Paul agreed with the TRC

Ten years ago this month, in the Delta Hotel in Ottawa, the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) held its closing ceremony. The executive summary and 94 Calls to Action were released. The event was so well-attended that an overflow room was needed to accommodate the large number of witnesses. And I, new to my position as Executive Director of a denomination in Canada, represented all Christian Churches in Canada and made a promise for the future. I committed that the Christian Church would do its part in moving the process forward and seek reconciliation at every turn.

But 10 years have passed with change across many denominations, churches and leadership efforts. I am not sure my spoken promise holds up anymore. Are our Christian organizations any more sensitive to Indigenous ways of being? Are we beginning to see the world in a similar way?

Sparse evidence

I now consult for Christian organizations in Canada and across the world, and I do not see much evidence that our “Christian thinking” is any more sensitive to “Indigenous thinking.” And until such a time that we can see that there is common ground, we will sputter in our pursuit of reconciliation, together.

Indigenous ways of being and the pursuit of reconciliation are not a wistful hope made from a foreign philosophy. No, it is based on truth that can be as easily rooted in the Christian scriptures as anywhere else. Or as my friend Pastor Dan Brown (of Métis background) says: “Why Indigenous ways of knowing are important – especially within a Christian organization’s context – is, ironically, that they bring us back to Biblical principles that we have lost sight of.”

Centring on values

So, let’s reflect on the five values that undergirded the TRC.

Respect. This principle emphasizes acknowledging and valuing distinct cultures, histories and experiences . . . which sounds to me like Revelation 7:9: “I saw a huge crowd, too huge to count. Everyone was there – all nations and tribes, all races and languages.”

Equality calls for ensuring that Indigenous peoples have equal access to opportunities and resources, and that their rights are respected and protected. I hear an echo of Galatians 3:28: “There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.”

Accountability emphasizes holding individuals, institutions and governments accountable for past wrongs and for taking action to address ongoing injustices. Screaming from the pages of scripture comes Romans 4:12: “So then, each of us will give an account of ourselves to God.”

Transparency requires open and honest communication about the past and the present, including providing access to information and ensuring that decisions are made in a transparent manner. Ephesians 4:15 says to “speak the truth in love.”

Joint Leadership. This principle emphasizes the need for Indigenous peoples and non-Indigenous peoples to work together in a collaborative and mutually respectful way to achieve reconciliation. Recollect the images of the Christian community as a body with many parts (1 Cor. 12).

A single truth

Some of the relevant outcomes of these values for Christian organizations include cultural respect, diversity of leadership, constant evaluation, minimizing the use of Non-Disclosure Agreements and the inclusion of the differently-abled across Christian organizations.

So you see, Indigenous truth and Christian truth are not two kinds of truth. All truth is God’s truth. And so the truth of the TRC still remains, 10 years on. Christians, we made a promise!