The Protestant Churches, the Cold War, and Ontario 1945-1956 By
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“Ministering to an Unsettled World”: The Protestant Churches, the Cold War, and Ontario 1945-1956 By Julia Rady-Shaw A thesis submitted in conformity for the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy Department of History University of Toronto Copyright by Julia Rady-Shaw 2017 i Abstract “Ministering to an Unsettled World”: The Protestant Churches, the Cold War, and Ontario 1945-1956 by Julia Rady-Shaw Doctor of Philosophy Department of History University of Toronto During the aftermath of the Second World War in Canada the pace of change in society accelerated. The economy shifted from war-time industry to booming post-war reconstruction. Citizens attempted to define “normal” in the wake of a world war and the trepidation caused by the onset of the Cold War. Change, too, came to the place of religion in society. In an examination of the main Protestant Churches in Canada, my dissertation explores the tenor of post-war change and its implications on the place of religious institutions and religion in Canada. This work considers the most populous three Protestant Churches in Ontario as they sought to minister to a shifting population and tried to balance ideas about preserving traditional values with a desire to remain relevant and modern. People remained nominally Christian and defined their identity based on their religion despite growing secular pressures and trends in the post Second World War decade. This project unsettles historical assumptions made about secularization in Canada by incorporating ideas of “diffusive Christianity” used up to this point by historians of modern England in order to evaluate the continued impact and importance of religion in ii society, but also the way it altered or changed as a result of shifting values or norms. The churches’ attempts to modernize without sacrificing any of the values or ideas that they argued had helped to support, define, and strengthen Canadian society reflected the way the place of belief in society shifted but belief itself remained a strong touchstone of citizenship. Between 1945 and 1956 the United Church of Canada, the Presbyterian Church in Canada, and the Anglican Church dynamically engaged in reformulating their place in society. Regardless of creed, churches created a space where citizens could find both a link to traditional values (as laid out in the Bible) and also a place where they could understand the changes in society. As a whole, my dissertation contributes to a growing literature in Canadian history on post-war society. The focus upon the Protestant churches and the changing place of religion provides a way of assessing shifting values and traditions in Canada in light of the war. To reinsert religion into the mainstream historical appraisal of the post-war period means a greater appreciation for how 1945- 1956 was more than an interregnum between the war and the stability of staidness of the 1950s or even the radical 1960s. The place of the Church in society and in the lives of Canadian citizens is traced through chapters on commemoration, radio-broadcasting and ministry, the Royal Commission on Education, immigration, and the ecumenical movement. Each chapter focuses on a key area of church activism or policy advocacy. Using evidence pulled from each of the mainline Protestant churches as well as the secular and religious presses, provincial and government archives, and the archives of the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation moves this study of religion outside of a strictly denominational focus. The iii Canadian social and religious components of this dissertation are not taken as discrete areas of history, but rather inform one another. From the everyday commemoration of the fallen to the broader ecumenical movement, understanding how religious belief was dynamic during this decade allows us to analyze better why religion remained important and relevant to Canadian citizens, and how it became diffused or even diluted in society. iv Acknowledgments It is exciting to experience this project coming to a close, and to contemplate the possibilities of a life and career beyond the dissertation. I have taken the long way around to finishing this work, but I believe the perspective of having two babies and balancing the priorities of family and career has enriched it. I have been so very fortunate in my life and training as a historian to be supported by mentors, friends, and family. The Department of History at the University of Toronto, and the Jeanne Armour Fund for Canadian graduate students helped to support my work financially. I am appreciative of the many archives that I visited: Library and Archives Canada in Ottawa, the Archives of Ontario in Toronto, the Anglican Diocese Archives in Toronto, the Presbyterian Church in Canada archives, the United Church of Canada archives in Toronto, the CBC digital archives, records from the Multicultural History Society of Ontario, and the holdings of the University of Toronto library system have helped to provide the wealth of material upon which this study is based. Late in the game, Dave Gall kindly shared some of his own research with me to enhance the breadth and depth of my first chapter. My graduate experience has been a very rewarding one, made the more so by the mentorship of my supervisor. I am deeply grateful to Dr. Mark McGowan whose keen eye for detail has made this work much better, and who has understood beyond question the need to balance the priorities of family and work. He has been a role model for positivity, work ethic, and integrity. As my project came together, I have been lucky to have a number of people read, comment, or talk through various aspects of this dissertation. The lovely members of the Canadian Society of Church History have provided a warm and positive environment in which to present my ideas at the annual conferences. Their feedback has been very useful, and their collegiality rewarding. My committee members, Drs. Robert Bothwell and Doris Bergen have been encouraging and incisive in their comments. I am thankful for their time and help. I am also grateful to my colleagues Laura Smith and Michael Wilcox who not only provided insightful feedback during our writing group sessions, but also encouragement and friendship throughout graduate school. Michael, in particular, has kept me on my toes during our on-going games of scrabble! My love of history has deep roots. I remember listening to my grandfather, with toothpick in his mouth, recount tales of his childhood. His stories and the time spent with him are happy early memories for me, and also a reminder that in between analyzing evidence we need to tell stories. Bill Mattys’ World Religions course at Central Secondary School in my hometown of London, Ontario first piqued my interest in the subject matter that has long dominated my historical apprenticeship. To the other teachers who encouraged me to think big: Phil Harris, John Cox, and Daina Janitis – thank you. Beyond these gifted teachers, I owe thanks to numerous colleagues and family: Warren, and Jude, and Zach and Shari Shaw, Sarah Teefy, and Scott Robson have all been my boosters. Peter Mersereau has been a friend from day one in the program. Denis McKim has set the bar high for scholarship, skillful adjective use, and kindness. His guidance and advice have been most appreciated, as has his continued friendship. I am particularly lucky to have met Beth Jewett and Brad Miller. Beth and I bonded en route to tutorials in Scarborough and our friendship has been fast and strong v ever since. Her quiet encouragement and unfailing support has made her a true friend and a kindred spirit. Brad Miller has similarly become a person to whom I can always turn for insight, advice, encouragement, and friendship. He is wickedly smart, funny, and a sweetheart to boot. Truly some of the happiest evenings have been spent in the company of Brad and his partner, Josh. Beth, Brad, and Josh have become more than friends – they are my extended family and I treasure their place in my life dearly. My own family has been incredible. I tease that I am the “black sheep” having not gone into the family business: law. Joking aside, I have never been made to feel this way. Meredith and Andrew are the best siblings a girl could ask for, and our shared history and continued friendship is something I cherish. From a very young age, my love of all things historical has been nurtured by family trips across Canada and through to the southern United States. My father, Andre Rady, is interested in a huge range of subjects but especially history, and never satisfied until he has read a copious amount on a topic. I admire him and his appetite for knowledge. My mom, Helen Rady, is similarly encyclopaedic in what she knows and what she can recall. My parents’ intellectual curiosity and fidelity to clear argument and good evidence is something I strive to replicate. They have been loving and supportive, and I happily look forward to our coffee pot chats each morning. I will always treasure my Mom’s company on a couple of my research trips to Ottawa. While I am certainly thankful for the room and board she helped me with on these trips, more importantly I value and remember the companionship (especially on one when I was 81/2 months pregnant!). Jeremy Shaw and I have been married eleven+ years. We have two beautiful, bright, and energetic boys, Henry and Hayden, who have given me boundless perspective (and not just a few grey hairs). It is a privilege and my greatest pleasure to be their mother. It is difficult to express adequately how grateful I am to Jeremy for his unfailing support and love.