Addressing the Chasm

There is a chasm that separates the Church from many First Nations people in Canada. As long as this chasm exists and continues to grow, both the Church and First Nations are weakened. In order for the gap to be closed, it is important to recognize and understand three facets of the chasm: its nature, origins, and dynamics. This issue can only be addressed when people are able to see the chasm, understand how it was formed, and see how it is being maintained. The focus of this study is on the chasm that will be the encounters between the Church and the Nuu-chah-nulth people. One cannot understand this chasm without first recognizing its existence on a broader scope. This chasm is not unique to First Nations and the church in Canada. It exists between First Nations and various levels of governments in Canada, between First Nations and industry, and increasingly between First Nations and other Canadians. This chasm is also reflective of the chasm that exists between the colonized and the colonizers around the world