With an open interest and curiosity we can often discover common values and practices between spiritual traditions. One of those important elements is treaty making which echoes Biblical covenants — a sacred understanding of promises made in relationship. While rooted in different cultures and contexts both point to a deeper way of being in the world: one that honours responsibility, respect, and enduring connection.
For many Indigenous peoples in North America, treaties are not simply political or legal contracts. They are sacred agreements — spiritual covenants made not only between nations, but often witnessed by the Creator, grounded in mutual respect and accountability. These treaties were about relationships: between peoples, with the land, and with the Creator.
Indigenous elders often describe treaties as “agreements to live well together.” They weren’t intended as temporary bargains but as commitments to coexistence, stewardship, and harmony across generations. The use of sacred ceremonies and symbols, such as the sharing of a pipe or the invocation of the Creator’s presence, elevated treaty-making to a spiritual act — a covenant that could not be broken without deep moral consequences.
In the Bible, covenants are a foundational expression of God’s relationship with humanity. From the covenant with Noah (Genesis 9) to the promises made to Abraham (Genesis 15, 17) and the covenant with Israel at Sinai (Exodus 19-24), each agreement is marked by God’s faithfulness and humanity’s call to respond in trust and obedience.
Biblical covenants were not just contracts. They were binding, enduring relationships established by God, often sealed with signs — like rainbows, circumcision, or the Sabbath — to remind people of their sacred responsibilities. Like Indigenous treaties, biblical covenants had relational, communal, and spiritual dimensions. They called people into deeper alignment with justice, mercy, and reverence for the sacred.
In the New Testament, the covenant takes on a new form in Jesus Christ, whose life, death, and resurrection established a renewed relationship between God and humanity — not based on law alone but on love and grace. This “new covenant” (Luke 22:20) invites all people into a restored community rooted in reconciliation.
Neither treaties nor biblical covenants are for personal gain alone. They are meant for the flourishing of the whole community — now and for generations to come.
Tragically, many Indigenous treaties were not honored by settler governments. The breaking of these sacred agreements has led to centuries of injustice and intergenerational harm. Similarly, the Bible speaks of how humanity has repeatedly failed to uphold God’s covenant, choosing selfishness over faithfulness.
Yet, both traditions also point to hope and restoration. The Bible is a story of God’s relentless faithfulness despite human failure. Indigenous elders continue to call nations back to the spirit of treaty — to remember the sacred promises made.
As people of faith, particularly in settler communities, there is a spiritual and moral imperative to honor treaties as covenants. This means moving beyond token acknowledgments to active partnership, restitution, and peacemaking. It’s our practical responsibility to be engaged in the ministry of reconciliation which enacts the gospel (2 Corinthians 5:18-19).