Justice & Advocacy
Our Justice & Advocacy department exists to help set a posture of serving our pastors, our churches, and our neighbourhoods with thoughtful dialogue and resourcing for biblically-based and culturally sensitive engagement on justice and advocacy issues.
How can you engage in Justice and Advocacy?
What can it look like for our Atlantic Baptist churches and leaders to have biblically-based and culturally sensitive engagement on justice and advocacy issues? How can we follow Jesus and seek the growth of His kingdom through having challenging conversations and addressing injustice?
Resources Library
Racial Reconciliation
Resources
- Race, Class, and the Kingdom of God (David Bailey) This small group study explores God’s heart for reconciliation and your community’s thoughts around race, class, and culture.
- Staring Into Our Own Eyes: A discipleship journey towards healing and freedom This is a 6-week small group study for local churches about leaving the burden of racism behind. Created by the anti-Black Racism Task Force of the Canadian Baptists of Atlantic Canada.
- 2022 Simpson Lectures (Rev. Dr. Rhonda Y. Britton and Rev. Dr. Lennett J. Anderson) Dr. Britton and Dr. Anderson were two featured lecturers for this annual event focused on bringing expert insight and teaching from respected voices to students and pastoral leaders.
Books
- Dear White Peacemaker – Osheta Moore
- Just Mercy – Brian Stevenson
- Be The Bridge – Latasha Morrison
- How To Be Anti-Racist – Ibram X. Kendi
- White Fragility – Robin D’Angelo
Image Credit: “Two young women walking by a house, Africville” (‘Nova Scotia Archives, Bob Brooks’ Photographic Portrait of Africville in the 1960s, Bob Brooks, 1989-468 vol. 16 / negative sheet 7 image 15’)
Indigenous Relations
Resources
- Walking In a Good Way With Indigenous Neighbours This free online course is composed of content curated by the Indigenous Working Group of the CBAC and hosted on the CBAC website.
- CBAC Resolution In Response to the Truth and Reconciliation Commission This resolution was passed by our 2019 Assembly.
- Red Clover Catalyzing right, just, and whole relationships between settlers and First Peoples in Canada.
- KAIROS Blanket Exercise An exercise developed by an ecumenical organization to help understanding, empathy, and reconciliation for us as settlers.
- Territory Research – native-land.ca This tool helps you become familiar with the Indigenous nations and groups whose unceded territory you reside on.
Books
- Braiding Sweetgrass – Robin Wall Kimmerer
- Pathways to Reconciliation – Editors: Aimée Craft & Paulette Regan
Image Credit: “Bear River Reservation. Sunday after Mass. Indian Congregation and Chapel.” (‘Nova Scotia Archives, Album 43, no. 2 #3 / negative 6820, 2511)
Mental Health
Resources
- Masterclass with Dr. Glen Berry – “A Theology of Mental Health and Wellness”
- Masterclass with Margaret Totten – “Unspoken at Church; Giving Voice to the Mental Health Crisis”
- Masterclass with Rev. Dr. Cheryl Ann Beals – “Soul Care for the Leader’s Soul”
- Masterclass with Laurette Nwaonumah – “What Pastors Need to Know About Victims of Crime”
Creation Care
Small Group Resources
- Faithful Climate Conversations 3 guides available as PDFs
- Interfaith Rainforest Initiative: Faith Toolkits – Protestant | Evangelical There are two PDF guides that could be helpful for you: “Protestant” + “Evangelical”
- Watershed Discipleship Workshop (PDF Guide) (coming soon)
- “Christianity and Climate Change” Documentary A nine-part film series featuring Katharine Hayhoe, the internationally renowned Christian climate scientist
Individual Resources
- Self-Care as Creation Care (Published by For The Love of Creation) This short PDF guide contains journal space and meditations on your relationship with Creation.
