SALT Conversations

The EMCC is committed to supporting our pastors and congregations as you step up to the challenge of giving voice to the gospel and the message of Jesus Christ in everyday life. In light of this commitment, the SALT (Social Awareness, Living Truth) Committee provides publications to help you and your congregants navigate prominent topics in today’s society.

Series 3: Sanctity of Life

Sanctity of Life 1: General

Several topics probably come to mind when you think of the sacredness of life. Every human life is valued by God. The question is, how do Christ-followers live this out? The Sanctity of Life series is being introduced with a ‘General’ paper that speaks to this question. A big thank you to Deve Persad, Lead Pastor of Sarnia Evangelical Missionary Church, who has taken the time to author this ‘General’ paper. Future papers will be released on the variety of topics under this theme. We trust and pray that this paper and others will be beneficial to you in your ministry as well as those to whom you minister.

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Sanctity of Life 2: Caring for the Unborn

The diverse situations encountered by Christ-followers on the topic of Sanctity of Life are very personal resulting in decisions that may initially appear simple but can become complex if we have not seriously considered truth on this subject. Abortion: Standing for the Unborn is the first sub-topic in this series. Jutta Wittmeier, Executive Director of the Calgary Pregnancy Care Centre, is the author of this paper. We appreciate Jutta’s approach in emphasizing positive proactive responses by Christians individually and corporately.

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Sanctity of Life 3: Reclaiming the trafficked and freeing the enslaved

Slavery is a serious and culturally relevant topic with spiritual and practical implications across many avenues of inquiry in today’s culture – from advocating for policies surrounding prostitution (and the debate about “harm reduction”), to making purchasing decisions about common household goods, to how we support victims and disciple families and children to live in freedom physically and spiritually. Reclaiming the Trafficked and Freeing the Enslaved is the 3^rd paper in our Sanctity of Life series and offers culturally timely insights as the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Justice and Human Rights began reviewing current prostitution laws in February, 2022. Some are pushing for these laws to be repealed and the Evangelical Fellowship of Canada is actively recommending ‘that the current laws be upheld and fully implemented and enforced across the country’ as well as increasing public education alongside ‘significant and ongoing funding towards exit supports and services.’ Authored by Terry Schmidt, Stroll Outreach Lead with Next Step Ministries, with contributions from Paul Brandt, champion of Not in My City and Past Chair of the Alberta Human Trafficking Task Force, this paper provides a robust education on modern and historical slavery, causes of and factors that perpetuate this issue, as well as biblical based recommendations for Christian communities seeking to take a stand against modern slavery in today’s world.

A Conversation with Deve Persad and Jutta Wittmeier discussing the first two papers

Sanctity of Life 4: Medical Assistance in Dying (MAiD)

A growing number of Canadians are asking their medical providers to end their lives. With Bill C-7 expanding access to Medical Assistance in Dying (MAID), Canada has quickly become a world leader in providing easy access to assisted suicide. MAID in Canada: Toward a Faithful Christian Response to Assisted Suicide and Euthanasia is the 4th paper in our Sanctity of Life series. In 2021 there were 10,065 deaths by MAID – a five-fold increase from 2017. A growing number of these deaths are being requested by people who are not facing terminal illness and by March 2023 access to MAID will be expanded to include people suffering from mental illness, including depression.

David Guretzki, Ph.D., and Resident Theologian/Vice President (soon to be President) of the EFC (Evangelical Fellowship of Canada) offer deep cultural, historical, legal, and biblical insights on this growing tsunami of moral and ethical issues troubling both secular and Christian observers alike. David’s paper provides the careful and scripturally grounded analysis required to begin rising to our responsibility as churches and individuals to understand both the issue of MAID and God’s will for how we should respond.

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