Churches Beyond Borders calls for education, solidarity around Doctrine of Discovery

Episcopal Church Office of Public Affairs
Posted Sep 23, 2021

Churches Beyond Borders—comprising The Episcopal Church, Anglican Church of Canada, Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, and the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Canada—is calling for a day of commemoration, truth and healing on Sept. 30 in solidarity with Indigenous people and other marginalized communities.

The coalition released a statement today titled “Telling and Teaching the Truth: The Church’s Obligation to Education about the Ongoing Legacy of the Doctrine of Discovery,” signed by the leaders of the four churches, including Episcopal Church Presiding Bishop Michael Curry. A Spanish translation can be found at this link.

All church members are invited to wear orange on Thursday, Sept. 30, as well as to worship services on Sunday, Sept. 26, “as a sign of remembering, solidarity, and commitment to seeking healing.” September 30 is Orange Shirt Day, a legacy of the St. Joseph Mission Residential School Commemoration Project and Reunion events that took place in British Columbia, Canada, in 2013, that were designed to honor the healing journey of residential school survivors and their families.