- Take a Sacred Pause (Published by For The Love of Creation) PDF reflective exercise
- Ecological Footprint Calculator
Videos
- “Global Weirding” (YouTube Channel)
- “Earthkeeping: A Climate for Change” (Youtube video replays from a 2015 event in Vancouver, BC)
Liturgical Resources
- Season of Creation Prayers (Anglican Church of Canada)
- Sermon Starters and Prayers (Citizens for Public Justice)
Organizations
Other Resources
- Greening Sacred Spaces (Faith and the Common Good) A guide to reducing your church’s ecological footprint
- A Guide to Developing a “Green Team” in Your Faith Community (Faith and the Common Good)
- Tips for Native Plant Gardening at your Faith Community (PDF) (coming soon)
- Edible Community Garden Guide (PDF) (coming soon)
- 10 Steps for “Greening” your church (Creation Care School)
- Faith and the Environment Toolkit (Faith and the Common Good)
Books
- Saving Us – Katharine Hayhoe
- Planted – Leah Kostamo
- Braiding Sweetgrass – Robin Wall Kimmerer
- For the Beauty of the Earth – Steven Bouma-Prediger
- Scripture, Culture and Agriculture – Ellen Davis
- The Paradise of God – Norman Wirzba
Disability & Justice
Resources
- Church Resource: Accessibility Checklist (PDF)
- Podcast: The Bible for Normal People, Episode 205: My Body Is Not A Prayer Request — Peter Enns & Jared Byas
Books
- My Body Is Not A Prayer Request: Disability Justice in the Church — Amy Kenny
- “Bridging Theory and Practice in Children’s Spirituality: New Directions for Education, Ministry, and Discipleship” (Chapter Four) — Editors: Mimi Larson and Robert Keeley
LGBTQ2S+
Resources
- CBAC Workshop – Youth Gender Identities and Sexuality (Rev. Dan Pyke — please contact for more details)
- CBAC LGBTQ+ Booklet (Please reach out to Rev. Dan Pyke for more details)
- Posture Shift
Books
- Generous Spaciousness — Wendy VanderWal-Gritter
- Embodied – Preston Sprinkle
- People to Be Loved – Preston Sprinkle
Poverty
Resources for Kids, Youth, and Families
- Kid’s Care Program — Canadian Baptist Ministries
- “Smart Start” Program for Camps — Canadian Baptist Ministries
- Hunger for Justice Youth Guide — Food Grains Bank
- Stone Soup Activity — Food Grains Bank
- Right to Food Activity — Food Grains Bank
- “Challenging Conditions” Activity — Food Grains Bank
Other Resources
- “Four Feet Up” Documentary – A short documentary about poverty in Nova Scotia
- The Church’s Call to Compassion and Justice in the face of Poverty: Some Biblical and Theological Reflections (PDF)
- “Living Justice” Reflections, Prayers and Activities (Citizens for Public Justice)
- “Dimensions of Poverty Hub” (Statistics Canada)
- HungerCount – Annual Report and Findings – Foodbanks Canada
- “Healing Poverty” Reflection by the Canadian Council of Churches (PDF)
- “Addressing Homelessness: A Theology of Home-fullness” — Canadian Baptists of Western Canada (PDF)
- “The Cost of Poverty in the Atlantic Provinces” from Policy Alternatives — Christine Saulnier and Charles Plante (PDF)
Organizations
- Citizens for Public Justice
- Feed Nova Scotia
- Community Food Centres Canada
- Canadian Baptist Ministries
- Harvest House Atlantic
- Outflow Saint John
Books
- When Helping Hurts — Steve Corbett and Brian Fikkert
- Toxic Charity — Robert D. Lupton
- Walking with the Poor — Bryant L Myers
- Beyond Charity — John M Perkins
Affordable Housing
Resources
- Affordable Housing Workshop (Lisa Ryan, Justice Summit 2022) Download available for $10
- Homeless Hub — Canadian Observatory on Homelessness
- Canadian National Housing Strategy
- Affordable Housing Initiatives Church Package — Coming soon!
Local Organizations by Province
Newfoundland and Labrador:
Prince Edward Island:
Nova Scotia:
- Shelter Nova Scotia
- Affordable Housing Association of Nova Scotia List of Housing Clinics in HRM
- South Shore Open Doors Association
New Brunswick:
Past Justice Summit Resources
TO OUR INDIGENOUS NEIGHBOURS
The CBAC recognizes that no people and no buildings can exist without land to support and uphold them. Prior to the founding of our denomination or any of our churches, before the beginning of any of the Atlantic provinces, or the dominion of Canada – this land was entrusted by the Creator to the Mi’kmaw, Wəlastəkwewiyik, Peskotomuhkati, Penobscot, Innu, and Inuit nations as well as the former Beothuk nation. Many of our churches exist in unceded territory, and we, as a predominantly settler body, are governed by treaties with the First Peoples of this land. In the spirit of Truth and Reconciliation, and with the guidance of the United Nations Declaration of the Rights of Indigenous People, we acknowledge these lands and their Indigenous custodians and we recognize ourselves as treaty people. As Baptists of Atlantic Canada, we seek to walk in a good way upon the land that sustains us, and alongside our Indigenous neighbours and hosts.
TO OUR SISTERS AND BROTHERS IN THE AUBA
In 2007 we held a joint Assembly of the CBAC and AUBA; during that Assembly we participated in a formal reconciliation service entitled "Unity In Diversity: Celebrating Our Oneness in Christ." A liturgy and covenant for the Assembly was participated in by our leaders and delegates.