How can Christians and Muslims engage in dialogue and partnership? Gail Allan and Muneeb Nasir, co-chairs of the National Muslim Christian Liaison Committee, talk about why it is important for Christians and Muslims to learn about one another's traditions and concerns, build relationships, and work together. They share ideas on how your local community can engage, including participating in an online project that connects Muslim-Christian partnerships in Canada: councilofchurches.ca/mapping-diversity/

How does ecumenical dialogue help churches work for justice and peace? What does ‘peace’ mean for Christians? Peter Noteboom, Acting General Secretary of the CCC and former Associate Secretary for the Commission on Justice and Peace, discusses ecumenical and theological principles for justice and peace work, shares personal reflections on peace and peacemaking, and speaks about the current work and future directions for the Council.

Every year, Christians around the world gather to pray and share fellowship during the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity. The theme for 2018 comes to us from the Caribbean region: “Your right hand, O LORD, glorious in power” (Ex 15:6). 

What is the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity, and why is it important? And how can your local community take part?

Pastor Susan Climo, chair of the Canadian Week of Prayer for Christian Unity writing team, answers these questions and more…

Visit www.weekofprayer.ca / www.semainedepriere.ca to download 2018 materials, share your local celebration, or connect!

This year, we commemorate the 500th anniversary of the Reformation. What makes this anniversary unique – and uniquely ecumenical? How can we participate in this event? And what can we learn from it? Sr Donna Geernaert (CCCB) and Pastor André Lavergne (ELCIC) join us to talk about these questions, and about Together in Christ, a new ecumenical resource that offers Canadian Catholics, Lutherans, and other Christians an opportunity to get to know one another through Bible study, prayer and reflection. This resource is available here:

http://www.elcic.ca/ecumenical/TogetherInChrist.cfm

http://www.cccb.ca/site/eng/commissions-committees-and-aboriginal-council/national-commissions/christian-unity-religious-relations-with-the-jews-and-interfaith-dialogue/documents/4634-together-in-christ-lutherans-and-catholics-commemorating-the-reformation

Have you ever wished you really understood genetic modification and food engineering? What does it really mean for us? Is it good? Is it bad? Who decides?

What is ecumenism? Why is it important for Christians? A 'seasoned' ecumenist, the Rev. Dr. Karen Hamilton, Canadian Council of Churches' General Secretary, and a 'newbie' ecumenist, Kaeli Sweigard, delve into these questions and more!

This month, Faith & Witness welcomes Fr. Ted Paraskevopoulos of St. Constantine and Helen Greek Orthodox church in Toronto and Rev. Lane Scruggs of the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ). Ted and Lane discuss the idea of Salvation and the authentic life--how religious discipline and freedom intersect, and what freedom really means.

Our interview this month is with the Rev. Jeffrey Metcalfe, Anglican priest in the diocese of Quebec and the CCC's very own Justice & Piece intern. Jeffrey discusses his early experiences of ecumenism and how ecumenism has shaped him.

Jeffrey also talks about how his research on church approaches to helping refugees has interacted with his current role as CCC intern, the deep practicality of churches on the frontline of helping refugees, and the Words of Welcome Facebook group for people seeking resources and discussion on refugee sponsorship.

The first Faith & Witness Advent edition is a briefer episode, featuring a dialogue between CFW staff Dr. Mary Marrocco & Maria Simakova, and CFW chair Professor Richard Schneider.

The three talk about the history of the Commission, and how members work together in the forum model, and what we have learned as we've worked together in forum.

This month's episode of Faith & Witness features an interview with the Rev. Jonathan Schmidt, Director of the Canadian Churches Forum (a program agency of the Canadian Council of Churches) on the connection and interplay between ecumenism and intercultural ministry & learning

AND 

A discussion with Fred Demaray of the Canadian Baptists of Ontario and Quebec, and John Tenyenhuis of the Christian Reformed Church of North America—both members of the CCC's Christian Interfaith Reference Group—on the encounter of Christians together with other faiths.

Please download, share our podcast on social media, rate & review us on iTunes, and most of all, enjoy!