Truth and reconciliation
These resources provide materials to help Anglicans, newcomers and others explore the relationship between Indigenous communities and the Church, including historical aspects, justice issues and ongoing reconciliation efforts.
Doctrine of Discovery: Stolen Lands, Strong Hearts is a feature-length film that explores the lasting impact of the Doctrine of Discovery, a set of fifteenth-century papal rulings that declared lands outside Europe to be “empty” and Indigenous Peoples to be less than fully human. These ideas shaped the legal and moral framework of colonization and continue to influence laws, policies and relationships in Canada today.
This worship resource, An Action in Solidarity with the Indigenous Peoples of Canada, was developed in 2016 in response to then-Primate Fred Hiltz’s call for all parishes to publicly read the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP) on or near June 21, the National Indigenous Day of Prayer.
These prayers and collects support reflection, healing and shared commitment on the journey of truth and reconciliation. Rooted in Anglican tradition and shaped by the lived experience of Indigenous and non-Indigenous peoples, they invite communities to pray with honesty, hope and a desire for renewed relationship.