“The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me,
Because He has anointed Me
To preach the gospel to the poor;
He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted,
To proclaim liberty to the captives
And recovery of sight to the blind,
To set at liberty those who are oppressed;
To proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord.” (Luke 4.18-19)
The Canadian Orthodox Church (the Archdiocese of Canada of the Orthodox Church in America) remains steadfast in its mission to embody and enact the values of the future kingdom of God already now within Canadian society. As we grow towards the light of the age to come, Orthodox Christian faithful are called to tend to the pressing thorns and weeds that arise in our shared soil. Among these, though far from the only issue in our land, are the tragedies brought to light by the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (2008-2015), which worked to address the suffering wrought by colonialism on Canada's first nations by seeking justice, healing, and restoration of relationships between Indigenous peoples and settlers.
Planted in the rich soil of the belief that every human bears the divine image, Orthodox Christian theology at its best nurtures the dignity and respect of all people. Yet, like seeds that don’t always take root, Orthodox Christians have not always lived up to this high calling, especially in their encounters with Indigenous peoples here and across the world. Still, there are numerous moments in the history of the Orthodox Church where the seeds of holiness sprouted — such as in the 14th century with St Stephen of Perm, and later with the saintly Alaskan missionaries such as St Herman and St Innocent, who cultivated relationships with Indigenous communities with deep cultural awareness and love while preserving the truth of the gospel.
In our own time, the ministry of the newly-glorified Matushka Olga, an Indigenous woman of Alaska, blossomed as a tender witness to this ethos. Her care for women and children, especially those who were vulnerable and in deep need, was like a garden rooted in Christ's love, her heart ever open to the needs around her. These stories remind us that even where the soil is dry, God’s grace can help new growth emerge.
By finding common ground with Indigenous peoples — such as a shared understanding of the sanctity of all creation, a deep touchstone between Indigenous reverence for nature and Orthodox Christian sacramental theology — we work together in the same soil. Through prayer, listening to stories, sharing experiences, and hands-on efforts, we seek to plant the seeds of the gospel within Canadian culture, trusting that in time, it will take root and bear fruit. Indeed, we seek to foster a true and genuine restoration — a foretaste of God's kingdom on earth as it is in heaven.
