John Longhurst, C.M.
@jdl56.bsky.social
Religion reporter & columnist, Winnipeg Free Press. Author of Can Robots Love God and be Saved: A Journalist Reports on Faith.
60 years ago, Pierre Berton’s book The Comfortable Pew was published. It received widespread media attention. That would be hard to imagine today--except at the Winnipeg Free Press, the only media outlet in Canada with a dedicated faith beat. onfaithcanada.blogspot.com/2025/11/the-...
The Comfortable Pew 60 years later, and a chance to support religion journalism at the Winnipeg Free Press
Sixty years ago, Pierre Berton’s book The Comfortable Pew: A Critical Look at Christianity and the Religious Establishment in the New Age ,...
onfaithcanada.blogspot.com
November 18, 2025 at 9:57 PM
60 years ago, Pierre Berton’s book The Comfortable Pew was published. It received widespread media attention. That would be hard to imagine today--except at the Winnipeg Free Press, the only media outlet in Canada with a dedicated faith beat. onfaithcanada.blogspot.com/2025/11/the-...
Canadian aid groups are expressing concern with the federal government’s decision to cut the country’s foreign aid budget. But they also note that aid can support Canada’s overall trade and investment strategy. whocaresaboutforeignaid.blogspot.com/2025/11/cana... @cdnaffairs.bsky.social
Canadian relief and development organizations express concern about aid cuts, see opportunity in government's trade agenda
Canadian relief and development organizations are expressing concern and disappointment with the federal government’s decision to cut the co...
whocaresaboutforeignaid.blogspot.com
November 16, 2025 at 6:18 PM
Canadian aid groups are expressing concern with the federal government’s decision to cut the country’s foreign aid budget. But they also note that aid can support Canada’s overall trade and investment strategy. whocaresaboutforeignaid.blogspot.com/2025/11/cana... @cdnaffairs.bsky.social
I decided to wait a day to post some northern lights pictures.
November 15, 2025 at 4:29 AM
I decided to wait a day to post some northern lights pictures.
“Budgets are moral documents.” That quote is attributed to Martin Luther King Jr. King never said that exact phrase. But it is in keeping with his general philosophy that how governments choose to spend money reveals their moral character. onfaithcanada.blogspot.com/2025/11/if-g...
If government budgets are moral documents, what do various religious traditions have to say about them?
“Budgets are moral documents.” That quote is attributed to Martin Luther King Jr. In fact, King never said that exact phrase. But it is in k...
onfaithcanada.blogspot.com
November 10, 2025 at 3:48 PM
“Budgets are moral documents.” That quote is attributed to Martin Luther King Jr. King never said that exact phrase. But it is in keeping with his general philosophy that how governments choose to spend money reveals their moral character. onfaithcanada.blogspot.com/2025/11/if-g...
Canadian churches and religious groups can relax. The federal government is not going to take away their ability to issue tax receipts for donations. Not that it ever was. But, you know, misinformation is so much more fun to share.
onfaithcanada.blogspot.com/2025/11/ever...
onfaithcanada.blogspot.com/2025/11/ever...
Everyone can relax now; the Canadian government is not going to stop churches from issuing tax receipts
Everyone can relax now; the federal government is not planning to remove the charitable tax status for churches and other religious groups. ...
onfaithcanada.blogspot.com
November 3, 2025 at 7:53 PM
Canadian churches and religious groups can relax. The federal government is not going to take away their ability to issue tax receipts for donations. Not that it ever was. But, you know, misinformation is so much more fun to share.
onfaithcanada.blogspot.com/2025/11/ever...
onfaithcanada.blogspot.com/2025/11/ever...
During his career as foreign correspondent, Brian Stewart kept bumping into religion. He writes about that in his new book, and speaks about it in my interview with him for the @winnipegfreepress.com
onfaithcanada.blogspot.com/2025/10/on-g...
onfaithcanada.blogspot.com/2025/10/on-g...
On the Ground: Brian Stewart on his time as a foreign correspondent with the CBC, the important role religion played in his reporting
During his time as a foreign correspondent and senior reporter with the CBC from the 1980s to early 2000s, Brian Stewart interviewed world...
onfaithcanada.blogspot.com
October 28, 2025 at 10:34 PM
During his career as foreign correspondent, Brian Stewart kept bumping into religion. He writes about that in his new book, and speaks about it in my interview with him for the @winnipegfreepress.com
onfaithcanada.blogspot.com/2025/10/on-g...
onfaithcanada.blogspot.com/2025/10/on-g...
