of humanitarian aid, to condemn the use of food as a weapon, and to support calls for a permanent ceasefire. www.canadianaffairs.news/2025/07/20/i...

Antisemitism in Canada has reached record-setting levels. In response, a group of Jewish and Christian leaders from across Canada have decided to partner together to combat it. www.canadianaffairs.news/2025/07/16/j...

Anglican church inspires vision for greening of downtown Winnipeg. @winnipegfreepress.com onfaithcanada.blogspot.com/2025/07/a-vi...

If you are a Christian, how often do you go to church? Do you go weekly? Once a month? Christmas and Easter? If you are in the latter group, you are not alone. That has become normal for a growing number of churchgoers in Canada. onfaithcanada.blogspot.com/2025/07/occa...

Canadian connection to Live Aid on 40th anniversary of groundbreaking concert to raise funds for Ethiopia famine; retired Manitoba pilot flew in the BBC crew whose reporting led to Band Aid and Live Aid. onfaithcanada.blogspot.com/2025/07/mani...

“Judaism is a 4,000-year-old tradition that still has something to say to the world today,” Carnie Shalom Rose returns home to be rabbi at Congregation Shaarey Zedek in Winnipeg. @winnipegfreepress.com onfaithcanada.blogspot.com/2025/07/carn...

It's crazy, I know, but some American Congressional Representatives have sent a letter to Canada's Ambassador asking us to control our wildfire smoke because it interferes with their summer fun in that country. Well, I thought, two can play that game.

"I want to be a voice for trans people in the church." Anglican priest Theo Robinson leaving Manitoba for new role in B.C., but will continue ministry to LGBTTQ+ community. @winnipegfreepress.com onfaithcanada.blogspot.com/2025/07/i-wa...

Ring around the sun.

All the “fireworks” I need tonight.