Indigenous foundations: The Mississauga Declaration (2011)

The Mississauga Declaration is a foundational expression of Indigenous Anglican vision, sovereignty and renewal. Articulated during a national consultation in Toronto, it names the urgent realities facing Indigenous communities and calls the Church to support pathways toward self-determination, revitalized ministry and deeper relationships rooted in the land. The declaration reflects a collective commitment to live toward a renewed Indigenous Anglican future grounded in the Gospel, Elders’ wisdom and responsibility to coming generations.

Mississauga Declaration (September 17, 2011)
Toronto, Ont.

Gathered in a sacred circle of love, prayer and hope, we placed the Gospel in the centre and listened to hear God’s voice. Seventeen years after The Covenant, our communities are still in crisis and we are convinced that we must act in defense of the people and the Land. Though gathered as a consultation on governance, we have realized that our task is more urgent and more extensive. We affirm that God has a plan for us in the Gospel and that we must claim the freedom to become what God has called us to be. We believe that we must act now to reaffirm our sovereign identity as the people of the Land and to revive, renew and reclaim the ministries in our communities. Empowered in faith, we will live and work to overcome the crisis that brings overwhelming death to the peoples of this land.

We need to explore the possibilities and potential as spelled out in the Indigenous Covenant Implementation Commission’s work that would develop structures of authority, ministries and jurisdiction up to and including the development of a fifth province.

Our collective experience over decades of struggle of reconciling the historical wrongs and now the impact of assimilation upon our Elders, our children and grandchildren tells us that realistic answers come from our ways of living upon the Land and from our relationship we have always had with God, through Jesus Christ in the Holy Spirit. We are called by our Elders to take responsibility to practice and express our way of life so our children and their children can live as the people of the Land, your neighbours, friends and partners of our Church.

We know God is calling our peoples through our Elders’ Vision to renewal and restoration. With respect for our various traditional ways of living we hear God’s call to our peoples to unite as the renewed and restored peoples upon the Land. We will begin, today, to live towards a vision of ministry to Indigenous peoples throughout our native lands, many of us know as Turtle Island. We commit to plan and pray towards a full expression of God’s truth and love among the People of the Land. We call upon our partners in the Anglican Church and beyond to join us in the fulfillment of this calling.

Suggested uses

• Study the declaration alongside The Covenant and Our Way of Life in parish or diocesan learning
• Introduce Anglican groups to the foundations of Indigenous self-determination and Sacred Circle
• Support formation for clergy, lay leaders or councils exploring Indigenous-settler partnership

Key themes

• Indigenous sovereignty and identity
• Renewal of ministry and community life
• Commitment to the land and Elders’ wisdom
• Gospel-rooted self-determination

Best suited for: Those learning about Indigenous Anglican governance, parish and diocesan leaders, study groups, educators and anyone seeking to understand the theological and relational foundations of Indigenous self-determination within the Anglican Church of Canada.