The Canadian Church and Indigenous Peoples - Perspectives

Summary

In this insightful conversation, Sister Priscilla Solomon, an Ojibway and a Sister of St. Joseph, discusses her work on enculturation and intercultural faith within the Canadian church. She explains how cultures can integrate the gospel into their own values while discerning aspects incompatible with Christian teachings. She also addresses the ongoing healing process from the impacts of residential schools, emphasizing the intergenerational trauma and the need for reconciliation. Sister Priscilla encourages prayer, openness, and dialogue between Indigenous and non-Indigenous communities for healing and unity under God's guidance.

Takeaways

• 😊 Enculturation involves people of a particular culture finding the roots of the gospel in their culture, discerning values and teachings that align with the good news of Jesus.
• 🌍 Only the people of a given culture can enculturate their faith by identifying what is and isn’t compatible with the gospel within their cultural context.
• 🤝 Intercultural work is different—it’s about the dynamic interaction between expressions of faith from various cultures, learning how they can work together.
• 💬 Intercultural interaction leads to the development of new expressions of faith, combining elements from different cultures.
• 😟 Many non-Indigenous people question why the topic of residential schools is still being discussed.
• 🛠 The healing process from residential schools is ongoing, with many intergenerational impacts, such as emotional struggles within families and societal issues like alcoholism.
• 👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 The experiences of survivors affect their children and future generations, shaping family dynamics and emotional expressions.
• 🙏 The next step in the healing process involves trusting in God’s guidance and recognizing reconciliation as a spiritual journey beyond human capacity.
• 🙌 Reconciliation requires prayer for openness, understanding, and willingness to dialogue between Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal people.
• 🤲 Sister Priscilla Solomon emphasizes the need for continued prayer and dialogue as vital steps toward healing and reconciliation between the Church and Indigenous peoples.

Q & A

What is inculturation?

Inculturation is the process where people of a particular culture search out the roots or seeds of the gospel in their own culture, identifying values and teachings that enable them to receive and live the gospel within their cultural context.

What is the difference between inculturation and intercultural?

Inculturation is specific to people of a given culture integrating their faith within their cultural values, while intercultural refers to the dynamic interaction between different cultures to develop a new expression of faith together.

Why is inculturation important for indigenous cultures?

Inculturation allows indigenous cultures to receive the gospel and integrate it within their own values and traditions, while discerning elements incompatible with the teachings of Jesus Christ.

What kind of work does Sister Priscilla Solomon do?

Sister Priscilla Solomon works on inculturation of faith and intercultural concepts, particularly within the context of her indigenous culture.

Why do some people question why residential schools are still being discussed?

Some non-indigenous people question why residential schools are still being discussed because they may not understand the ongoing impact and healing process required for those affected by the residential school system.

What are some of the impacts of residential schools on families?

The impacts include challenges with expressing emotions like anger and love, which affects communication within families. There are also intergenerational impacts such as increased alcoholism and family dissolution.

What are intergenerational impacts of residential schools?

Intergenerational impacts include difficulties in emotional expression, relationship challenges, and issues like alcoholism and family dissolution, which are consequences experienced by children of residential school survivors.

How has Sister Priscilla’s family been affected by residential schools?

Sister Priscilla's family has been affected in their ability to express emotions and communicate effectively, due to her parents' experiences in residential schools.

What does Sister Priscilla see as the next step in the healing process?

The next step in the healing process is to trust in the guidance of God’s Spirit, pray for openness, and begin dialogues for reconciliation between Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal people.

What role does prayer play in the reconciliation process?

Prayer is important for fostering openness, the desire to reconcile, and for seeking God’s guidance in the work of reconciliation.