Anglican Indigenous Network finds resilience in shared struggles at international conference

15 September 2017

Anglican Indigenous Network finds resilience in shared struggles at international conference

[Anglican.ca by Matt Gardner] Indigenous Anglicans from around the world recently met in southern Ontario to discuss issues affecting Indigenous people within and across national (political) borders. Climate change and intergenerational trauma were two of the main issues that came under discussion, as well as the shared striving towards self-determination for Indigenous peoples.

The conference of the Anglican Indigenous Network (AIN), which meets every two years, took place on the territory of the Six Nations of the Grand River and in Toronto from Aug. 28-Sept. 3. Delegates included Indigenous people from the Anglican Church of Aotearoa, New Zealand and Polynesia, The Episcopal Church in the United States and Hawaii, the Anglican Church of Australia and Torres Strait Islands, and the Anglican Church of Canada.

Discussions in a sharing circle format underscored progress that has been made and the many challenges that still remain for Indigenous people around the world. Among the 29 delegates was a 10-person contingent from the Anglican Church of Canada, who signed the resulting communiqué on behalf of Indigenous peoples within the church.

“I think that the level of support and encouragement for each other was really at an all-time high,” National Indigenous Anglican Bishop Mark MacDonald said. “I think people were … very supported by it, very encouraged by it.”

Bishop MacDonald said delegates from other countries were “very supportive of Canada and they were very impressed [by] the Primate and his knowledge and understanding of Indigenous issues, of his engagement in the issue of self-determination … and felt that we were close to taking some important and significant steps.”

The full article can be found here

[Photo AIN delegates attending local service at St. Luke’s Anglican Church on Six Nations Reserve on the Grand River Territory, Oshweken, Ontario, Canada. Photo: Edward Hanohano/Diocese of Hawaii.]

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