When psychologist Hillary McBride encountered clients from religious backgrounds who had been hurt by their churches, she found their challenges didn’t fit into standard psychological categories. So she wrote a book about it, called Holy Hurt.
onfaithcanada.blogspot.com/2025/10/holy...
onfaithcanada.blogspot.com/2025/10/holy...
Holy Hurt: New book aims to help those who have experienced spiritual trauma, alert faith leaders to its reality
When psychologist Hillary McBride encountered clients from religious backgrounds who had been hurt by their churches, she found their chal...
onfaithcanada.blogspot.com
October 14, 2025 at 2:23 PM
When psychologist Hillary McBride encountered clients from religious backgrounds who had been hurt by their churches, she found their challenges didn’t fit into standard psychological categories. So she wrote a book about it, called Holy Hurt.
onfaithcanada.blogspot.com/2025/10/holy...
onfaithcanada.blogspot.com/2025/10/holy...
In a polarized world, where many may feel lonely and isolated, Paul Jenkinson has a message: “You are not alone. I will listen.” That’s what it says on a sign the retired social worker plunks down in public spaces during his cross-country listening tour. onfaithcanada.blogspot.com/2025/10/you-...
‘You are not alone’: retired social worker takes time to listen during cross-Canada tour
In a polarized and divided world, where many may feel lonely and isolated, Paul Jenkinson has a message: “You are not alone. I will listen.”...
onfaithcanada.blogspot.com
October 3, 2025 at 6:25 PM
In a polarized world, where many may feel lonely and isolated, Paul Jenkinson has a message: “You are not alone. I will listen.” That’s what it says on a sign the retired social worker plunks down in public spaces during his cross-country listening tour. onfaithcanada.blogspot.com/2025/10/you-...
Uncertain times. But sunsets.
October 1, 2025 at 2:08 AM
Uncertain times. But sunsets.
If you want to understand what's happening in the U.S. today, you need to know about the Seven Mountains Mandate, the belief by some evangelicals that Christians should dominate the seven pillars of society, including the government. onfaithcanada.blogspot.com/2025/09/if-y...
If you want to understand what is happening in America, you need to know about the Seven Mountains Mandate
If you want to understand many things happening in the world today, you need to check out the religion angle. This is especially true in the...
onfaithcanada.blogspot.com
September 29, 2025 at 8:29 PM
If you want to understand what's happening in the U.S. today, you need to know about the Seven Mountains Mandate, the belief by some evangelicals that Christians should dominate the seven pillars of society, including the government. onfaithcanada.blogspot.com/2025/09/if-y...
What does it mean to be a Canadian Muslim? That is the question being asked by Imam Sikander Hashmi, the new executive director of the Canadian Council of Imams. “It’s a work in progress,” he said. onfaithcanada.blogspot.com/2025/09/new-...
New executive director of Canadian Council of Imams exploring what it means to be a Canadian Muslim
What does it mean to be a Canadian Muslim? That is the question being asked by Imam Sikander Hashmi, the new executive director of the Canad...
onfaithcanada.blogspot.com
September 24, 2025 at 6:29 PM
What does it mean to be a Canadian Muslim? That is the question being asked by Imam Sikander Hashmi, the new executive director of the Canadian Council of Imams. “It’s a work in progress,” he said. onfaithcanada.blogspot.com/2025/09/new-...
“We May Not Be Big, But We’re Small.” That was the motto of The Vinyl Cafe by CBC radio host Stuart McLean. It could also be the new motto for the United Church of Canada, according to its newly-elected moderator. @unitedchurchcda.bsky.social
onfaithcanada.blogspot.com/2025/09/new-...
onfaithcanada.blogspot.com/2025/09/new-...
New moderator of United Church of Canada wants denomination to think small
“We May Not Be Big, But We’re Small.” That was the motto of The Vinyl Cafe, a fictional record store owned by Dave, a character featur...
onfaithcanada.blogspot.com
September 23, 2025 at 3:32 PM
“We May Not Be Big, But We’re Small.” That was the motto of The Vinyl Cafe by CBC radio host Stuart McLean. It could also be the new motto for the United Church of Canada, according to its newly-elected moderator. @unitedchurchcda.bsky.social
onfaithcanada.blogspot.com/2025/09/new-...
onfaithcanada.blogspot.com/2025/09/new-...
Should aid for homeless people and evangelism be mixed? Some experts weigh in. onfaithcanada.blogspot.com/2025/09/mixi...
Mixing aid and evangelism; not a good idea
Should giving out aid and evangelism be mixed? That question was prompted by an e-mail I received about a group of rural Christian youth...
onfaithcanada.blogspot.com
September 22, 2025 at 4:38 PM
Should aid for homeless people and evangelism be mixed? Some experts weigh in. onfaithcanada.blogspot.com/2025/09/mixi...
