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The Focus - June 18, 2026

Kathy Baldock, author of three new books including "Forging a Sacred Weapon," which examines the impact of the 1946 Bible translation that introduced the word “homosexual” into the text. (Photo courtesy of Kathy Baldock)
Another David Who Stood Up

By Janice Young

Everyone knows the biblical story of David versus Goliath, right? One shepherd boy with a slingshot and pebbles defeated a giant soldier clad in body armour. It’s a world-famous parable of faith and courage. 
 
But have you heard of David versus the Bible translation? It’s about a young seminary student who challenged the Bible’s use of the word “homosexual.” A gay man when it wasn’t safe to be publicly gay, certainly not if he were studying for the ministry, David Fearon wrote an anonymous letter to the Revised Standard Version translation committee in 1959. He told them that they had mistranslated the word “homosexual” from the original Greek in 1 Corinthians: 6-10. In the 1971 version of the Bible, “homosexual” was removed from the text. Though he wouldn’t know for certain until decades later, it was David’s letter that made it happen.
 
Now author Kathy Baldock has written a book about that mistranslation and how the appearance of “homosexual” in the Bible has harmed generations of 2SLGBTQ+ folk. In her research, she met Rev. David Fearon (who died at age 84 in 2023) and was compelled to also write his biography. “I want to make him into an honoured statesman of the United Church,” she told Broadview in a recent interview. 
 
Both David stories are about faith and courage, and reminders that, yes, one person can make a difference in this world, no matter how unlikely it might seem. Even David Fearon didn’t think he alone could make a difference — until he did.
 
To read Broadview’s conversation with Kathy Baldock about her three new books, and what a difference she hopes they make, click here.

Let Me Know: Is there one person in your church who has made a significant difference to your life or community? Tell me about them. Maybe we can give them a shoutout in a future newsletter. Email me:  j.young@broadview.org.
 
General Secretary Blair to Retire
General secretary Rev. Michael Blair (Daniel Ehrenworth photo)
After six years at the helm, steering The United Church of Canada through some turbulent times, general secretary Rev. Michael Blair has announced his impending retirement, and the search has begun to find his successor. Broadview’s Emma Prestwich spoke to Blair about his reasons for retiring now, and put together this reflective piece on his career with the church for our May/June issue.
MP Disappointed in His Church
Rob Oliphant rises during Question Period in the House of Commons on Parliament Hill in Ottawa on Sept. 27, 2024. (Photo by Justin Tang/The Canadian Press)

Rev. Rob Oliphant, a United Church minister and Liberal Member of Parliament, defends his party’s recent passing of Bill C-9, the Combatting Hate Act. Critics say the act could stifle free speech, peaceful protests and religious expression. In his discussion with journalist James Adair, Oliphant says those critics, including The United Church of Canada, have it all wrong. 
 
“As a church and as a faith community, we should be standing against hatred.”
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Broadview Best of the Week - June 22, 2026

Two Mississauga Ojibwe (Michi Saagiig Nishnaabeg) men harvesting wild rice on Rice Lake (Pemadeshkodeyong) in southeastern Ontario in 1921. (Photo by John Boyd/Library and Archives Canada)
Our sacred responsibility
By Nicole Schmidt 

This Sunday marks the 30th anniversary of National Indigenous Peoples Day! The celebration falls on the summer solstice, a day that has long held deep spiritual meaning for First Nations, Inuit and Métis communities across Canada. For those of us who aren’t Indigenous, it’s also a chance to learn more about Indigenous histories and cultures, celebrate their achievements and reflect on the role they’ve played in shaping Canada.

An area where that’s especially clear is environmental stewardship. In many Indigenous cultures, caring for the land is a sacred responsibility. But that relationship is under growing strain: human-driven climate change is reshaping landscapes, extraction is still a dominant mindset and waterways are filled with toxic chemicals and microplastics. Indigenous Peoples have been among the loudest voices calling for change, even as they are disproportionately affected by the very harms they’re speaking out against.

One example is the growing push to grant legal personhood to waterways. On our website this week, Alderville First Nation’s Chief Taynar Simpson writes about his community’s decision to grant Ontario’s Pemadeshkodeyong (Rice Lake) personhood status last November, making it the second body of water in Canada to receive this kind of recognition. He believes the approach could become a model for protecting other waterways across Canada, too. 

“These initiatives are reconciliation in action, helping bridge the gap between two ways of understanding the natural world,” he writes. “First Nations governance requires us to plan for the next seven generations, ensuring that the environment can continue to sustain life well into the future.” You can read Chief Simpson’s full story here.

For more reporting on Indigenous voices, leadership and resilience, check out these stories from our archives: 

  • David Kim-Cragg traces the origins of the Cree writing system, believed to be the first and only phonetic writing system developed in what is now Canada. Read it here. 
  • In 2024, we spoke to Rory Richards, a Coast Salish woman of Sechelt descent in Vancouver, about her Indigenous-owned, female-led modular construction company. Read the Q&A here.
  • In case you missed it, Broadview’s new ebook examines how one of Canada’s oldest publications, The Christian Guardian, portrayed Indigenous Peoples — and what those stories reveal about racism, colonialism, resilience and truth-telling in our national history. Download it for free here.
How are you spending National Indigenous Peoples Day? Share your thoughts with me, and I’ll feature a selection of responses in next week’s newsletter. You can email me at n.schmidt@broadview.org. 
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READER RESPONSE

Thomas Tuchel, head coach of England’s men’s national soccer team, stands on the sidelines during a final friendly against Costa Rica on June 10, 2026, ahead of the World Cup. (Photo: The Canadian Press)
Last week, in response to our Q&A about the ethical questions surrounding the FIFA World Cup, we asked readers what they thought about Canada co-hosting the games. Here’s what you had to say: 

“I watched some of Canada’s first game at an outdoor festival in my community. It was lovely to see children and seniors sitting in the sun and having fun. The cheers that erupted when Canada scored were wonderful.
 

I am shocked, however, at the cost of hosting 13 games — especially at a time when people cannot afford groceries and when so many are homeless in Vancouver and Toronto. Surely the millions of dollars could have gone to a better use. That’s in addition to the environmental footprint these games cause: travel, food waste, plastic water bottles. I see no long-term benefits to either host city and would have been happier if FIFA had been elsewhere.”

—Jean Wightman, Tsawwassen, B.C.

“Personally, I think the people responsible for the World Cup are bullies. They demand the city do things, and there is no suggestion of a compromise. I was disgusted that they ordered the BC Sports Hall of Fame to close for the games. Did they not think that maybe visitors to Vancouver might want to see what our athletes have done over the years? I, for one, am not going to be watching.”

—Beryl Itani, Kelowna, B.C.
 
 
 
FROM OUR JULY/AUGUST ISSUE
How to be a good man today
By Omar Mouallem
As society embraces new and improved models of masculinity, some young men are adrift.
FROM OUR WEBSITE
What drag taught me about Christian ministry
By Chris Clark
Both can reveal truth, challenge power and invite people into liberation.
FROM OUR WEBSITE
Indigenous groups urge Canadians to rethink their relationship with water
By Charlotte MacDonald
Elders and advocates say decades of environmental damage can no longer be ignored.
FROM OUR WEBSITE
Military emissions are Canada’s climate blind spot
By Randa Ali
As Ottawa expands defence spending, it must also measure and report the environmental cost of armed forces.
SUBSTACK
This week on Wilderness Times, Rev. Bri-anne Swan reflects on the United Church of Canada’s apology to 2SLGBTQ+ people — and why, in the Christian tradition, saying “sorry” is only the beginning.
 
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