This story in the Toronto Sun is not very clear.
Essentially B’nai Brith Canada and Canadian Christian College (Dr. Charles McVety) say the Toronto area (9 Presbyterys) of the United Church of Canada hate Isreal.
The Toronto Conference of the United Church of Canada announced a boycott yesterday of Israeli products and companies that do business with the country’s military. Their decision also supports Ontario CUPE’s decision to join an international boycott of Israel to protest how the country has treated Palestinian refugees.
B’nai Brith Canada and the Canada Christian College denounced the boycott as a biased decision against Israel.
“This group has a long history of looking at the conflict solely from the point of view of the Palestinians while at the same time ignoring the ongoing Palestinian terrorism against Israeli civilians,” said Frank Dimant, B’nai Brith’s executive vice-president.
Seems like a straight re-act but is Mr. Dimant’s and Dr. McVety’s statement true?
The two organizations are also calling on the Canadian International Development Agency to withdraw funding for KAIROS. The United Church of Canada is one of the ecumenical society’s members.
B’nai Brith Canada and the college believe that KAIROS supports Sabeel, a Christian group they accuse of having an anti-Israel agenda.
First off, the Toronto Church is called a conference – a group of United Churches in an area or region. And according the the Justice, Global and Ecumenical Relations Unit at the headquarters of the denomination that isn’t quite what the Toronto Presbytry is doing.
These are motions – the Toronto Conference first made this in 2003. The motions are being prepared for the General Conference that is being held in August.
Secondly it has not been endorsed by the General Conference - all the United Churches in Canada.
The Toronto Sun story is a react and is not only concerned with motions from a conference or commending a CUPE (Canadian Union of Public Employees, Ontario) resolution, but doesn’t like KAIROS stand. ( KAIRO’s webpages aren’t updated as yet, however here is the Kairos page that outlines it’s affiliation with Sabeel). And here are prior KAIROs links with Sabeel. KAIROS as perceived by The United Church of Canada.
Who is Sabeel?
Here is some heavy criticism on the founder of Sabeel and what their sins are as perceived by the David Project Center for Jewish Leadership.
The United Church is Canada’s largest protestant denomination and has recognized Palestinian Christians since the 1960′s.
According to the 2001 census about 2.8 million Canadians claim UCCan affliation. However, the census also reports that church attendence is about 1/4 million.
An anti-Isreal agenda is perceived in several ways – exploiting human rights to demonize the nation of Isreal, criticism of Isreali government policies or military action, anti Semitism, anti biblical.
I think in the B’nai Brith reaction we are seeing political and economic concerns, in Canadian Christian College the predominantly US dominionist/fundamentalist evangelical (Zionist) stance is taken.
It is believed about 2% of the Palestinian and Isreali population are Christian – 175 thousand.
CUPE (Ontario) Resolution 50Â
