In this review from the Catalyst, writer Brian Walsh unpacks the raw emotion of civilization in decline and the tender expression of radical love in Bruce Cockburn’s album O Sun O Moon. A longer version of this piece originally appeared in Christian Courier.
Journey with researcher Julia Sterling as she bridges the gap between pandemic response and climate action through an innovative workshop approach. She explores how collective imagination can transform our approach to the climate crisis, and reveals how participatory exercises in community settings can break through crisis fatigue to inspire hope and action.
“What would a response to the climate crisis look like if we treated it with the same urgency as the Covid-19 Pandemic?” That’s the question Julia Sterling invited CPJ members to consider in her workshop The Climate Virus. In this article from The Catalyst, Julia reflects on the ideas of imagination, community, and hope that emerged from the workshop.
In February 2024, Étienne Eason was arrested after spraying paint on a replica dinosaur skeleton at the Museum of Nature in Ottawa. In an interview with CPJ, Eason explains the meaning of his action, and why he thinks civil disobedience is a necessary form of resistance to climate inaction.
Canada faces a surge in refugee claimants, exceeding 137,000 in 2024, yet lacks a coordinated national plan for their resettlement. Grassroots organizations are filling the gaps, providing vital housing and support, but a comprehensive federal strategy is urgently needed to ensure dignified support for asylum seekers and fulfill Canada’s international obligations.
In the summer of 2023, a number of African refugee claimants arrived in Toronto. Amid an overburdened shelter system, government inaction, and funding disputes, these migrants were effectively put out on the street. Several faith communities and organizations, including Pilgrim’s Feast Tabernacle Church and the Crisis in our City Network, took up the call to resist this injustice and transformed their spaces into shelters, providing refuge and essential services for thousands. Learn how faith communities took bold an compassionate steps to bring justice to a vulnerable population.
Joash Thomas talks about the emotional weight of working on justice issues in South Asia and North America. He highlights God’s role in restoring broken justice systems.
Read Ian Van Haren’s review of the book “Valley of the Birdtail,” which examines the historical disparities between Indigenous and non-Indigenous communities in the Birdtail River valley in Manitoba.
In the digital age, art serves as a powerful tool for social change beyond words and statistics. Making art requires patience and embodies a counter to urgency. Communal art projects foster collaboration and participation.
In the 2023 Fall Catalyst, Walter Neutel reflects on 60 years of CPJ and the history that made us the organization we are today. Walter discusses the Dutch immigrant community in Canada post-World War II, focusing on their formation of communities and Christian schools, and highlights the advocacy work of CLA and CJL, which later became CPJ.
Natalie Appleyard discusses the need for hope, advocacy, and transformative policy changes to address poverty, especially among Indigenous peoples. She emphasizes the importance of embodying hope through action and collaboration to create systemic change.