Magic Statistics

The BC Court of Appeals has ruled that teachers are allowed to post statements criticising the provincial government inside schools.

Susan Lambert, second vice-president of the B.C. Teachers' Federation, said the ruling supports a basic tenet in Canadian society — the right to freedom of expression.

"It's a basic Charter right and it's a right held very dearly by Canadians," Lambert said. "This decision has seen the importance of the case and has decided that school districts are subject to the Charter and that teachers have a guarantee of freedom of expression in the workplace."

This ruling comes from the same BC Court of Appeals that earlier this year upheld the suspension without pay of BC teacher Chris Kempling for expressing opinions about homosexuality outside the classroom–in a local newspaper. So much for teachers' "guarantee of freedom of expression". Only politically acceptable opinions are protected, it seems.

Can you say "hypocrisy"?

via Nealenews.

The second in a series of prayers commenced here. Complete list of entries here.

We beg you, Lord, to help and defend us.
Deliver the oppressed, pity the insignificant,
raise the fallen, show yourself to the needy, heal the sick,
bring back those of your people who have gone astray,
feed the hungry, lift up the weak, take off the prisoner's chains.
May every nation come to know that you alone are God,
that Jesus Christ is your child,
that we are your people, the sheep that you pasture.

St Clement of Rome (c. 30 - c. 100)
Bishop of Rome

St Clement was one of the first leaders of the church in the period immediately after the apostles. Some believe that he is the Clement mentioned in Philippians 4:3. If so, he was a companion and fellow-worker of Paul. The Roman Catholic Church regards him as the fourth pope.

St Clement is best known for his Epistle to the Corinthians, dated to about 95. Clement addressed some of the same issues that Paul had addressed in his first letter to the Corinthians. The church at Corinth apparently still had problems with internal dissension and challenges to those in authority. Clement reminds them of the importance of Christian unity and love, and that church leaders serve for the good of the whole body.

Although the letter does not bear Clement's name, but was written in the name of the Church at Rome to the Church at Corinth, his authorship is attested by early church writers. This epistle was held in very high regard in the early church; some even placed it on a par with the canonical writings of the New Testament.