CCHS Newsletter, No.3 2026-04-13
Dear CCHS members and friends,
Here’s an update on the Canadian Church Historical Society since our Newsletter November.
The Mission History Conference at the End of May
We’re pretty excited by how well plans have unfolded for our meeting at Huron University College in London, Ontario, May 29–30, 2026. Nine papers, distributed over three sessions, will be presented by a group of fine scholars from British Columbia to Nova Scotia (and one from England), on personalities, issues, and episodes in the history of Anglican mission work in Canada and elsewhere, 1701–1965. Some of our presenters are senior and established academics, some are mid-career researchers, and some are emerging scholars. The names and affiliations of the presenters, and the titles of their papers, can be found at cchso.ca.
We’re very pleased that Archdeacon Rosalyn Kantlaht’ant Elm, a member of the Oneida Nation and the Indigenous Ministries Coordinator for the Anglican Church of Canada, has agreed to be our keynote speaker. On other occasions she has talked about the experience of Indigenous peoples whose narrative of themselves has been abruptly interrupted, wounding their sense of identity but not erasing their hope. As historians of Christianity, we may wonder whether we have opportunities to construct narratives that support reconciliation, mutual understanding, and healthy and supportive relationships.
Earlier we anticipated a three-day conference, but we’ve been able to schedule a more-or-less 24-hour conference, from 1:30 p.m. on Friday the 29th, to 3 p.m. on Saturday the 30th. The shorter meeting may make it easier for people to schedule it in, and it also reduces the registration fee for those attending in person.
The schedule is as follows:
Friday the 29th
1:30 p.m.: Opening
2 – 3:30 p.m.: Session 1
4 p.m.: CCHS news
5 p.m.: Supper
7 p.m.: Keynote address by Archdeacon Elm
Saturday the 30th
9:30 a.m.: Session 2
11:30 a.m.: Session 3
1 p.m.: Lunch
2 p.m.: Round table with presenters and participants
Conference registrations
You may attend the conference either in person or virtually. In either case, please register at https://cchso.ca/conference-2026-registration/ .
The fee for in-person registration covers refreshments between sessions, dinner Friday, and breakfast and lunch on Saturday.
Those staying overnight will likely find it convenient to stay in residence. The facilities are new. A bathroom is shared by two adjoining rooms. Pairs of participants can arrange rooms that share a bathroom. You can book your room at https://huron.jotform.com/260763950993268 .
The fee for on-line attendance is $20.
An Auction
The CCHS executive has contributed a free conference registration to the Diocese of Niagara, to be auctioned off as a fund-raising initiative for the Diocese. In addition to wanting to support the Diocese, and to expand participation in our conference, we also anticipate some benefit for the CCHS in raising our profile in this way.
The Journal
If you’re a member, you’ve likely received the latest issue in the past two or three weeks. It’s a celebration of the late Bill Westfall by his former doctoral students and colleagues, who have written some very fine historical essays in his honour. Bill taught for many years at York University and Trinity College, and through his teaching, mentoring, and publications he profoundly influenced the historical scholarship of Canadian Christianity. His Two Worlds: The Protestant Culture of Nineteenth-Century Ontario is widely considered a groundbreaking achievement. Many thanks are due to the guest editors of the issue, Bruce Douville of Algoma University and Todd Webb of Laurentian University.
As always, Thomas Power, the regular editor of the Journal, would be very glad to receive your submissions!
The Millman Prize Essay Contest, 2026
The Millman Prize for 2026, in the amount of $500, will be awarded to the author of the best essay in English or French in Canadian church history, of publishable standard, written in the 2023–2025 academic years by a graduate student enrolled at a Canadian university. The funding for this award is made possible by the Thomas R. Millman Endowment Fund. For the purposes of this award, a graduate student is any student working on a post-baccalaureate degree. All essays submitted will be considered for possible publication in the Journal of the CCHS.
Essays may deal with any aspect of Canadian church history. They should not exceed 7500 words in length, be double-spaced, and conform to the Journal‘s Style Guide (available from the editor). Recent issues of the Journal may prove helpful in selecting subjects for the essay. The deadline for submission is August 31, 2026. Submissions should include a brief CV. Submissions should be sent electronically to Dr. Thomas Power: thomas.power@utoronto.ca/ .
Millman Prize, 2025
The recipient of the 2025 Millman Prize was Hannah Wygiera for her essay “Confronting the Past in Faith: Black Christians in the Maritimes, 1780-1850.” It will appear in a forthcoming issue of the Journal.
The Book Series on Anglicanism in the Americas, through a Decolonial Lens
This project, led by Sheryl Kujawa-Holbrook, the historiographer of the Episcopal Church and the editor of Anglican and Episcopal History, has now moved beyond the proposal stage. Editors have been identified for each of the five volumes, which will be published between 2027 and 2030. I’ve agreed to write for the first volume on the origins of Canadian Anglicanism. Sheryl would be very glad to have volunteers to write on Canadian Anglican history for the other volumes. The “call for authors” for the series is being sent with this newsletter.
Episcopal Liaison
We’re very pleased that the episcopal liaison from the Council of General Synod to CCHS, Bishop Susan Bell, will chair the opening session of our conference on May 29. As you likely know, Bishop Susan has an earned doctorate in Anglican history, with a thesis on George Herbert’s The Country Parson.
The Late Richard Virr
Dr. Richard Edmund Virr (1942–2025), a former editor of our Journal, died at the end of December. Richard was Head and Curator of Manuscripts for Rare Books and Special Collections at the McGill University Libraries, and he taught and supervised doctoral students in the School of Information Studies there. Many of us have very warm memories of him. He and I were doctoral students in religious studies at McGill together in the early 1970s, and I feel particularly saddened by his passing (though hopeful in the final resurrection!).
We’re humbled and grateful that Richard named the CCHS in his will as one of the residual heirs of his estate.
CCHS Executive
Our president, Bill Acres of Huron College, will be on sabbatical leave for the academic year 2026–2027. He will continue as our president, but our vice-president, Andrew Rampton, has agreed to provide extra support as needed, and to serve as president pro tem from time to time as may be necessary.
Grace and peace,
Alan L. Hayes,
For the Executive Committee, CCHS
For the Canadian Church Historical Society
Contact: Laurel Parson at archives@national.anglican.ca
Website: https://cchso.ca/