The Very Rev. Bill Phipps speaking at an interfaith prayer vigil on September 14, 2001.

The Very Rev. William "Bill" Phipps (born 1942) is a Canadian church leader and social justice activist. He was Moderator of the United Church of Canada from 1997 to 2000. Image File history File links BillPhipps. ... Image File history File links BillPhipps. ... September 14 is the 257th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (258th in leap years). ... 2001: A Space Odyssey. ... A church building (or simply church) is a building used in Christian worship. ... Social justice is a philosophical definition of justice, that is, giving individuals or groups their due within society as a whole. ... The Moderator of the United Church of Canada is the head of the United Church of Canada, Canadas largest Protestant denomination. ... The United Church of Canada (French: lÉglise Unie du Canada) is Canadas second largest church (after the Roman Catholic Church), and its largest Protestant denomination. ...

Early life and ministry

He was trained as a lawyer before entering theological college, and was ordained to the ministry in 1969. While studying theology in Chicago he worked for noted social activist Saul Alinsky. In his career, Phipps has worked as a poverty lawyer, community organizer and pastor. From 1974 to 1983, he was minister at Trinity-St. Paul's United Church in downtown Toronto, Ontario. After leaving Trinity-St. Paul's United, he moved to Alberta to work in church administration. Ordination is the process in which clergy become authorized by their religious denomination and/or seminary to perform religious rituals and ceremonies. ... Saul Alinsky off the cover of Let Them Call Me Rebel: Saul Alinsky, His Life and Legacy by Sanford D. Horwitt. ... Trinity-St. ... Motto: Ut Incepit Fidelis Sic Permanet (Latin: Loyal she began, loyal she remains) Official languages English Flower White trillium Capital Toronto Largest city Toronto Lieutenant-Governor James K. Bartleman Premier Dalton McGuinty (Liberal) Parliamentary representation  - House seat  - Senate seats 106 24 Area Total  - Land  - Water    (% of total)  Ranked 4th 1...

Moderator of the United Church of Canada

A theological liberal, Phipps engendered controversy when shortly after becoming moderator he said "I don't believe Jesus was God", that he didn't consider the resurrection a scientific fact, and that he was agnostic on the question of an afterlife. What is important, Phipps argued, is not notions of the afterlife but fighting poverty and suffering on earth. "Your soul is lost unless you care about people starving in the streets," according to Phipps. He said that what is important is not so much whether or not the Bible is a literal historical record but the teachings and example of Jesus. This sparked great debate in the church, with some congregations passed motions asserting their faith in Jesus' literal resurrection. Jesus (8-2 BC/BCE — 29-36 AD/CE),[1] also known as Jesus of Nazareth, is the central figure of Christianity. ... Michelangelos depiction of God in the painting Creation of the Sun and Moon in the Sistine Chapel Krishna, the eighth incarnation of Vishnu, one of the manifestations of the ultimate reality or God in Hinduism This article discusses the term God in the context of monotheism and henotheism. ... This article concerns itself with Jewish, Christian , Islamic and other religious interpretations of the concept of the resurrection of the dead. ... The term agnosticism and the related agnostic were coined by Thomas Henry Huxley in 1869. ... The afterlife (or life after death) is a generic term referring to a continuation of existence, typically spiritual and experiential, beyond this world, or after death. ... World map showing percentage of people living under national poverty lines. ... The Gutenberg Bible owned by the United States Library of Congress The Bible (Hebrew: תנ״ך tanakh, Greek: η Βίβλος hē biblos) (sometimes The Holy Bible, The Book, Work of God, The Word, The Good Book or Scripture), from Greek (τα) βίβλια, (ta) biblia, (the) books, is the name used by Jews and Christians for their...

During his term as moderator, he apologized to Canada's indigenous First Nations for abuse in church-run residential schools earlier in the century. First Nations is the current title used by Canada to describe the various societies of the indigenous peoples, called Native Americans in the U.S. They have also been known as Indians, Native Canadians, Aboriginal Americans, Amer-Indians, or Aboriginals, and are officially called Indians in the Indian Act, which... The term residential school generally refers to any school at which students live in addition to attending classes. ...

Later career

Since 1993, Phipps has been Minister at Scarboro United Church in Calgary, Alberta. Motto: Heart of the new west Area: 712. ... Motto: Fortis et liber (Latin: Strong and free) Official languages English Flower Wild rose Capital Edmonton Largest city Calgary Lieutenant-Governor Norman Kwong Premier Ralph Klein (PC) Parliamentary representation  - House seat  - Senate seats 28 6 Area Total  - Land  - Water    (% of total)  Ranked 6th 661,848 km² 642,317 km² 19...

