Anglicans elect Indigenous Bishop for Saskatoon diocese
Reverend Chris Harper is coming home to Saskatchewan, but in a new role. Harper has been elected bishop of the Anglican Diocese of Saskatoon. His appointment is groundbreaking because Harper is the first Treaty Six member to become an Anglican diocesan bishop.
Harper was born in Paradise Hill and spent half his younger life on the Onion Lake First Nation, the other half living off reserve in a number of locations in Alberta and Saskatchewan.
A hard work ethic has always been part of his life, and during the nearly two decades he worked as an EMT/ EMT-A, he was also involved in lay ministry in his church.
“At one point, our parish was without a priest,” Harper says, “and the bishop of Saskatchewan approached me about conducting lay ministry services. I wanted to do it right, and I believed that required some education.”
To that end, Harper enrolled in James Settee College, which provides theological education for Indigenous clergy and laity.
After much prayer and consultation with his wife Tracy and their two children, and with encouragement from the bishop, Harper gave up all duties and responsibilities and set off for the University of Toronto and the Toronto School of Theology, where he earned a Master of Divinity degree through Wycliffe College.
“My ministry has always been inclusive in trying to bridge the two worlds of my identify and faith. Inclusive also means to welcome all, and to journey together for healing and peace in the love of God our Creator.”
Harper’s ministry took him to reserves and parishes in the Diocese of Saskatchewan and Algoma, and eventually to the role of Indigenous Native Priest for the Diocese of Toronto.
“That is a role that welcomes everyone,” Harper says. “I was blessed to travel to many parishes in southern Ontario, and was able to shape my ministry in response to the needs of the various churches and communities.
“The Indigenous Church will take a stronger role in ministry to its own people. The Gospel has to be understood in a way that the person hearing it can identify themselves within it. The person has to be able to say, ‘I understand this, I can call this place my home.’ I believe I helped prepare churches to understand who their Indigenous neighbours are.”
When the Anglican Diocese of Saskatoon went looking for new bishop following Bishop David Irving’s retirement, Harper’s name was one of those put forward.
After prayerful consultation with his family, he agreed to let it stand. He was elected on the fourth ballot. Harper will be consecrated as bishop of the Diocese of Saskatoon at a service on Nov. 17, at St. John’s Cathedral.
“I’m honoured, excited and happy to be coming home,” he says.
Harper says his first order of business will be to sit down and thank everyone who offered him their support and good wishes.
“I’ve been asking everybody for prayer. I know I can’t and won’t do this job alone. I walk with a great, wonderful and strong leadership.”
Following that, Harper says he will be looking to engage, bolster and uplift the ministry that is already in place in the diocese.
“The great struggle is always trying to do something new. My challenge to parishes is this: Do what you’re already doing, but strive to do it better. I see churches in this diocese being wonderfully blessed in how they engage the community, in how they’re involved in their communities. I want to be in those communities, too. I want them to know that their bishop supports them and walks alongside them. I want to share in faith and ministry with all.
“My other goal is to build bridges of reconciliation between communities, reserves and churches, and try to be that bridge of healing so we can all walk together in a new peace. Reconciliation is not an outreach program. It is a new, ongoing way of living.”
Harper says the church right now has a desire to go directly into reconciliation, with a timeline.
“‘Let’s do this and we’ll be all reconciled within the next two years.’ Before that can happen there must first be knowledge, then understanding, acceptance and acknowledgment. There must be hearing of the stories before you can go into reconciliation. Indigenous people are still at the stage of wanting to tell their story, their history, their pain, their healing. And they need someone to listen.
“If everybody’s already left the table to go and work on reconciliation, half the table is missing. I am asking churches and the people of Saskatchewan to come to the table and listen, and let us all journey together in faith and ministry.”