A new paper promoted by the Pew Research Centre describes what it says are the three stages of religious decline in countries around the world. Canada is near the end of the second stage. onfaithcanada.blogspot.com/2025/09/new-...
New paper describes three stages of religious decline in countries around the world
A new paper promoted by the Pew Research Centre describes what it says are the three stages of religious decline in countries around the w...
onfaithcanada.blogspot.com
September 16, 2025 at 7:47 PM
A new paper promoted by the Pew Research Centre describes what it says are the three stages of religious decline in countries around the world. Canada is near the end of the second stage. onfaithcanada.blogspot.com/2025/09/new-...
Some people leave complicated legacies. James Dobson, who died on Aug. 21, was one of those people. For some, he was a positive force. But others viewed him in a very different light. This included Christians who were members of the LGBTTQ+ community. onfaithcanada.blogspot.com/2025/09/jame...
James Dobson and his complicated legacy, including conversion therapy
Some people, when they die, leave complicated legacies. James Dobson, who died at age 89 on Aug. 21, was one of those people. Dobson, fo...
onfaithcanada.blogspot.com
September 1, 2025 at 5:52 PM
Some people leave complicated legacies. James Dobson, who died on Aug. 21, was one of those people. For some, he was a positive force. But others viewed him in a very different light. This included Christians who were members of the LGBTTQ+ community. onfaithcanada.blogspot.com/2025/09/jame...
Aug. 29 is the 20th anniversary of Hurricane Katrina. I spent a week there with Mennonite Disaster Service in 2008, doing repair work on homes damaged by the storm and writing about my experiences for the Winnipeg Free Press. onfaithcanada.blogspot.com/2021/12/ive-...
“I’ve got my life back again.” Mennonite Disaster Service and Hurricane Katrina in New Orleans
In 2008 I went to New Orleans as a volunteer with Mennonite Disaster Service to help people recovering from Hurricane Katrina. Since my co...
onfaithcanada.blogspot.com
August 28, 2025 at 11:03 PM
Aug. 29 is the 20th anniversary of Hurricane Katrina. I spent a week there with Mennonite Disaster Service in 2008, doing repair work on homes damaged by the storm and writing about my experiences for the Winnipeg Free Press. onfaithcanada.blogspot.com/2021/12/ive-...
Is traditional religion obsolete, like the typewriter? It still works, but it's been supplanted by new ways of practicing spirituality, the way computers replaced typewriters. That’s the argument made in a new book by religion scholar Christian Smith. onfaithcanada.blogspot.com/2025/08/is-t...
Is traditional religion obsolete, like the typewriter? New book says yes
When I started my career over 40 years ago, I used a typewriter to write all my stories. It worked fine; I had no complaints back then. ...
onfaithcanada.blogspot.com
August 26, 2025 at 5:05 PM
Is traditional religion obsolete, like the typewriter? It still works, but it's been supplanted by new ways of practicing spirituality, the way computers replaced typewriters. That’s the argument made in a new book by religion scholar Christian Smith. onfaithcanada.blogspot.com/2025/08/is-t...
A Canadian bride realized her dream of a lifetime after her wedding when she and her husband received a personal blessing from Pope Leo XIV in Rome.
onfaithcanada.blogspot.com/2025/08/winn...
onfaithcanada.blogspot.com/2025/08/winn...
Winnipeg bride realizes dream of meeting pope
Sometimes you just need a fun and uplifting story—like this one, about a Winnipeg bride who realized her dream of a lifetime when she and ...
onfaithcanada.blogspot.com
August 25, 2025 at 3:35 PM
A Canadian bride realized her dream of a lifetime after her wedding when she and her husband received a personal blessing from Pope Leo XIV in Rome.
onfaithcanada.blogspot.com/2025/08/winn...
onfaithcanada.blogspot.com/2025/08/winn...
Is Sean Feucht, the American evangelical worship leader, being persecuted in Canada? Is he really bringing revival, or will his appearance in that country cause the opposite? Why is he so unwelcome here? Some questions and observations. onfaithcanada.blogspot.com/2025/08/sean...
Sean Feucht: Bringing "revival" to Canada or doing the opposite? Some observations about the controversial American right-wing singer
Some observations about Sean Feucht, the controversial American right-wing, anti-LGBTTQ+ and pro-Trump evangelical Christian worship leade...
onfaithcanada.blogspot.com
August 18, 2025 at 5:48 PM
Is Sean Feucht, the American evangelical worship leader, being persecuted in Canada? Is he really bringing revival, or will his appearance in that country cause the opposite? Why is he so unwelcome here? Some questions and observations. onfaithcanada.blogspot.com/2025/08/sean...
