Spirituality and the pursuit of justice
I
t was a unique moment in Canadian history. A gathering of political, religious and Indigenous spiritual leaders, all seeking a path forward in relationships with Indigenous Peoples, a path toward understanding and reconciliation – a Sacred Assembly.
It was December 1995, less than two months after the Quebec referendum. The Royal Commission on Aboriginal Peoples had begun in 1991, and many Canadians wanted a better path forward, including how to respond to wrongs done in the name of God.
The vision articulated by Elijah Harper (1949–2013), MP and former Manitoba MLA, was the need for reconciliation, restoration and restitution between Indigenous and non-Indigenous peoples specifically based on the need for repentance which, he said, is foundational to Canada experiencing political harmony and peace.
The purpose was to cast a vision and identify the responsibilities we have, as individuals, religious communities, Indigenous Peoples, and governments for pursuing a right and just relationship between Indigenous and non-Indigenous peoples.
For Harper, inherent in Indigenous “traditions, beliefs and philosophies” is a vision “that acknowledges and embraces the sovereignty of God our Creator.”
The opening welcome in 1996 was by Alan B. Harper, church leader and also Elijah Harper’s father, speaking in Oji-Cree. He spoke of the sacred commission that we gather and do everything in God’s name. He invoked the blessing of God the Father, the Son and the Holy Ghost on the Sacred Assembly.
Canada was charting a secular path – the spiritual dimension of all of life was being closeted, often dismissed and denied in people’s everyday lives as well as in national politics and most media.
People often speak of the separation of church and state. But faith or spirituality is a dimension of all of life. It cannot be separated from politics, nor from any area of endeavour. And it is essential in addressing historical wrongs, particularly those done is the name of God – charting a path forward through dialogue based in humility, mutual dignity and repentance.
For Harper, inherent in Indigenous “traditions, beliefs and philosophies” is a vision “that acknowledges and embraces the sovereignty of God our Creator.”
As then-prime minister Jean Chrétien said, “What has been missing from all the hard work that has gone into reclaiming Indigenous land and self-government through the courts, and the political process in recent years has been the spiritual perspective that lies behind these demands for justice. . . . It is when there is justice, God is there. And I think that you, Mr. Harper, have found a new way. Spirituality is missing a lot in our society and spirituality is absolutely needed to find the right way.”
When Elijah Harper gathered religious leaders to plan the Sacred Assembly, the EFC had recently co-convened with World Vision a gathering of 30 First Nations and Métis Christians to explore how we could journey together to build healthy relationships.
As the Sacred Assembly plans unfolded, Terry Leblanc, Lorraine Land, Murray Angus and I comprised a committee to produce two documents. The Reconciliation Proclamation and Principles and Priorities for a New Relationship both begin with a recognition of common beliefs – Creator God reigns supreme, the land on which we live was created for the benefit of all, Indigenous Peoples have a special right and responsibility to ensure the continuing integrity of the land (and the unity and well-being of its inhabitants), and non-Indigenous Canadians share in these stewardship responsibilities.
One of the recommendations was that the federal government establish a national Aboriginal Day. And in 1996 the date of June 21 was selected. The name was changed to National Indigenous Peoples Day in 2017.
Participants of the Sacred Assembly have continued trying to bring Elijah Harper’s vision into our realms of influence, and in January I joined many in Winnipeg to commemorate its 30th anniversary. We identified the fruit borne from seeds planted, and recommitted ourselves to press forward with a new generation, journeying farther on the path of right relationships and justice between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Canadians.
The Reconciliation Proclamation has been embraced as a guiding document in the EFC’s journey toward right relationships with Indigenous Peoples (TheEFC.ca/ReconciliationProclamation). The journey toward justice and right relationships continues.
Bruce J. Clemenger is senior ambassador and president emeritus of The Evangelical Fellowship of Canada, and author of The New Orthodoxy: Canada’s Emerging Civil Religion (Castle Quay, 2022).