Premier Kinew is inviting Manitobans to weigh in on replacing the legislature’s opening Christian prayer with a more representative and inclusive one
Author Archives: John Longhurst
John Longhurst is a freelance religion and development aid reporter and columnist for the Winnipeg Free Press. He has been involved in journalism and communications for over 40 years, including as president of Canadian Church Press. In 2021, he received the Manitoba Lieutenant Governor’s Award for Inter-Religious Understanding for his work at the Free Press. In 2024, he was named a member of the Order of Canada.
Posted inCommunity
Majority of Canadians still believe in an afterlife, survey finds
Belief in an afterlife is one of the only surveyed beliefs that has remained pretty stable over time and across generations
Posted inReligion
Is Good Friday discriminatory?
The Good Friday statutory holiday raises a question: should non-Christians be accommodated to celebrate their special holy days?
Posted inReligion
‘Money that is owing’: Churches pay reparations to Indigenous groups
Some churches have started paying a portion of their budgets to Indigenous groups as reparations for past wrongs
Posted inReligion
War tax resistance: Conscientious objectors divert their taxes
At tax season, some Canadians who object to Canada’s military spending engage in war tax resistance, directing some of their taxes elsewhere
Posted inCommunity
‘9/11 all over again’: Manitoba Muslims on the toll of Gaza war
Manitoba Muslims speak about the challenge of expressing their grief, anxiety and hopelessness — especially with non-Muslims
Posted inProfessional
Can parish nursing be a new form of community care?
As congregations age, some churches are bringing on parish nurses to respond to congregants’ medical, health and social needs
Posted inReligion
‘Slap in the face’: new blessing for same-sex couples gets mixed reaction
Priests can now bless same-sex couples. But the doctrine reaffirms marriage in the Catholic Church is only between a man and woman
Posted inCommunity
The ‘two traumas’: interfaith relations hit low in Canada
The state of interfaith relations in Canada has never been worse, experts say, with two traumas playing out: ‘events there and events here’
Posted inReligion
Controversial military directive does not ban prayer, as critics charge
A controversial new directive seeks to ensure all Canadians feel included in military ceremonies, no matter their spiritual beliefs. But it does not ban prayer