Should we move homeless encampments off main routes, like Donald Trump wants to do, because that sight offends us? A new book by a Mennonite pastor in Winnipeg says we need to see people who society regards as "nothing" for our own salvation. onfaithcanada.blogspot.com/2025/08/when...
When it comes to salvation, the "nothings" of the world may save us, author says
Donald Trump was so offended by seeing homeless encampments as he rode to play golf on the weekend that he demanded that homeless resident...
onfaithcanada.blogspot.com
August 11, 2025 at 7:56 PM
Should we move homeless encampments off main routes, like Donald Trump wants to do, because that sight offends us? A new book by a Mennonite pastor in Winnipeg says we need to see people who society regards as "nothing" for our own salvation. onfaithcanada.blogspot.com/2025/08/when...
Sometimes you need a sunset.
August 8, 2025 at 4:04 AM
Sometimes you need a sunset.
Driven by faith, frustrated by funding: Faith-based care-home operators in Manitoba say miracles are in short supply when trying to feed residents with 2009-level resources. @winnipegfreepress.com www.winnipegfreepress.com/arts-and-lif...
Manitoba care-home operators say miracles are in short supply when trying to feed residents with 2009-level resources
For Manitoba seniors living in personal-care homes, mealtime should be highlights of the day. Many, however, consider them sources of distress rather than nourishment or comfort. That was the finding....
www.winnipegfreepress.com
August 5, 2025 at 2:46 PM
Driven by faith, frustrated by funding: Faith-based care-home operators in Manitoba say miracles are in short supply when trying to feed residents with 2009-level resources. @winnipegfreepress.com www.winnipegfreepress.com/arts-and-lif...
Muslim youth from across Canada gathered in Winnipeg July 26-27 for the first-ever national Muslim Youth conference. @winnipegfreepress.com
www.winnipegfreepress.com/arts-and-lif...
www.winnipegfreepress.com/arts-and-lif...
Weekend Muslim conference in Winnipeg attracts young adults from across Canada
Muslim youth from across Canada gathered in Winnipeg on the weekend for a conference, the first of its kind in the country. About 60 young adults travelled here for the event, which was sponsored by t...
www.winnipegfreepress.com
July 29, 2025 at 3:13 PM
Muslim youth from across Canada gathered in Winnipeg July 26-27 for the first-ever national Muslim Youth conference. @winnipegfreepress.com
www.winnipegfreepress.com/arts-and-lif...
www.winnipegfreepress.com/arts-and-lif...
If the Anglican Church of Canada is going to survive and thrive, it will need to make deep changes — and Shane Parker, the denomination’s new primate, is ready to guide that change. @cdnaffairs.bsky.social
onfaithcanada.blogspot.com/2025/07/i-wa...
onfaithcanada.blogspot.com/2025/07/i-wa...
“I want to see it thrive, to be an enlivened Church": New primate of the Anglican Church of Canada reflects on his new mission
If the Anglican Church of Canada is going to survive and thrive, it will need to make deep changes — and Shane Parker, the denomination’s ne...
onfaithcanada.blogspot.com
July 28, 2025 at 8:40 PM
If the Anglican Church of Canada is going to survive and thrive, it will need to make deep changes — and Shane Parker, the denomination’s new primate, is ready to guide that change. @cdnaffairs.bsky.social
onfaithcanada.blogspot.com/2025/07/i-wa...
onfaithcanada.blogspot.com/2025/07/i-wa...
The goal of a Vatican conclave is to choose a new pope.
But a conclave is also a referendum on the previous pope and his legacy. That’s the argument former Vatican correspondent Christopher White makes in his new book about Pope Leo’s election. www.winnipegfreepress.com/arts-and-lif...
But a conclave is also a referendum on the previous pope and his legacy. That’s the argument former Vatican correspondent Christopher White makes in his new book about Pope Leo’s election. www.winnipegfreepress.com/arts-and-lif...
Picking the new pontiff
www.winnipegfreepress.com
July 28, 2025 at 12:12 AM
The goal of a Vatican conclave is to choose a new pope.
But a conclave is also a referendum on the previous pope and his legacy. That’s the argument former Vatican correspondent Christopher White makes in his new book about Pope Leo’s election. www.winnipegfreepress.com/arts-and-lif...
But a conclave is also a referendum on the previous pope and his legacy. That’s the argument former Vatican correspondent Christopher White makes in his new book about Pope Leo’s election. www.winnipegfreepress.com/arts-and-lif...