We were happy to learn on December 30th听that our Chair and board member for Indigenous Spirituality, John Borrows, has been named an Officer of the听
Order of Canada, 鈥渇or his scholarly work on Indigenous rights and legal traditions, which have had a significant impact across Canada and abroad鈥�.听was made December 30th, 2020
The Order of Canada is one of our country鈥檚 highest awards, established in 1967 and bestowed annually by the governor general.听听The motto of the Order, 鈥淭hey desire a better country鈥�, is a sentiment shared by all of us.
John joined the board of the Victoria Multifaith Society in June 2019 as our board member for Indigenous Spirituality. He is a law professor at the University of Victoria (), where he holds the Canada Research Chair in Indigenous Law.
He has long had an interest in multifaith matters and an appreciation of听intersectionality in contributing to open-mindedness and reinforcing common values. He is Anishinaabe and a member of the Chippewas of the Nawash First Nation.听He is also a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.听
His work on the resurgence of听Anishinaabe law听has led him to consider听its relationship to the common law. In that context听he听sees听the need for听respecting differences and finding common ground.听His religious听interests听are听also grounded in听what he regards听as听the need for reconciliation with God, a living earth, and with听one another. These听commitments听sparked John's听interest in听joining with people from other faiths听to address听racism, environmental degradation, homelessness, and the work towards听global听unity in our own region.
The work of the Victoria Multifaith Society in addressing those issues, among others, is ongoing. Its focus is values-based, seeking to draw on spirituality in all of its essentially unified but rich and diverse expressions. It鈥檚 mission 鈥渢o learn from one another, to celebrate our unity in diversity, to work together for the well-being of the community and the world鈥� is very much in line with the desire for a better country enshrined in the Order of Canada motto.听
Our member for Indigenous Spirituality found kindred spirits in those of us around the VMS table (or on the screen this past year): Hindu, Sikh, Buddhist, Bah谩鈥櫭�,听Jewish, Christian, Muslim听and New Thought. All have a firm belief in reaching into the spiritual heritage and collective wisdom of our traditions in order to draw out the ideals and principles needed to guide us into a healthy future.
We have learned to prize not just open-mindedness and curiosity, but also genuine appreciation and respect between board members. At one point, when we were setting ground rules for dialogue at an interfaith harmony event, John said 鈥淚t all comes down to relationships, the importance of relationship.鈥� It was a telling comment, encapsulating not just the style of VMS, but the style of the man. And it was a large part of the reason that we are overjoyed to see this honour going to someone who exemplifies the generosity of spirit so needed in this world.
Check out our video on -听
You can read more articles on our interfaith blog, Spiritually Speaking, HERE
听
