c. 2003 Religion News Service
Muslims Set to Establish Sharia Courts
TORONTO (RNS) Canadian Muslims have taken a big step toward persuading courts to accept decisions made under Islamic Sharia law.
Muslim leaders here elected a 30-member council in October to establish a Darul-Qada (judicial tribunal), to be known as the Islamic Institute of Civil Justice.
It will set up legal panels across the country to arbitrate in marital breakups and other civil or business disputes under Sharia.
Recent changes to provincial arbitration laws make it possible for decisions made by these Muslim courts to be final and binding under Canadian law _ the same as for rulings made by a beth din, a Jewish legal panel comprised of three rabbis.
“Thirty years ago, Canadian courts said nobody could usurp their jurisdiction, but now the trend is to go the other way, because the litigation process is too expensive,” said Don Short, a Toronto lawyer who specializes in arbitration and mediation.
But reaction in some U.S. circles has been sharply critical.
“Proving once again why our neighbor to the north is often more of a liability in the battle against Islamic extremism than an ally, an convention was just held in Ontario with the purpose of establishing Sharia law in Canada,” fumed Jean Shaw of ChronWatch.com. “Apparently, it doesn’t bother the Canadian government that an ancient and barbaric system of laws could take precedence over (its) own.”
Canadian Muslims “have every intention of instituting insane Sharia style laws to govern (their) own community within Canada itself,” lamented Warner Todd Huston of Americandaily.com. “They seem to feel it perfectly reasonable to ignore an entire country’s laws and custom and institute one not only foreign to their adopted country’s sensibilities but one wholly antithetical to them.”
Christian Leaders Condemn Anti-Semitism
OTTAWA (RNS) The leaders of nine Christian churches have called on all Canadians to condemn and fight anti-Semitism.
“We challenge all churches, parishes, congregations and people of goodwill to find ways and means to expose and eradicate anti-Semitism within and from Canadian society,” said the Dec. 8 statement.
“We have become profoundly concerned and deeply dismayed by the alarming increase of anti-Semitism in Canada,” said the open letter, signed by the leaders of the Roman Catholic, Anglican, United Church, Baptist, Presbyterian and four other national churches.
The statement acknowledges “with sadness and regret, and with no little shame, the historic burden of persecution, which Jews have borne throughout Western history; a burden all too often inflicted by Christians, who have maligned Jesus’ own people in Jesus’ name.”
The letter was signed to coincide with the Dec. 10 anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the Dec. 19 start of Hanukkah. Rabbi Reuven Bulka, the Canadian Jewish Congress’ chair of religious and interreligious affairs, welcomed “this warm, clear and forceful declaration.” Muslims, Jews Get Together for Eid HAMILTON, Ontario (RNS) This city’s Muslim and Jewish communities took an unprecedented step toward friendship late last month. The Hamilton Spectator reported that among the 1,200 Eid-el-Fitr revelers at a gala dinner at a local restaurant were three representatives of the city’s Jewish community, happily enjoying their specially ordered kosher meals. Hamilton Muslim Association president Javid Mirza invited Hamilton Jewish Federation executive director Gerald Fisher and guests to the annual dinner that marks the end of Ramadan with feasting and merrymaking. “I believe that human beings are human beings,” Mirza said. “Once we get to know each other, we’ll prove that old theory that it really is just a fear of the unknown.” More than 50 nationalities representing different faiths were in the crowd, which included Federal Heritage Minister Sheila Copps. Mirza and Fisher are members of a local interfaith initiative launched in the wake of Sept. 11 and the subsequent destruction of the local Hindu Samaj Temple. Mirza said he would like to arrange a dinner meeting between members of the city’s Jewish and Palestinian and Lebanese communities. “When there’s food involved, everything always works great,” he said. Board Bans Religion During School Hours HAMILTON, Ontario (RNS) The Hamilton public school board has permanently banned a lunch-hour Christian group from a local high school and Muslim students from meeting their imam for Friday prayer breaks. The board barred any religious or faith-based extracurricular activities from the school day, but will continue to allow students to leave class to observe “required religious tenets.” The board statement, which was requested after a noon-hour Christian club was banned at Westmount Secondary School, reiterates an existing policy that clubs