We are in the midst of a revolution, though certainly not one I saw coming — a revolution run by billionaires to concentrate wealth, break unions, control flows of information and reshape the social order.
Last week, Elon Musk, the world’s wealthiest man and a close adviser to U.S. President Donald Trump, gave two Nazi-style salutes in a speech. And then there is Trump himself. He threatens Canada with tariffs and territorial expansion, refugees with mass deportations, dismantles legal protections for trans people, and who knows what else will emerge? His inauguration is less than two weeks old and he has already started reshaping the world. Will this impact us and our politics? Of course. He continues to threaten our very existence as a country, most recently by telling the World Economic Forum on Jan. 23 that we should be the 51st state.
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Between this and Canada’s own internal crises of housing, income inequality and climate change, we can feel overwhelmed. But this current emergency is also an opportunity for the Canadian church to rediscover its authentic voice and be a vital force for good. How can we do this? Here are some suggestions.
1. Be Bishop Budde.
In an extraordinary moment last week during the inaugural prayer service, Rt. Rev. Mariann Budde, the Episcopal bishop of Washington, D.C., pleaded with Trump to have mercy on those under threat from his policies. It was an act that showed enormous courage and will come with consequences. But for those of us in faith communities, it means meeting with our politicians to uphold our values. And we should do so alongside partners from other denominations or faiths, because the days of any church speaking alone and having an impact are long gone.
I am also aware that being Budde in your own church could come with a cost. But in historic moments like this, the question is not “Will this make folks angry?” but rather, “Where was I in a moment of crisis?”
2. Start helping to build the economy we want.
It is not enough to proclaim the need for economic justice — we need to start showing what that can look like. We can support companies and social enterprises that aim to create just employment.
Alongside our faith neighbours, we can also take actions to help foster an alternative economy, like creating a skills bank to exchange services, starting a tool library, sharing surplus from vegetable gardens or planting indoor hydroponic gardens to support food banks.
3. Create places of respite.
We are being overwhelmed with negative news about the future of our country and planet. The church can reach out to its community and offer space and worship to support each other. It may take the form of communal gatherings for guided conversations, or providing resources to help manage the stress and uncertainty that looks to become the new normal.
4. Begin collective conversations about the refugee crisis that could be coming.
As Trump starts to round up undocumented residents of the United States, there could be a lot of pressure on our border as people flee north. The same is true for members of the trans community, who are being told they don’t actually exist under the new administration. What are we going to do when they start arriving? Now is the time to plan for this.
5. Pray and preach the Gospel.
The world of Jesus is the world of empire, and that is clearly our world now. If we look at the Gospel with fresh eyes, we may rediscover its life-giving message anew. The power of prayer to centre, to calm and to support us cannot be underestimated. This is the time to embrace and share our spiritual practices as we connect to God.
While I believe we are in a series of genuine crises, that doesn’t mean panicking or succumbing to despair. Instead, this time calls us to be calm, thoughtful and deliberate. Now is the time to get ready, to reach out to colleagues and allies, and to create the groups we will need to sustain us so we can act.
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Rev. Christopher White is a United Church minister in Hamilton.
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