Carmen Lansdowne

Carmen Lansdowne (born 1975) is an academic and minister of the United Church of Canada who was the 44th Moderator of that church. Lansdowne was the first Indigenous woman to lead a religious denomination in Canada.

Early life and education Lansdowne was born in Alert Bay on the West Coast of Canada as a member of the Heiltsuk First Nation. She earned an M.Div from Vancouver School of Theology (VST) in 2007, and was subsequently ordained as a minister of the United Church of Canada. She then earned a ThM from VST in 2011, and a PhD from Graduate Theological Union in Berkeley, California in 2016.

Ministry In 2017, Lansdowne became the executive director of First United Church Community Ministry Society in Vancouver. She is a Christ Institute Fellow with the Westar Institute. and was elected at the 44th General Council of the church in July 2022, the processes of the United Church having no option for acclamation. She was the first Indigenous woman chosen to be moderator,

At the start of her term, Lansdowne said she planned "To build new connections and rebuild old ones. To work towards social change that sees a world cared for, and human dignity honoured. To walk together every day in repentance and reconciliation. To march and fight and change unjust systems together. To pray together. To sing together. To discern together."

Academic career Following the end of her term as moderator, Lansdowne became an assistant professor of United Church of Canada Studies at Emmanuel College, Toronto.