Reading Week begins

This week there are no classes at Toronto School of Theology, as it is Reading Week. Well, that doesn't make much difference to me, as I am not taking any classes. But spending time reading, and participate in various aspects of life at Wycliffe College.

This morning I attended a trialogue, "Mission and Power:Memory, Journey, Vision" with Bishop Mark MacDonald(National Anglican Indigenous Bishop, Elizabeth Tapia(Filipina Educator & Pastor) and Russell Daye(Canadian theologian). Great stuff. Session again tomorrow and another on Thursday. In the three trialogues these 3 engage in conversation ``around Mission and Canada as both a colonized, and colonizing nation`` The session this morning, which featured Bishop Mark as the lead off speaker, brought home to me anew just how different the way of thinking and being of indigenous people is, to that of the non-indigenous people.

Going back a long way, my own ancestors also were people of the land, and as such were indigenous people. But that is a very long way back indeed. My being so privileged to live and work amongst Cree people is a great gift.

Dr. Elizabeth Tapia spoke of doing doctoral work at a US university, and finding that there was not much in the way of indigenous theology in the libraries, because indigenous cultures are oral cultures. Hence she went back to the Philippines to interview indigenous people. It made me think about trying to get out to spend time with some indigenous elders in southern Ontario, as a part of my sabbatical time. I am here doing some reading...but there still is little in the way of indigenous theology that is in books, though there is some.

These 3 sessions are a part of the annual Canadian Theological Students Conference.