Chris Harper (bishop)

The Most Reverend Chris Harper
National Indigenous Anglican Archbishop
Church	Anglican Church of Canada
In office	2023–present
Predecessor	Mark MacDonald
Other post(s)	Bishop of Saskatoon (2018–2023)
Orders
Ordination	February 6, 2003 (diaconate) October 16, 2005 (priesthood) [1] by  Anthony Burton (diaconate) Charles Arthurson (priesthood)
Consecration	November 17, 2018 by  Greg Kerr-Wilson
Personal details
Born	Paradise Hill, Saskatchewan, Canada
Denomination	Anglicanism
Spouse	Tracy
Children	2
Education	Wycliffe College, Toronto (M.Div.)

Christopher A. Harper is a Canadian Anglican bishop. A Cree member of the Treaty 6 First Nations people, he has been the national indigenous Anglican archbishop in the Anglican Church of Canada since 2023. Prior to this he was the bishop of Saskatoon from 2018 to 2023. He is the first Treaty 6 priest to be ordained a bishop.

Biography

Harper was born in Paradise Hill, Saskatchewan, and spent much of his younger life on Onion Lake Cree Nation. Harper was an emergency medical technician before his call to ordination. Prior to ordained ministry, he was also a lay minister in Onion Lake. He studied theology at the Diocese of Saskatchewan's James Settee College and then moved to Toronto to study for his master of divinity at Wycliffe College. ^[2] Ordained in 2005, he first served as rector of Birch Hills & Kinistino, a multi-point parish in the Diocese of Saskatchewan before being called to a church in Thunder Bay. In 2016, he was named indigenous native priest for the Diocese of Toronto, responsible for helping churches in the diocese engage in ministry to First Nations people in its borders. ^[3]

In 2018, Harper was elected as bishop of Saskatoon. He was consecrated to the episcopacy on November 17, 2018, at the Cathedral of St. John the Evangelist . ^[4] In December 2022, it was announced that Harper would succeed Mark MacDonald as national indigenous Anglican archbishop and presiding elder of the church's Sacred Circle. ^{[5] [6]}

Harper was a candidate to serve as Primate of the Anglican Church of Canada in the June 2025 election by the General Synod; Shane Parker was elected. ^[7]

References

1. Frankling, Sean (May 27, 2005). "Get to know the primatial candidates". Anglican Journal. Retrieved 2 June 2025.
2. Polachic, Darlene (October 13, 2018). "Indigenous bishop groundbreaking for Sask". Saskatoon Star-Phoenix. Retrieved 7 May 2025.
3. Folkins, Tali (September 20, 2016). "New Indigenous native priest named in diocese of Toronto". Anglican Journal. Retrieved 7 May 2025.
4. Olson, Matt (November 17, 2025). "Chris Harper ordained as first Indigenous bishop of the Anglican Diocese in Saskatoon". Saskatoon Star-Phoenix. Retrieved 7 May 2025.
5. "Chris Harper appointed national Indigenous archbishop". The Anglican Church of Canada. Retrieved 5 December 2022.
6. Zimmer, Becky (March 14, 2023). "'Walking in two worlds': Indigenous bishop Chris Harper accepts national role with Anglican Church". Saskatoon Star-Phoenix. Retrieved 7 May 2025.
7. Perry, Alan. "Order of Bishops nominates four bishops for the office of Primate". General Synod 2025. Anglican Church of Canada. Retrieved 3 April 2025.

Religious titles
Preceded by David Irving	Bishop of Saskatoon 2018–2023	Succeeded by Chad McCharles
Preceded by Mark MacDonald	National Indigenous Anglican Archbishop 2023–present	Incumbent