During the proceedings of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission it was often said that the journey of reconciliation is long. Colonialism has a long and lasting legacy that requires continual commitment to the hard work of reconciliation. Therefore, we urge you today to continue the work as a matter of honouring God’s image in Indigenous people in Canada, to keep striving towards the high bar that Christ set for us: that we become reconcilers, following the example of the Great Reconciler, Jesus Christ (2 Corinthians 5:11-21).
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If you have ever experienced the KAIROS Blanket Exercise, as thousands of Christian Reformed people across Canada (and now the U.S.!) have, you know that Canadian history isn’t only maple leafs, the Summit Series, Juno Beach, and Medicare.
Canadian history isn’t only maple leafs, the Summit Series, Juno Beach, and Medicare.
Just as essential to Canadian history are realities like residential schools, the Sixties Scoop, land rights litigation, and Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls. In response to the violence of colonialism Indigenous peoples in Canada have, with resilience and courage, worked for healing and justice in: the Truth and Reconciliation Commision; land rights leadership; Shannon Koostachin’s courageous work for safe and comfy schools on reserve; and in deep contributions to the development--and eventually Canada’s adoption--of the U.N. Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples
Children of our Creator suffer because the colonization of North America is built on a belief in the superiority of European cultures and ways of thinking. This led to denials of the image of God in Indigenous people and how He is revealed in creation, and thus to generations of oppression and injustice. Ongoing injustices underline the urgency of reconciliation.
At Synod 2016, the CRC recognized the foundations of colonialism in the Doctrine of Discovery as heresy.
That’s why the journey of reconciliation has to include repentance—biblically, a “turning”— away from the behaviors, actions, and systems that have harmed Indigenous people. At Synod 2016, the CRC recognized the foundations of colonialism in the Doctrine of Discovery as heresy. Heresy requires an about-face, a turning in the direction of righteousness “to do every kind of good as God wants us to” (Heidelberg Catechism LD 33).
We must feel and say ‘sorry’ and demonstrate it by committing to a new direction of reconciliation. The U.N. Declaration was developed over 20 years by Indigenous peoples. The Truth and Reconciliation Commission called the Declaration a “framework for reconciliation”. Working for the implementation of the Declaration is part of the turning of reconciliation.
Working for the implementation of the Declaration is part of the turning of reconciliation.
Since the founding of the CRC’s first Urban Aboriginal Ministry centre in Winnipeg in 1972, Christian Reformed people have been seeking healthy relationships with Indigenous people, both in CRC pews and those who wouldn’t darken the door of a church but would come for some hot soup and bannock, or a prayer circle, or to see a nurse.
While the CRC has walked with Indigenous and church partners, there’s still much work to do. In addition to the centres' meaningful work, we've made commitments throughout the years as a denomination to turn away from the sins of colonization and dehumanization towards a better way of walking together, by respecting treaties and Indigenous rights.
Why do building codes call for fire extinguishers on every floor of a house?
Our colleague Shannon Perez often reminds us that, like a building code, each article of the U.N. Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples comes from a time when a right was violated. Why do building codes call for fire extinguishers on every floor of a house, or special firebreaks between different units in the same house? Because someone got burned.
That’s why the leadership of the CRC in Canada affirmed the U.N. Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples in 2016 with these words:
“The Christian Reformed churches in Canada affirm the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (the Declaration) as a framework for reconciliation. The Declaration is unique because Indigenous people are its authors and, in their articulation of these human rights, demonstrate a respect for human dignity and diversity that is a powerful vision of reconciled relationships. We embrace the Declaration as a hopeful vision for reconciled relationships. We honour the Declaration’s expression of Indigenous perspectives on justice and right relations that have, too often, been missing and ignored in the shaping of our collective lives.”
And that’s why, as momentum gathers to reconcile Canadian law to Indigenous rights as outlined in the U.N. Declaration, we are adding our voices in support of Bill C-262. This step is just the most recent one on a long (and to-be-continued) journey of learning, repentance, and reconciliation.
That’s why we are adding our voices in support of Bill C-262.
Besides praying to God for reconciliation, we’d also like to invite you to add your personal voice to the momentum by urging the Senate to pass Bill C-262. You can add your voice by sending a message to senators through this online action alert.
May God our Creator give us all wisdom to discern where the Holy Spirit is calling us, strength to follow the call, and Christ-like love for all those who journey with us.
[Image: Joseph Visser]
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