Thursday, November 02, 2006

Religion and Politics


When I think of religion and politics it is the stuff of American politics that comes to mind. Atheism is political suicide across the border and it seems that everyone "finds Jesus" when an election looms. Here in Canada we are a rather godless lot, but conservative Christianity seems to be okay in the Conservative party.

I have enjoyed listening to Elizabeth May, the new leader of the Green Party in Canada, as she talks about her faith. Recently she told an interviewer that she is considering becoming an Anglican priest after a few years as Prime Minister! I chatted with Elizabeth a few years ago after she had given a dynamite speech to a group of "tree-huggers" in Northern Ontario. At that time she was the head of the Sierra Club in Canada and she did an extraordinary job of encouraging some dispirited environmentalists. Tree-hugging in the north can result in a nasty encounter with a chainsaw. Afterward I asked her what kept her going with such verve, and she told me that her Christian faith is a key element to her hopeful outlook. I think Elizabeth's foray into Canadian politics is a breath of fresh air, although I may suggest to her that she not hold her breath on the Prime Minister thing. Below is the link to her take on balancing being a political party leader with involvement in her faith community.




http://www.greenparty.ca/page269.html

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