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.

Laura Bennett

Coordinator of Justice & Advocacy

506-635-1922 x1009
[email protected]

Justice & 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?

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Justice & Advocacy Community

You are invited to join the Justice & Advocacy Community—a space for pastors, leaders, and congregants in our CBAC family to grow in their knowledge of and response to social justice issues, all in the context of a safe community. By signing up, you will be put on our email list to receive curated content, access to the Justice and Advocacy Community Facebook group, as well as information for upcoming Justice and Advocacy learning opportunities and initiatives (book club, workshops, dialogues, etc!).

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Resources Library

This collection of resources has been developed by our Justice & Advocacy working group—prayerfully and thoughtfully assembled to give you the opportunity to pursue greater understanding and conscientious action in key areas that we’ve identified.

Events

From time to time, we are spearheading events that act as catalysts and encouragement for our Atlantic Baptist churches to take steps forward in their Justice & Advocacy journeys. Join us at the Justice Summit.

Resources Library

a group of people sitting in chairs in a room

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.
Hidden Figures of the AUBA – The AUBA Ministerial and the CBAC Anti-Black Racism Taskforce have partnered to produce this series telling the stories of four “Hidden Figures of the AUBA”.

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.
A Good Way This is an online resource library for Baptist Churches, gathered to help on the journey of building right relationships between non-Indigenous and Indigenous peoples.

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

Liturgical Resources

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

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

Other Resources

Organizations

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:

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.