Indigenous peoples, News
112 Canadian churches vandalized and burned
Since the allegations of “mass graves” on Canadian residential school grounds began in 2021, more than a hundred of the country’s churches have been burned or vandalized. A list of these churches is being compiled by True North News, and the number has now grown to 112. True North’s list includes a Google map that identifies the location of the churches. The CBC has examined 33 of the fires that resulted in churches being burned to the ground, noting that most of these were on reserves or in small towns, and to this point only two have been ruled to be accidental.
The same article noted that over a 24-month period from 2019 to 2021, the RCMP in Alberta recorded 8 confirmed arson or attempted arson cases against Alberta churches, compared to more than triple that – 29 cases – in the 27-month period from June 2021 to September 2023, after the mass grave announcement in May of 2021.
The CBC report quoted University of Alberta professor Paulina Johnson, who explained what she thinks is the motivation for some of the arsonists. "It gives them a voice. Because for the longest time, Canada hasn't really actually acknowledged us."
In recent years Indigenous people in Canada have gotten notable acknowledgement, especially in the provinces’ education systems that are replete with mandated materials on Canada’s “first peoples.” But Johnson’s comment does point to a deeper truth: our country’s approach towards Indigenous people – segregating them to reserves, and throwing money and empty words in the face of disturbingly high rates of suicide, crime and incarceration rates, poverty, and unemployment – does little to fix the real hurt.
The first real step to meaningful change is a recognition of sin. Sin has been committed against Indigenous peoples in the past. However past sin never justifies more sin in the present. Canada needs leaders (in universities, police forces, law firms, government, and churches) that are willing to acknowledge truth, repent of sin that they have committed, and embrace the peace that comes from forgiveness and grace.
But is our secular government capable of real repentance? The critical theory they’ve embraced only exacerbates the problem, focussing on one narrative – overthrowing the “oppressor.” Facts about whether mass graves actually exist don’t matter a whole lot when the goal is to empower the “oppressed.” And what’s more empowering for the “oppressed” than to become the “oppressors”? Burning down churches has its own twisted logic then. But what is the end of this path? God warns us that vengeance will merely continue the cycle of brokenness and despair (Gal. 6:8, Prov. 24:29).
