It has been remarked that Christians living on the Canadian prairies have long enjoyed a running start on ecumenism as a strategy for sheer survival; ecumenical activity is a deeply intuitive response to the realization that we share, as Chief Rabbi Lord Jonathan Sacks has memorably said, a “covenant of fate” that predates any “covenant of faith.”
Our diocese partners with the Capital Region Interfaith Housing Initiative, Edmonton and District Council of Churches and/or the Edmonton Interfaith Centre for Education and Action on a number of initiatives throughout the year, such as the Habitat for Humanity Interfaith-Works Project, “No Room in the Inn” fundraising campaign at Christmas, the “Celebrating Our Faiths” information display in Edmonton City Hall, the Edmonton inner-city Good Friday Way of the Cross and the liturgical celebration of the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity in January. Another notable annual tradition is the remarkable Ecumenical Mission of Strathcona County, now moving into its second quarter-century. Beyond these more prominent local observances, however, there are countless – or perhaps just “uncounted” – comings-together of people of faith in support of community, or school, or other civic projects; in the various activities of ministerial associations throughout the diocese; in shared celebration and enjoyment of expressions of faith in artistic forms such as pictorial art or literature or music and song.
For more information, contact:
Anglican Church of Canada Animator for Ecumenical and Interfaith Relations (in Edmonton)
The Rev. Canon Dr. Scott Sharman
Associate Ecumenical and Interfaith Officer Dr. Jane Samson