In the spring of 2001], he was part of an Ecumenical mission to Africa. The word ecumenical comes from a Greek word that means pertaining to the whole world. ... Africa is the worlds second-largest and second-most populous continent, after Asia. ...

Politician

In 2002, Phipps was the New Democratic Party candidate in the Calgary Southwest by-election contested by newly-elected Canadian Alliance leader Stephen Harper. Phipps challenged Harper's conservative economic and social views. Harper said he "despises" the cleric [1] and refused to debate him. In the election, Phipps came in second with just over 20% of the vote. The New Democratic Party (NDP) is a political party in Canada with a social democratic philosophy and moderate democratic socialist tendencies that contests elections at both the federal and provincial levels. ... Calgary Southwest is a federal electoral district in Alberta, Canada, that has been represented in the Canadian House of Commons since 1988. ... A by-election or bye-election is a special election held to fill a political office when the incumbent has died or resigned. ... The Canadian Alliance, formally the Canadian Reform Conservative Alliance, was a Canadian right-of-centre conservative political party that existed from 2000 to 2003. ... Stephen Harper (born April 30, 1959) is the 22nd and current Prime Minister of Canada and leader of the Conservative Party of Canada. ...

In 2003, Phipps supported the Rev. Bill Blaikie in that year's NDP leadership election. The Honourable Rev. ... The 2003 New Democratic Party leadership race to replace New Democratic Party of Canada leader Alexa McDonough ended January 25, 2003 with the first ballot victory of popular Toronto city councillor Jack Layton. ...

Phipps is currently active with the Interfaith community's Faith and the Common Good project in Canada. To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ...

Awards and honours

On November 2, 2005, Phipps was awarded the Alberta Centennial Medal. He was nominated for the award by David Swann. November 2 is the 306th day of the year (307th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 59 days remaining. ... 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Front of the Alberta Centenial Medal The Alberta Centennial Medal is a commemorative medal celebrating Alberta’s first 100 years of confederation. ... Dr. David Swann is a medical doctor and Alberta Liberal Member of Legistive Assembly. ...

The Frederick Henry controversy

Phipps was in the news again on April 1, 2005, when he was quoted in the Calgary Herald sharply attacking the Roman Catholic Bishop of Calgary, Frederick Henry. The occasion was the laying of two human rights complaints against the bishop for reaffirming the traditional Catholic teaching on homosexuality in a letter to the Catholics of his diocese. There was some objection to the strength of Henry's statements. April 1 is the 91st day of the year (92nd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar, with 274 days remaining. ... 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar. ... The Calgary Herald is a daily Calgary, Alberta newspaper. ... The Roman Catholic Church, most often spoken of simply as the Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with over one billion members. ... A bishop is an ordained member of the Christian clergy who, in certain Christian churches, holds a position of authority. ... Frederick Henry (born April 11, 1943) is the seventh and current Roman Catholic bishop of the diocese of Calgary, in the province of Alberta, Canada. ... Pope Pius XI blesses Bishop Stephen Alencastre as fifth Apostolic Vicar of the Hawaiian Islands in a Cathedral of Our Lady of Peace window. ...

Phipps was quoted as saying the following:

• "He portrays himself as a victim. Well, please."
• "Why are we focusing on one bishop who loves the spotlight?"
• "This is about a group who have been maligned, who have been beaten up physically, mentally and spiritually."

Phipps' views contrasted with those of the Alberta Civil Liberties Association, and conservative Jewish, Muslim, Sikh and Mormon leaders who saw the issue as one of religious freedom. Judaism is the religion of the Jewish people with around 15 million followers as of 2006 [1]. It is one of the first recorded monotheistic faiths and one of the oldest religious traditions still practiced today. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... The Harimandir Sāhib, known popularly as the Golden Temple, is a sacred shrine for Sikhs Sikhism (IPA: or ; Punjabi: , , IPA: ) is a religion that found its genesis in sixteenth century Northern India with the teachings of Nānak and nine successive human Gurus. ... See also: The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints Mormonism is a religion, movement, ideology, and subculture that originated in the early 1800s as a product of the Latter Day Saint movement led principally by Joseph Smith, Jr. ...

External links

• 1997 profile from the United Church Observer
• 2001 speech by Bill Phipps on sexuality
• Articles on Phipps' theological comments
• Interview
• Scarboro United Church