Context with Lorna Dueck

Tonight, 30,000 Canadians will cope with homelessness.  Fifty thousand more are among the 'hidden homeless'- staying with friends or relatives because they have nowhere else to go.  Today on Context, is homelessness a chronic social condition? In a moment, guest host Sheldon Neil speaks with a Calgary man whose organization is on a 10-year quest to end poverty in that city.  Get a street-level perspective, and meet people on the front lines of this modern-day battle to end an ancient problem

Rinelle Harper, beaten and left for dead by a frozen river, won the nation's attention- not just in her ordeal and survival, but in reviving the call for an inquiry into missing indigenous women and girls.  Today, we discuss her story and that of many other "stolen sisters."  With more than a thousand- and counting- dead or 'disappeared' aboriginal women & girls, momentum is growing for national dialogue.  In a moment, Lorna discusses this renewed call-to-action with the National Chief of the Assembly of First Nations.  Then, some background from the Native Women's' Association of Canada.

As Canadians do the hard work of discussing should euthanasia be legalized coast to coast, as it is in Quebec, you can expect to hear life stories like we looked at today.   We judge quality of life by what people experience.  There's a curious thing though about how some people face this.  These are the folk who say quality of life is reflected by quality of relationship with God.   Suffering then becomes a shared concept that brings out love. A broken body is to be cared for and shared with others.  Such action follows the example of Jesus whose physical body was broken, and then resurrected into perfection.  When those who suffer say yes to Jesus, that hope of a new beginning in Jesus' home of heaven then fuels their focus on waiting for natural death.

Matchmaker, matchmaker... take the day off.  To many, 'single' is the new 'attached.' Gone are the days of 'spinsters' and 'old maids'.  In North America- where non-married people now outnumber the married, the word 'single' carries a whole new caché.  In fact the number of adult singles has tripled in a half century.  So, in this week of St. Valentine, how do singles fit into a world of chocolates, teddy bears and e-harmony ads? Today, guest host Molly Thomas and her guests bring a personal perspective to this timely discussion

In every generation, all the way back to the great biblical flood, our culture is fascniated with new growth that emerges in the wake of destruction. We've witnessed fresh hope amongst survivors today, and a heightened global awareness towards the needs of a struggling nation. Fresh attitudes are emerging on issues such as disability. God's love can sometimes be hard to find in a disaster, but - as Lorna and I, and thousands of others can attest - his love through people can abound in the process of recovery... The coloser you look the more you get involved, the cleared int becomes.

They stand on our shoulders, sing Holy Holy Holy in Heaven, and may or may not fit on the head of a pin. This special Christmas edition of Context is all about angels. We'll talk with experts about supernatural encounters of the best kind. Canadian guitar legend Liona Boyd joins Lorna to discuss the role angels have played in her life and music. Then we'll discover more about the role of angels in the Christmas story, and in our everyday journeys.

This studio is usually buzzing, but today it's quiet.  With our audience at home, like you, celebrating the holiday, it's just you, me, and our faithful crew. Today we'll be taking a look back at the stories that mattered most to us in 2014. The good, the bad, and even the shocking.

The combination of religion and violence is almost as old as, well, religion and violence. And just as old is the debate about cause and effect.  Is it geopolitics or faith that enflames violence?  Join Lorna as she talks with historian Karen Armstrong whose latest book tackles this ever-timely question.  Then, meet a Christian church moderator from India who cites the need for freedom of conscience in the world's largest democracy.

No sooner were plans announced for a Christian Law School in B.C.- then the debate began: in courts of law, and of public opinion.  Gone are the days when Christian influence was a given in Canadian institutions. Today, religion is shoved further into the margins.  Join the debate, as Context welcomes advocates and opponents of Trinity Western Law School, with the case for, and against, its right to exist. Among the voices: Canadian legal icon Clayton Ruby. Beyond that, we discuss the bigger question of what right Canadians have... to express their faith.

