March 2, 2024
HERE'S MY TAKE
Middle East conflicts are top of mind this week, what with reports of more death and destruction in the Israel-Hamas war. Any discussion of the situation is always very loaded, something I saw again first-hand at this week’s Cardus all-staff convention in Ottawa. We invited a leader from each of the Muslim, Jewish, and Arab Christian communities to join us for a conversation about the current conflict and what we might learn from it regarding our own work and challenges. To encourage frank and candid discussion, we promised the participants we’d follow the Chatham House rule.
So, I can only talk about the conversation in general; I’m bound not to identify the speakers or attribute specific comments to them. However, I can point to three key things that emerged from that discussion: we can’t be neutral, politics won’t save us, and we must stay humble amidst it all.
In my October 21, 2023 Insights reflecting on the conflict, I noted how those who are pro-Israel tend to start their narrative at a very different point than those who are pro-Palestine. Your perspective on the war depends very much on “which original sin” is at the start of your story. It was no different for our guests. They engaged in a mature discussion, with some empathy and acknowledgement of their own side’s failings. But it was also inconclusive, with all sides politely disagreeing.
Reflecting on the heavy yet inconclusive discussion within hours of its conclusion, I came away with the three initial take-aways I identified earlier.
First, we cannot remain neutral. Christian just war theory (a huge topic in and of itself) helps us sort through the different issues so that we avoid a “both sides” false equivalence that seems so tempting. There are fundamental matters of justice at stake. Taking the easy way out by declaring that “both sides have a point and both have their faults” isn’t a meaningful contribution. If that’s the best we can do, it’s probably better to remain silent.
But let that silence be temporary while we wrestle through our calling to serve justice in these matters. Our starting point is that we (Christians, Muslims, Jews, along with our various ethnic identities) are parents and neighbours—fellow human beings. So, we respect the dignity of our neighbours, regardless of skin colour, background, or religious confession. We are all humans made in the image of God. Whatever the excuse offered by my neighbour, as a Christian, I have a higher calling. Polarising hot takes on social media are just that—a lot of heat but no real light.
Honouring God’s creation, including people who might in the context of war be enemies, is essential. The ingredients of “justice in war” require the distinction between combatants and civilians. Killing another soldier or destroying strategic infrastructure can be justified in a just war. Indiscriminately bombing people and places can’t be. And if this is true on the battlefield, how much more true is it for those of us geographically removed from the front lines? The hate crimes, vandalism, and bullying of fellow citizens we consider “enemies” is a violation of just war principles.
We must condemn it, especially when it is carried out by “our side.” In our discussion with our guests, we heard both anecdotal and statistical evidence of the record amounts of hatred on display in North America today. Even this week, a prominent Canadian university attempted (thankfully unsuccessfully) to evict a Jewish student group from campus. The starkness of the first-hand examples are jarring.
Leaders have a calling to take clear stands despite the discomfort. Even if we grant that both Israel and the Palestinians can, from their own perspectives and interpretation of facts, make an argument that they are justified in taking up arms against each other, they’re still obligated to conduct their combat justly. (By extension, in our verbal “combat” in Canada, we must also conduct ourselves “justly”). I find it difficult to come to any other conclusion than that the Hamas attack of October 7, 2023 violates every principle of “justice in war” and can’t be explained away by history. If war was warranted, it ought to have been carried out differently and not through terrorism against civilians.
Which leads us to my second observation: politics won’t lead to a solution to this conflict. Christians believe there is a theological underpinning to Middle East politics, which politicians neither acknowledge nor control. (And there is even disagreement among Christians about those theological underpinnings.) One key theological issue is the debate about the relationship between Christians and Jews, which can have political implications. More broadly, the different Jewish, Muslim, and Christian interests in the region are complicated by their different foundational assumptions, especially as it relates to “the holy land.” To the extent that the issues in dispute are theological, they are pre-political. Politics and war cannot solve theological issues. At best, they can impose a political order–or even a peaceful coexistence–but they don’t untangle or even sever theological knots.
This leads to a third reflection: we must stay humble as we work our way through this conflict.Cardus' guests made powerful statements about humility when asked about what Cardus, as a Christian think tank not focused on foreign affairs, might learn from the present conflict. The advice was direct. Be humble, maintain integrity even when it requires courage, and pray.
Indeed, our vocation as a North American think tank isn’t to solve Middle East conflicts but within our own calling and posture, we can embody an approach to those with whom we differ—religiously and philosophically—that respects the differences in our ultimate convictions. To be clear, humility is not about being uncertain of truth or adopting moral relativity. Rather, it involves a willingness to listen while being grounded in our convictions and arguing for them respectfully.
Ora et labora. Pray and work. There is an element of despair and hopelessness I feel after engaging in this conversation. A Christian platitude that “God is in control, so don’t worry” may be ultimately true, but the moment requires us to say more.
