In recent years, several Christian churches have been called to offer formal apologies to individuals and communities harmed by actions carried out wrongly in the name of Jesus. These include such evils as anti-Semitism, the Indian residential school system, the transatlantic slave trade, and various forms of inter-religious persecution.
Do such apologies make a difference? What makes an apology genuine? Why should an institution like the Church apologize in the first place? And what theological or practical implications do church-made apologies have for other Christian traditions?
These are among the questions the Anglican–Roman Catholic Dialogue of Canada, with participation from Lutheran and Eastern Catholic representatives, has been prayerfully exploring together.
On the evening of October 30, 2025, all are welcome to join members of the ARC Dialogue and local representatives from the Anglican, Catholic, and Lutheran communities of Greater Victoria for a panel discussion on the soon-to-be-published text Theologies of Church Apologies. The evening will include reflections on key themes from the document, open discussion, and a reception to follow.
This event is jointly sponsored by the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops and the General Synod of the Anglican Church of Canada. Executive Director, Brendon Neilson is one of the panelists for this discussion.