See Dead Sea scrolls live

The Royal Ontario Museum in Toronto is hosting an exhibit on the Dead Sea Scrolls until January 3. The scrolls were a Jewish library hidden in caves northwest of the Dead Sea in the first century AD and rediscovered between 1947 and 1956. The library includes both biblical and non-biblical texts. From now to October 9, the ROM will display fragments of Genesis, Psalms and Daniel; some extra-biblical songs; the Book of War (about the final battle between the forces of darkness and the forces of light); a description of expected religious and political messiahs; a land lease; and the Damascus Covenant, which gives rules for a community of faithful Jews. From October 10 to January 3, the ROM will display fragments of Deuteronomy, Psalms and Isaiah; a commentary on Isaiah; the Book of War; the text of a covenant renewal ceremony for a community of faithful Jews; a lease agreement; and a Greek translation of the minor prophets. The exhibit will also include a display of first-century artifacts and lectures by experts about the significance of the scrolls.

Mexican organizations pro-life

Five Mexican non-governmental organizations that received funding from the Canadian Roman Catholic relief organization Development and Peace do not support abortion, according to a report released June 29 by a committee that was sent to Mexico in April by the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops (CCCB). The confusion arose because the five organizations contributed content to a United Nations report on human rights in Mexico, while other organizations contributed other content on "sexual and reproductive rights"; the five organizations receiving Catholic funding had not seen this other information before the report was published. The committee recommended that the five organizations, Development and Peace and the CCCB tighten up procedures so similar confusion does not happen again. The CCCB will also be discussing the issue with LifeSiteNews, which first reported on the controversy.

Canadian Forces see the need

Operation Eyesight Universal has presented a plaque to the chaplains of the Canadian Armed Forces. The organization also presented a Fulani stick, used by children to lead blind adults around in East Africa. Over 30 years, the chaplains and the Protestant chapels they lead have contributed enough money to restore the sight of 25,000 people affected by cataracts.

Continue article >>

Renewal centre renewed

The Centre for Cultural Renewal (CCR) has appointed veteran journalist Peter Stockland as executive director. Stockland comes to CCR from Readers' Digest Magazines Canada Ltd., where he was vice-president of English-language magazines. Previously, he was editor-in-chief of the Montreal Gazette and editorial page editor of the Calgary Herald. He also runs his own media relations company, Prima Communication, in Montreal. Founded in 1994, CCR is a think tank and research organization that seeks to increase mutual understanding between religion and the general culture. Stockland succeeds Iain Benson, who has been named senior associate counsel with the law firm Miller Thomson LLP. Benson will continue to contribute his expertise to CCR.

Cuts offer relief

The Anglican Church of Canada's Primate's World Development and Relief Fund has cut its 2009 - 2010 budget from $7.1 million to $6.3 million, due to decreased giving which, in turn, has been attributed to the recession. The relief organization has a $3 million reserve fund, but did not think it prudent to start running deficits. -- Anglican Journal

Wycliffe and Tyndale would approve

Wycliffe Canada has signed an agreement with Tyndale University College to establish a linguistics program on Tyndale's Toronto campus. The agreement will enable Wycliffe candidates to complete many of their pre-field training requirements at Tyndale and will provide linguistics training to Tyndale students planning to be missionaries. The new program will begin this September. The new program provides an alternative in eastern Canada to Wycliffe's Canada Institute of Linguistics at Trinity Western University in Langley, BC.

July 2/2009