We are the “hidden agenda” makers that many are sure lurk behind Stockwell Day.  We will apparently bring “uncontrollable referendums, bigotry, sear the public with fire and brimstone, and launch mass campaigns for capital punishment.”  It’s been implied we will overrule Supreme Court of Canada and Human Rights decisions, all suspected activity that has labelled us by some in high places as the “dark side” of Canada.

This level of innuendo, mockery, and deriding has been unprecedented in our public discourse, and it’s happened because we’re apparently all voting for Stockwell Day.

How absurd – but I must add the caution – that even as an insider I haven’t figured out the mysteries of what makes a Christian act on public issues.  Who knows where this formidable group will mark their X, that response will be as diverse as they are.

While 80% of Canadians define themselves as Christians, (Census Canada 1991) let’s focus on the portion of Bible believers that are defined under the label  Stockwell Day has popularized as of late, evangelical Christians.  Ipsos Reid studies conclude 16% of adult Canadians hold these defining beliefs, and you just have to know a few to discover they are as diverse as the politicians are who embrace evangelicalism.  Consider the ideologies of evangelical Christians Matthew Coon Come, or Liberal campaign strategist David Smith to name just a few.

Pollster Andrew Grenville tracked the 1996 voting patterns of highly committed Canadian evangelicals, the kind who attend church each Sunday, who give at least ten percent of their income to charity, who sign petitions and who believe in hell (the “agenda makers”).  37% were Liberal, 32% Reform, 18% Conservative, and 4% NDP.

This means our “hidden agenda” discussions in the churches that unite us are quite testy at times.  We can never pull off the quick consensus a Doris Day referendum has, we are complicated and laboriously cautious.  We are also delightfully hope filled  people – we really do believe something bigger than any political party has the benevolence of the world in mind - God.

When it comes to being unified on political activism, we start with the Bible and work towards common positions.  As far as I can tell, the only biblical application we don’t debate over is “love your neighbour.”  That’s the compelling draw that moves us from private belief to public engagement.

If  we sign a petition against legalizing possession of child pornography as many have at the back of a church, it’s rooted in concern to protect children.  If we sponsor court interventions as is currently being done in two provinces seeking to strike down the male-female definition of marriage, it’s because something that’s of value for the well being of Canadians is at risk.  If we generally oppose abortion on demand it’s because we believe human life is a gift that is to be respected and protected.

Our activism can be as altruistic as the round the clock pastor in Toronto making $27,000 a year organizing 35 members to care for an inner city neighbourhood, running youth nights and a soup kitchen.  Or it can be as complex as the $190 million a year budget of World Vision Canada that recreates Third World villages and lobbies foreign governments.

The agenda makers are as diverse as the ones I lunched with last week:   Bruce Clemenger speaks to 3 million evangelical constituents in the Evangelical Fellowship of Canada.  He was just back from “Should Pigs Fly”, a gathering of church leaders to discuss how they will engage over cloning and reproductive technology decisions pending in Canada.

Rev. David Mainse spends over $15 million a year on several evangelical TV ventures, international relief work, and summer camping programs for 8,000 children.  If there’s going to be a Rick Mercer like influence on establishing referendum it will come from this man – in the six years I’ve known him, he’s never called for one.

Harry Kits is the Director of Citizens for Public Justice, and develops economic policy positions that are consulted on by the likes of Finance Minister Paul Martin, or MP Svend Robinson.  Members of his team were arrested at Burnt Church for aboriginal activism.

Former Health Minister Jake Epp insisted on picking up the tab for our lunch, he’s a close advisor to the Alliance Party, a suave, older, wiser evangelical activist.  He regaled us with his stories from 21 years on Parliament Hill, but as charming as he is, it doesn’t mean we all vote Alliance.  As I recall, Mr. Epp didn’t even flinch when  Mr. Kits asserted the tax cuts being proposed in the current election campaign are immoral.

Links to extensive voters guides for these and other faith based  political activists can be found at the Listen Up website, evidence of Canadians that will publicize their faith at events other than their own funeral.

Four things define an evangelical in Canada says sociologist Reginald Bibby:  we embrace a spiritual birth moment in our life, we see the Bible as the ultimate religious authority, we believe faith is to be passed along, and we focus on the meaning of the Cross of Jesus Christ.

Many Catholic Christians and Protestant Christians would embrace those tenets as well and if working those beliefs out in the political realm brings us mockery and derision, that won’t dissuade us. Authentic Christianity has a long tradition of being misunderstood.