Full text of Courtesy Resolution honoring John Dieffenbacher-Krall:
We, the executive committee of the Council on Indigenous Relations, would like to nominate John Dieffenbacher-Krall.
John initiated the movement to denounce the Doctrine of Discovery by church bodies starting with his own parish of St James in Old Town in 2006. He further challenged the Diocese of Maine, The Episcopal Church, and the entire Anglican Communion to renounce the 1496 Royal Charter of the Church of England in order for the Church to achieve some degree of reconciliation with Indigenous peoples.
His call to the Diocese of Maine was heeded at the 2007 convention. Working closely with Native scholars, the Committee on Indian Relations proceeded to draft what became Resolution D035 passed at The Episcopal Church General Convention in 2009. Resolution D035 states in part:
“That the 76th General Convention repudiates and renounces the Doctrine of Discovery as fundamentally opposed to the Gospel of Jesus Christ and our understanding of the inherent rights that individuals and peoples have received from God, and that this declaration be proclaimed among our churches and shared with the United Nations and all the nations and peoples located within The Episcopal Church’s boundaries.”
John has continued to work tirelessly to educate Maine Episcopalians about the Doctrine of Discovery and the harms it continues to cause. Through his involvement in and leadership of the Council on Indigenous Relations (CIR), he has encouraged us all to learn more about the Wabanaki peoples living in what is now known as Maine, and to advocate for their well-being and the recognition of tribal sovereignty. He has developed deep personal relationships with Wabanaki people throughout his life. He served as the executive director for the Maine Indian Tribal-State Commission for twelve-and-a-half years and was the first executive director of the Wabanaki Alliance.
At the end of 2026, John plans to step away from CIR to pursue other roles in working for justice in his community. His many contributions to the Diocese, the state of Maine, the church worldwide, and our indigenous neighbors needs to be recognized.