Stephen Harper's Covert Evangelicalism [View all]

Prime Minister Stephen Harper's love-in with Israel's right-wing government provides more insight on the influence of his religious views on public policy -- and the importance he places on pleasing evangelical Christian voters. It also confirms what I wrote three years ago in a Tyee column that went viral across the nation.

That piece argued that Harper's own evangelical beliefs, which are closely aligned with extreme elements of the Republican Party, explained his disinterest in climate change and his government's pointed trashing of environmental science. It also explained his penchant for secrecy and his dislike of the media, environmentalists and other secular groups.

In particular I referenced the reportage of Marci McDonald, whose book The Armageddon Factor carefully outlined the growing strength of the Christian right on Canada's political landscape and its significant influence on Harper's administration. McDonald did not write a polemic. She merely documented how Harper slowly exploited moral and religious beliefs for partisan purposes with little transparency and no public debate.

Most Canadians still don't even know that Harper has been a long-time member of the Christian and Missionary Alliance, an evangelical church established by a Canadian nearly 100 years ago. It has a wide following in Alberta.

Harper's church believes that Jesus Christ will return to Earth in an apocalypse that is "imminent." It does not support abortion and homosexuality and believes that those who aren't born-again are "lost."

...much, much more...

http://www.thetyee.ca/Opinion/2015/09/14/Covert-Evangelism-Stephen-Harper/

Christian and Missionary Alliance
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christian_and_Missionary_Alliance