A member of the Anglican Diocese of Edmonton committed to helping people “discover the wideness and generosity of the grace of God,” was recently awarded the Marilyn McClung Memorial Award in recognition of his outstanding contribution to ecumenism.
The Rev. Canon Dr. Scott Sharman, Executive Officer, Canon to the Ordinary and Ecumenical and Interfaith Officer was presented the memorial award in honour of McClung who was a priest in the Edmonton diocese and served as the Anglican representative for the Edmonton and District Council of Churches (EDCC) and its executive.
The surprise presentation took place on January 19 at the ecumenical prayer service for the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity, organized by the EDCC and the Military and Hospitaller Order of St. Lazarus of Jerusalem, at Providence Renewal Centre.
“There is no doubt that Scott Sharman has served as an ambassador for Christ's church, both locally and nationally, bringing his deep love for God's people and his earnest commitment to the unity of God's church everywhere he goes, said Sherri Guenther Trautwein, Lendrum Mennonite Church Pastor and EDCC President, in her nomination letter.
She noted that Sharman’s PhD research focused on 20th and 21st-century ecumenical and interreligious thought, and it was during this time he sensed a vocational call to serve in inter-Christian and inter-faith spaces.
“In the Edmonton area, it does not take long for Scott's name to surface as a beloved and committed participant and leader in a wide variety of ecumenical initiatives spanning many years.
“With deep commitment, enthusiasm, and a contagious joy, he shares “his gifts and his passion for God's beautiful ministry of reconciliation in a wide variety of contexts,” she said.
“Humbled and honoured” to receive the McClung Memorial Award, Sharman says he has always been “fascinated by spiritual and religious diversity.” By his late teens, he knew that “if I was going continue to be in the church and as a disciple of Christ, I needed to come to understand how my faith and my relationship to God was related to the faith, beliefs, ceremonies and ways of my Catholic, Muslim, Eastern Orthodox, Jewish, Mennonite and Indigenous friends, etc. I became a person devoted to ecumenical and interfaith dialogue and learning as part of how I became an adult follower of Jesus. For me, I don't think I would know how to do the latter without the former.”
As University Chaplain for the Edmonton diocese, Sharman created space for students to talk with one another about faith by facilitating gatherings like Pub Theology. He further engaged with students by teaching courses for Newman Theological College. He has participated in and led various ecumenical and inter-faith working groups, events and dialogues, and is committed to deepening relationships with Indigenous peoples. As Animator for Ecumenical and Interfaith Relations for the Anglican Church of Canada, Sharman fosters understanding and dialogue between faith communities across Canada and around the world.
“…at heart, the work of ecumenism really is all about making more and more friends. It is an opportunity to be surprised again and again at how God's work and God's ways are far bigger and wider and more diverse and inclusive than my limited glimpse can grasp by itself. And getting to see that wonderful truth on display day by day is what keeps my faith alive and growing.
“There's plenty more work to be done in this divided and divisive time in which we live. But I'm grateful for this encouragement to keep doing my part. And I'm inspired all the more by knowing that I am but a link in a chain, handing on the legacy of those who have carried this beautiful vocation in the past, and passing it on to those who will come next.”
Currently, Sharman is working with several parishes in the Edmonton diocese that are pursuing Ecumenical Shared Ministry (ESM) partnerships. He is also helping lead the strategic planning team to shape a good future for the family of 45 parishes that comprise the diocese.
“I love it when I get to see people come to the realization that they don't have to become less committed to their own faith in order to love, respect and learn from the faiths and beliefs of others,” he says. “It is by going deeper into the heart of our own tradition, grounded as it is in Jesus, that we can gain the security and confidence to be able to look for all the other places, people and ways where our God is at work, and come see them not as a threat or a rival but as more good news to lift up and celebrate.”
Pictured Above (l to r): Ted McClung presents the 2025 Marilyn McClung award for ecumenism, in memory of his late wife Marilyn, to Scott Sharman; Sherri Guenther Trautwein, EDCC President, Ted McClung, Scott Sharman, Diocese of Edmonton Bishop Stephen London. Photos by Julien Hammond
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