which meet before or after classes must be led by a “teacher-adviser.” “Personally, I feel we’re letting the students down,” said local school trustee Allan Pierce, who vowed to fight for students’ rights to participate in religious activities at school. “I’m hoping we’ll be able to review the policy to allow these activities to continue.” Board chair Judith Bishop said she’s heard from parents who are both outraged and pleased at Westmount Principal Margaret Bowman’s decision earlier this month to ban the noontime Christian club. “There are parents very concerned their children will be exposed to cult groups or indoctrinated in a way they want absolutely nothing to do with,” she said. Anglican Church Sets out Priorities TORONTO (RNS) The Anglican Church of Canada’s Toronto diocese celebrated an important milestone when it held its 150th regular session of synod in late November. The diocese began a yearlong process to discuss the issue of same-sex blessings. The process will include information sessions for clergy and laity through the spring of 2004, followed by a special session of synod late next autumn. Archbishop Terence Finlay said the process will help Anglicans in the diocese discuss and reflect on the issue before making any decisions. Meantime, the Anglican Church of Canada’s Council of General Synod _ the church’s governing body between General Synods _ met Nov. 7-9 in Mississauga, Ontario and reviewed a new framework to guide the church’s work and mission for the next six years. The framework would, if approved by General Synod next spring, replace a 10-year strategic plan that was approved in 1995. Priorities listed in the plan are: deepening Anglican identity for mission and servanthood; nurturing and strengthening Christian communities for local witness; building stewardship and financial capacity; and bolstering domestic and international partnerships. The council also passed a motion welcoming an Alternative Dispute Resolution Process announced by the federal government earlier to handle claims by former students of church-run residential schools. Jews, Christians to Share House of Worship CALGARY, Alberta (RNS) Two Calgary faith communities will soon be sharing space under one roof. Reform synagogue Temple B’nai Tikvah and Living Spirit United Church will use one building and worship in the same sanctuary, though not at the same time. Temple B’nai Tikvah is buying the building from Living Spirit while that congregation looks for a new place of worship. Exterior crosses are being removed out of respect for the synagogue. Inside the sanctuary, Christian symbols will be covered with drapes or screens on Friday and Saturday for Jewish worship and uncovered Sunday for Christian services. The congregations will share administration and social areas and the church kitchen will become semi-kosher. Reform temples and churches share spaces in several U.S. states and there is one other case in Canada in Waterloo, Ontario. Canadian Forces Welcome First Muslim Chaplain OTTAWA (RNS) Capt. Suleyman Demiray, an imam from the Ottawa area, has been named the first Muslim chaplain in the history of the Canadian Armed Forces. Demiray, a native of Turkey, was scheduled to graduate from the 13-week Chaplain Basic Officer Training Course on Wednesday, Dec. 10. He will be posted to Edmonton Air Base. Until now, the chaplain corps was made up of Christian chaplains of a variety of denominations. “However, demographics in both the Canadian Forces and Canadian society are changing, and there is an understanding of the need to minister to people of a variety of faiths and beliefs,” the Forces said in a statement. The entry of Demiray into the chaplain corps “is a positive and exciting step in the direction of the CF more accurately reflecting the changing mosaic of our country,” said Chaplain-General Brig. Gen. Ron Bourque. Other course graduates include the first Regular Force Salvation Army chaplain since the Second World War, Capt. Patrick Lublink, and the first Evangelical Free Church of Canada chaplain in the CF, Capt. Greg Costen. Evangelicals Seek to Uphold Marriage TORONTO (RNS) The Evangelical Fellowship of Canada and several like-minded groups have joined to uphold the traditional definition of marriage in a project dubbed “Marriage on the Rock.” It is planned as a week or special Sunday when congregations across Canada are being encouraged to focus on marriage _ “as God designed it.” Congregations are being encouraged to set aside Feb. 8-15, 2004 (the week leading up to Valentine’s Day) to promote traditional marriage. For congregations wishing to set aside a Sunday only, Feb. 15, 2004 is being recommended. Interactive resource kits, including renewals of vows and marriage affirmations, have been mailed to congregations across Canada. DEA END CSILLAG
