Emerging Spirit @ The United Church of Canada Emerging Spirit @ The United Church of Canada

Friday, January 30, 2009

Dear Friends in Christ,

You will likely be aware of the media interest in the atheist bus ads currently running in England: "There’s probably no God. Now stop worrying and enjoy your life." Recently the Freethought Association of Canada has indicated its intention to run these ads
in various Canadian cities.

This weekend The United Church of Canada, through its Emerging Spirit initiative, will launch a national print and online ad campaign -- including a prominent ad in the Globe and Mail -- that quotes the original atheist ads and then reads, "There's probably a God. Now stop worrying and enjoy your life."

Anticipating that church members may ask you about the wording of this ad on Sunday morning, we are sending this e-mail to provide you with some background.

Clearly, as Christians, we most definitely believe there is a God. This ad, however, is directed not at ourselves, but rather at people who might be questioning the reality of God.

We know from research that a more direct message, such as "There is a God," would not resonate with most of these people. It is what would be expected from a church. Our intention instead is to invite people who are questioning to join us in conversation about their beliefs.

Hence the tagline, "Join the discussion at wondercafe.ca.”

As a denomination, we welcome the public discussion on the existence of God raised by the atheist bus ads, and see this as an opportunity to delve more deeply into what it really means when Christians say they believe in God. I would encourage you to bring your faith to this conversation wherever it arises, including in the discussion on WonderCafe

(http://www.wondercafe.ca/discussion/religion-and-faith/wondercafe-joins-dialogue-atheist-ads).

For more information about this ad campaign, please visit the Emerging Spirit website (http://www.emergingspirit.ca/wondercafe_joins_the_dialogue_on_atheist_ads).

Blessings in your ministry,

David Giuliano (The Right Rev.)

Moderator