Fire in His Belly: A History of the Office of Social Concerns and Public Relations of the Pentecostal Assemblies of Canada as Coordinated by Reverend Hudson T. Hilsden -- 1976-1993

Abstract

In 1976, the Pentecostal Assemblies of Canada (PAOC) announced that Canada had arrived at a significant landmark of moral deterioration. In response to an absence of legislation protecting Christian values, the PAOC established a division entitled the Office of Social Concerns and Public relations (OSCPR). The primary roles of the OSCPR were to lobby governments, intervene before judiciaries, educate PAOC constituency, coordinate with media, and generally to articulate the ethical position of the PAOC to the public. In addition, the OSCPR served to highlight means whereby tangible aid could address social needs. In 1983, Rev. Hudson T. Hilsden was named full-time Coordinator of the OSCPR, and served in that role with distinction until his retirement in 1991. Following Hilsden's retirement, the General Executive of the PAOC (GE) adjusted the OSCPR to address social concerns (aid) more intensely than social issues (advocacy). This was a controversial move on the part of the GE, one which was protested throughout the channels of the OSCPR and indeed the entire PAOC. The GE claimed financial concerns motivated the change. However, it is likely that overall disinterest in advocacy on the part of the GE proved most detrimental to the OSCPR.