Two weeks ago today, I was driven to BMO’s Institute for Learning. 20 or more young, Canadian leaders of 1 global corporation interviewed me for 2 hours. My role was to help them understand a Christian Pastor’s worldview. Whether I was the best available “Pastor” to have chosen is a question for someone else to answer (haha). They asked me questions as a “Pastor” because they believed, and rightly so, that a “Pastor” is an “expert” in an “important area of society”. Their goal was that this interview would result in value being added to their company. My goal was to be help their goal by being a memorable and informative influence on their personal, spiritual journeys. I wish you all could have been there. I was alive as the ideas swirled in the air and the coffee was sipped! 
As I reflect on that experience, what troubled me most was that well educated Canadians responsible for leading a major corporation valued BUT lacked adequate religious education. The whole experience was proof to me of what the article’s authour argues for: Religious thinking has an influential role in global life, therefore Canadian students, who want to lead in international affairs, need to be equipped to participate in the permanent, global religious conversation. With James Ron, I am persuaded that religious education is essential equipment for current Canadian students to become future global leaders. The problem is that such supply lacks.
Please click here to read James Ron‘s full article: Canada adrift in a religious world. Secular Canadian youth ill-equipped for working in a world where religion is still very much alive.
Talk about this idea on your street, in your church,in your family, in your media outlet, at your high school or university as we enjoy this long weekend and get ready for BACK TO SCHOOL!
“The time to act is now. New schools of international affairs are sprouting across the country, in places such as Waterloo, Toronto, Ottawa and Vancouver. None, however, seem to be recruiting the staff needed to teach sophisticated courses on religion’s global impacts. Learning more about the tenets of global faith is not a secular concession to dogma. Rather it is a sign of respect for the billions worldwide who remain religiously motivated, as well as an indicator of intellectual curiosity, political sophistication and common sense.” – James Ron in Canada adrift in a religious world. Secular Canadian youth ill-equipped for working in a world where religion is still very much alive.
