Jul 01 2021 65 mins
How can Indigenous peoples and their histories not simply be seen as "additions" to society but rather help to transform its very structures?
Recently, Jonathan Hamilton-Diabo joined Andrew to reflect on what the past year has brought to light for him about Indigenous experiences.
Jonathan knows well the long work of truth-telling, open-hearted listening, and deep community transformation. He is a member of the Mohawk nation, and is the June Callwood Professor in Social Justice and Special Advisor on Indigenous Issues at Emmanuel College at Victoria University in Toronto. He was also an integral part of the Steering Committee for the University of Toronto’s response to the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada.
In this episode, Jonathan considers the ongoing calls to action of the TRC, some dynamics of "making space" and changing the narrative, and how the history of residential schools impacts all of us. In light of the recent tragic findings of the unmarked graves of hundreds of children at residential school sites across Canada, we are especially grateful that Jonathan shared his wisdom on these matters and his time with us.
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At Emmanuel College, Jonathan will be teaching the following courses this year: “Residential Schools: Enactment, Responses and Calls to Action” in Fall 2021, and “Engaging the Spirit: Indigenous Theological Worldviews” in Winter 2022. If you'd like to learn more about these courses, you can visit Emmanuel's website: www.emmanuel.utoronto.ca.
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Critical Faith is sponsored by the Centre for Philosophy, Religion, and Social Ethics (CPRSE) at the Institute for Christian Studies in Toronto. For more, visit www.icscanada.edu.
Music by Matt Bernico.