The Faculty of Divinity at Trinity College has received a $5,000 grant from the Anglican Foundation of Canada to launch a new ecumenical initiative titled “South Asian Christianity: Ecumenical Engagement between Anglicans and Oriental Orthodox Christians in Southern Ontario.”
This year-long project will explore and celebrate the deep historical roots, vibrant traditions, and contemporary contributions of South Asian Christianity, with a special focus on fostering relationships between Anglicans and Oriental Orthodox communities in the Greater Toronto Area.
The first event under this initiative will take place on Saturday, July 12, 2025, at the Creditview Sandalwood Sports Complex in Brampton, where cricket teams composed of members from local Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church communities will join in the 10th annual Anglican Church Cricket Festival. The event brings together churches across the region for a day of friendly cricket competition, community-building, and shared cuisine. This year’s celebration will feature an expanded ecumenical dimension, with South Asian Orthodox Christians participating for the first time.
The cricket festival is just the beginning. Over the course of 2025-26, the Faculty of Divinity will host a series of lectures, panels, and cultural events highlighting the history, theology, and liturgical traditions of South Asian Christianity—particularly among Syriac, Malankara, and Assyrian Orthodox communities. These events aim to educate students and the wider church about this rich Christian heritage while encouraging theological reflection, curricular development, and greater inclusion of South Asian voices in ministry formation.
With this project, Trinity College affirms its commitment to fostering a welcoming environment for all traditions and backgrounds, and to building bridges of understanding across diverse expressions of the Christian faith.
For more information, visit: www.trinity.utoronto.ca/study-theology/whats_on_in_divinity or contact trinity.divinity@utoronto.ca.