God's mercy wide enough for all, including LGBTTQ+, esteemed conservative scholar says in new book

 

Since the mid-1990s, opposition to same-sex relationships in most North American evangelical churches, and many other Protestant denominations, has been informed by the work of theologian and scholar Richard B. Hays. 

Hays, the former dean of Duke Divinity School, was author of the widely influential 1996 book The Moral Vision of the New Testament. In it, he argued that same-sex relationships were “one among many tragic signs that we are a broken people, alienated from God’s loving purpose.” 

His scholarly work was used by many church leaders as justification for seeing same-sex relationships as sinful and to oppose affirmation of LGBTTQ+ Christians. 

So it was like an earthquake in many congregations across the U.S. and Canada when Hays publicly changed his mind on this topic. 

Hays, who died on Jan. 3 of cancer at the age of 76, made his case for welcoming LGBTTQ+ people into the family of God in his newest and last book, titled The Widening of God’s Mercy: Sexuality Within the Biblical Story. 

Read my column about Hays and his change of mind in the Winnipeg Free Press.

Everyone in Canada is talking about Trump's tariffs. What about religious leaders?

 

Politicians are talking about it. So are entertainers, comedians and the media. Even hockey fans are sharing their feelings about Trump’s tariffs and threats to annex Canada when they boo the U.S. national anthem at hockey games. 

Everyone is talking about it, it seems — in coffee shops, stores, workplaces, you name it. What about in places of worship? 

That was the question on my mind as I saw the crescendo of conversation rise in Canada over the first few weeks of Trump’s presidency. In particular, I wondered what local clergy are saying about it to their members. I reached out to some for their thoughts. 

Read those thoughts in my latest Free Press column.

Antisemitism and other hate on the rise online: Researcher

When a Jewish school is shot at in Canada, it makes the news. So does an arson attack on a synagogue, or graffiti spray painted on Jewish-owned buildings. 

When those things happen, police, governments and the media all leap into action — as they should. Acts of hate against Jews, against Muslims, or against any group need to be called out and firmly addressed. 

But almost nothing is done about another form of hate that comes directly into our homes on a regular basis: online hate. And that concerns Andre Oboler, CEO of Australia’s Online Hate Prevention Institute. 

Prior to 2008, before social media, this form of online hate “did not exist because the platforms did not exist,” he said. “But it’s a different world today.” 

Through the institute, Oboler tracks online hate directed at Jews and other groups. Since Oct. 7, when Hamas attacked Israel, the Institute has seen a 400 per cent rise in antisemitism on social media platforms such as X (formerly Twitter), Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and others. 

The biggest increases are in the platforms dominated by the far right, he said. “But it is growing everywhere.”

Read more in my recent Free Press column.

Your invitation to support faith coverage at the Winnipeg Free Press

If you think stories about religion should be reported by the media, here’s your chance to make sure that continues to happen at the Winnipeg Free Press.

 

The Free Press is the only major daily media outlet in Canada that still has a faith beat—and I am the only faith reporter in the country.

 

The beat is made possible by support from faith groups in Winnipeg that support the Religion in the News project at the Free Press—founded in 2019 to make sure stories about faith were reported by the newspaper.

 

Since that time, over 850 articles about faith in the province have been produced, along with 250 columns.

 

Along with support from faith groups, people like you are invited to make contributions to the project! You can ensure the paper can continue to report about faith by making a contribution of $25, $50 or more at the Religion in the News support page at the Free Press. (Note: Contributions are not tax deductible.)  

 

You can support this coverage even if you don’t live in Winnipeg—all stories are free to read on the Free Press website (along with religion stories from across Canada and around the world).

 

In case you are wondering what kinds of stories about faith are published by the Free Press, here’s a list from January:

 

·       ‘Gaza, but in slower motion’: Local Mennonites share about visit to West Bank

·       Federal committee urges end to tax deductions for places of worship

·       ‘Hate goes viral’: CMHR talk to focus on rising antisemitism

·       Indigenous, Muslim conference delves into colonization, racism

·       2025 marks the 500th anniversary of Anabaptism

·       Mosque becomes a reality for Morden’s Muslim families

·       Let’s live peacefully and meaningfully together in this land

·       Winnipeg Roman Catholic archbishop retires

·       From Ten Commandments to Synod on Synodality, it was quite a year

·       Sikh community builder to receive interfaith award

·       Spiritual care providers at personal care homes serve residents’ spiritual needs

·       Interfaith outreach program brings Winnipeggers together

·      Winnipeg festival to celebrate history, significance of Yiddish language

 

Thanks for supporting Religion in the News!