Our calling today is also to feel the pain and weep with those who weep, both of those on ”our” side and those we might label as enemies. We live in a broken world. But humbly minding our vocation, we can’t try to solve through politics that which doesn’t belong to the political sphere. A faithful witness includes understanding our limited vocation, praying for peace, and courageously speaking for truth and justice in a way that might make a small contribution God may use for redemptive purposes.
WHAT I’M READING
Remembering Mulroney
Former Prime Minister Brian Mulroney died Thursday. He represented the passing of a particular era in Canadian history. The 1984 election in which he won a landslide victory was the last in which the former Progressive Conservative Party was united and ran as the undisputed option on the political right. Of the many tributes being published in these early hours following his death, Anthony Wilson Smith stands out as capturing something of Mulroney’s humanity while Ian Brodie's captures something of his global influence. Whatever your political assessment, Mulroney was indisputably a great Canadian who sacrificed and dedicated himself to public service with a consequential vision for the country. We extend condolences to his family and honour the service he provided.
Online Harms Act
The federal government introduced its long-anticipated Online Harms Act. There is much to evaluate before reaching an absolute judgment. Michael Geist is one of my go-to sources for informed commentary on these files and he seems to be generally in favour of the framework proposed, but very concerned about a few specific details, primarily as it relates to the implications for free speech.
Alexei Navalny's Faith
Last week’s death of Alexei Navalny is understood by most to be an assassination ordered by Vladimir Putin. The outspoken Russian critic of Putin was jailed for his opinions and on February 16th he died behind bars from what the Russian regime called “Sudden Death Syndrome.” His bravery and reputation as a freedom fighter have been broadly covered but less prominent was his Christian confession. Once a militant atheist, Navalny told the court during his 2021 trial, “But now I am a believer, and that helps me a lot in my activities, because everything becomes much easier…There are fewer dilemmas in my life, because there is a book in which it is more or less clearly written what action to take in every situation. It’s not always easy to follow this book, of course, but I’m actually trying.” Navalny quoted the beatitude, “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be satisfied.” His funeral took place in Moscow at the Church of the Icon of Our Lady Quench My Sorrows.
Public Nastiness
Ontario MPP Lisa MacLeod penned a personal account about the personal threats and bullying that public figures increasingly face in Canada. Global TV journalist Mercedes Stephenson reported on the online harassment she received this week from someone who is supposedly in jail for committing similar offences before.
Clean Sheets
The recent headlines about speech slip-ups by President Biden and President Trump as exhibits of their age and inadequacy for the U.S. presidency prompted David Frum to write this Atlantic piece on the use of “cheat sheets.” There are many significant arguments to be made regarding the shortcomings of each of the likely nominees for the presidency in this fall’s election but the focus on a name slip-up in a speech aren’t really the best ones.
MEANINGFUL METRICS
The International Monetary Fund is forecasting 2024 global economic growth at 3.1%, slightly up from the predictions that it provided just a few months ago. While these numbers are mostly driven by the major economies, I do find the country-by-country analysis worth a look. The rankings can be misleading as the smaller economies are much more volatile. However, it is worth noting that Canada is projected to have a 1.4% growth rate, well behind the 2.1% projected for the U.S. but ahead of many of the European countries to which we typically compare ourselves.
TAKE IT TO-GO
House Wines
Shiraz Insights has a promotion campaign to broaden our reach, a few conniving Cardus colleagues are whining about not being eligible for the dinner prize offered to the winner. One colleague wondered if we’d even notice if she created a whole bunch of email addresses, subscribed to Insights, and then surprised us by showing up for the fine meal that comes with winning. She even promised to open Insights on each of her emails if that’s what it takes to win.
She underestimates us. Our crack comms team has detailed regulations in the cellar that ensure such schemes, creative as they are, do not mess up our contest. There’s a reason they have someone test the wine you order at a restaurant, and yes, we’ll catch the occasional contributor who is sour.
Don’t misunderstand. You don’t need to be a wine drinker to enjoy Insights. The dinner prize includes a beverage of your choice that by no means needs to be wine. But neither do I want silly schemes to ferment. Whether you prefer merlot, bordeaux, or even a pinot, the dinner that you and your five friends will enjoy with an Insights conversation is one in which the wining and scheming will be overtaken by the fine aromas of fine reflection. The ingredients of experience and wisdom will produce fellowship of the sort that those who muse “it’s wine o’clock somewhere” can only aspire to.
So to my colleague–it’s real people we are after, not email addresses. Your creativity is appreciated but will be found out. Don’t make the pour decision to game the system. Stop and smell the rosé. And then forward this to your friends, get them to sign up for Insights using this form, and crush the competition like grapes. (Although Cardus employees are not eligible for the prize, since I’ve called you out in such a public way, I will gladly provide a bottle at personal expense if you sign up at least five people.) Just because.
And with that last sip, the bottle’s empty. Keep calm. Savour the aftertaste. Have a good week. Looking forward to seeing you next Saturday.
(This contest closed in March of 2024)