The Current Threat to International Denominations

America is changing. Quickly. The second Trump presidency is taking swift and decisive action to upend many long-established traditions and institutions inside the United States. But there has also been a emphatic change in America’s attitude toward other countries (at least from our perspective).

In his press conferences and other statements, Trump has made remarks about annexing, buying or absorbing Greenland, Canada, the Panama Canal, Gaza and more. He has threatened and/or imposed new tariffs on allies and enemies. The new government has a more belligerent and confrontational approach to foreign relations than past governments.

What this means for macroeconomics, military alliances, global trade is for others. I am concerned for what this means for international Christian Protestant denominations like the one I am a part of — the Presbyterian Church in America.

America has long been the greatest supplier of Christian missionaries working in other countries. As a result, a number of American denominations have churches in other countries, like the PCA planting churches in Norway.

In addition, Canada and the United States were settled by similar people groups and share similar cultures, the same majority language and since 1815, a peaceful and relatively open border. Most reformed denominations have churches on both sides of the border including the PCA, the CRC, the URC, the OPC, and up until recently, the ARP and the RPCNA.

However, the recent tensions between the United States and most other countries, including Canada, have thrown the future into doubt. At the present time, there is open hostility and resentment in Canada towards America, to the point of Canadians booing the Star Spangled Banner at hockey games. There are many news reports and social media posts about cancelled trips to America, boycotting US products and so on. There are pockets of Canadians who wish they were Americans, but the majority’s response to the changes in the White House have been quite negative.

Where once there was a relatively peaceful big brother — little brother relationship between the USA and Canada, one wonders whether the current tension will slowly resolve over time (or in 4 years time) or whether this is the start of a new era.

If this is a new era of a frostier, testier, slightly-more-adversarial relationship between the USA and Canada, then I see three ways this could impact a denomination like the PCA:

1. American ministers in Canada

For a long time, the PCA in Canada has been sustained by American ministers coming to serve in Canada. The United States has more seminaries, more churches, more congregants and Canada has been the beneficiary of ministers trained in these places who are called to serve in Canada. Some of my best friends are American ministers.

If the animosity continues, it is easy to see Canadian churches more reluctant to hire American ministers. Perhaps getting a work visa and the long-term citizenship process will become more difficult.

In addition, Americans currently ministering in Canada may face more skepticism or opposition for their nationality.

2. Canadian Churches leaving a mostly American denomination

If tensions continue or get worse, it is easy to see Canadian churches deciding to exit a largely American denomination. A fellow Canadian pastor texted me last week saying that is clear that Canadians are personae non grata south of the border and wondering if we need to have a real conversation about a Canadian PCA.

In a recent sermon in my church I mentioned somewhat off-hand about American Christians who voted for Trump and heard from a few congregants about how strange it seemed to imagine Christians voting for him.

Perhaps this is overblown, but it is easy to see Canadian churches seeing this as the issue that pushes them out of a largely American denomination.

3. A Gradual Growing Apart

It is obvious that there are differences between Canadians and Americans and have been for some time. But those differences could be lived with. Bi-national denominations could exist and thrive.

However, if our countries take divergent paths and no longer see our future as intertwined, then it is easy to see how Canadian churches would feel increasingly distant from American churches (and vice versa). Perhaps there is no immediate change but it may be that we wake up in five or ten or twenty years time and realize that we are quite different and need to go our own way.

Time will tell of course. There is a provincial election in Ontario in the next month and a federal election not too far off. Will Canada choose a very different path from the USA or a very similar one? Those elections might go a long way in determining if our nations grow together or apart.

Conclusion

I’ve wondered out loud before about whether or not Canada should have its own version of the PCA. Other Reformed denominations have as well. So even though the future of our two nations and our single denomination is murky, it may not be as negative as I’ve portrayed it.

Perhaps God will use the political tensions to lead to much good. We can hope that no matter what kind of future we enter, God will work for the spiritual good of Canadians and Americans.