Textual Analysis Of Religion Essay

Sacred Heart Church of First People in Edmonton is a unique Catholic Church because its members are a mixture of First Nations, Inuit and Metis, homeless or fortunate, that belongs in a family and are able to participate in the Catholic sacraments. The church’s strong spirit is evident as they claim that they are governed by their culture, not by landscape like the others. What stood out to me was the elements inside the Church that is a combination of both the Aboriginal Culture and Christianity that is evidence of the smooth fusion of the two faith traditions. This stood out to me because it is fairly foreign to my knowledge. I have not seen such unique church like that, but we believe in one faith and in one God. It is just how they practice their faith …show more content…
The artworks are called the ‘Dance of the Eagle’ or ‘Dance of God’ as an eagle symbolizes God in the Aboriginal Culture. It discloses a man, woman, and a child, that signifies the need for the spirit to create a family. In a viewpoint of a Catholic outside the Aboriginal culture, I would have a basic interpretation based on the Catholic details, like the bird, the shepherd’s staff, and the angel present in the picture. However, in the eyes of an Aboriginal, it has more meaning to that. One in relation to their culture, and one connected to their faith. For example, the shepherd’s crook is a symbol of a buffalo in the Aboriginal Culture, however, it also symbolizes the Good Shepherd in Christianity. This is an example of how the Aboriginal way of practicing Christianity is different than normal. In my opinion, religion should bring people together, and that is exactly what the Sacred Heart Church of First People did. They are a diverse family of different Aboriginal cultures and backgrounds united by their faith with God. They stand out from others because they did not lose their identity and culture being Christians. Their faith and culture blended well together that became the foundation of their strong