Violence against women: What causes it, how to raise your voice against it, and what's God's place in the discussion? The meteoric fall of a Canadian Radio Icon has resonated through every city and town in Canada. Now, thousands of stories barely whispered in the darkness are being shared in the daylight- of sexual violence, harassment, anger and control. In a moment, former Deputy Prime Minister Sheila Copps shares her story- of two assaults she suffered- one while serving as a member of Provincial Parliament. Judy Foote, the Liberal Party whip, talks about the allegations that led to the suspension of two MP's, as guest host Sheldon Neil explores the cause and effect of sexual violence, its prevention, and the place of God in bringing about this long-overdue attitude shift.

No one does life and death, lovers and vampires, quite like Anne Rice. Just ask any of her legion of readers-  they aren't hard to find.  Rice's novels- including the celebrated VAMPIRE CHRONICLES- have sold upwards of 100 million copies.  Having covered an eclectic mix of Gothic fiction, Christian literature, and erotica, Rice says she loves Jesus, but has removed herself from the church.  Today, meet the woman whose fiction has stirred so much conversation about truths and immortality, and whose books have become the lifeblood- pun intended- for countless millions of readers.

The Ottawa shootings, at the National War Memorial and in the halls of Parliament mark an unprecedented challenge to Canada's sense of security.  On this episode we're going to look at the spiritual questions this poses to Muslims and to Christians.

The Ottawa shootings, at the National War Memorial and in the halls of Parliament mark an unprecedented challenge to Canada's sense of security.  On this episode we're going to look at the spiritual questions this poses to Muslims and to Christians.

Canada's fastest growing religion... is "no religion".  In what's been called "the rise of the religious 'nones'"- that's n-o-n-e-s-  pews are emptying, and churches are on a mission to repopulate the flock. In Rome, Pope Francis called a meeting of Bishops to brainstorm the problem.  So why, in the language of Yogi Berra, are people staying away in droves?  Today we put the question to some great minds of our own, including pastors, PR gurus, and theologians, and-- why not?-- two comedy legends from the Royal Canadian Air Farce.  

It's about dying to be thin; as millions of young women are struggling with eating disorders, researchers look to pop culture and psychological causes, personality traits and biology. But what about the spiritual dimension?  In this episode, Lorna bridges that gap between body and soul, with new insights from medical experts, and through first-hand stories from women - including a former Miss America - whose struggles took an inspired, and inspiring direction.

Are we at the cusp of a new world? Some say yes. Today we meet and learn more about the leaders of this new world. Meet Generation Z. On this episode, we talk to 11-year-old activist Hannah Alper, digital age guru Don Tapscott, CEO of Decode Robert Barnard, and hear from Gen Z'ers themselves! Featuring special guest co-host Adin Chan.

First came Black Friday, then Cyber Monday: days when visions of dollar signs and 'stuff' dance in millions of heads. Now, buckle up and brace for a new player:  "Giving Tuesday"- an initiative designed to launch the 'giving' season; designed to do for the community what the mega-shopping days do for the economy.

More than 120,000 Canadians work full time creating Canadian stories for TV, Film and Digital Media. When Canada's broadcast regulator, the CRTC, explored how to protect that, they tangled with Google and Netflix at the 'Let's Talk TV' hearings. Those hearings showed how complicated it can be to mould, shape, and nurture the storytellers who influence us. This episode featuring Michael Hennessey, John Colarusso and recording artist Steve Bell

Pretty Woman, or an ugly reality?  How Canada's new prostitution law changes the oldest profession. Featuring Joy Smith, Francoise Boivin, and Bridget Perrier

A generation ago it was merely a river in central Africa.  Today the name 'Ebola' evokes powerful images of misery and grief.  At the heart of the battle are thousands of extraordinary people.  Coming up, a feature interview with Franklin Graham of Samaritan's Purse.  He shares rare details about Dr. Kent Brantley's personal story of surviving Ebola.  And up first, an eyewitness account from a Canadian doctor who recently returned from the front-lines.