As a member of the committee, I would like to respond to those posts critical of the report's discussion of one aspect of its content--the Southwest ministries. In reading our report (I hope people will read it in full and in its context--chronology and complementarity are important), one should start with the mandate. We were not mandated to tell the story of the CRC's ministries in the Southwest; we were charged with documenting and tracing the "principal" and "continuing" effects of the Doctrine of Discovery in the U.S. and Canada, including the effects in related CRCNA ministries.
As Peter Vandermeulen pointed out, the larger stories of those ministries have been shared and published; these stories were among the many archival resources that figured into our research. If people are not familiar with the positive aspects of the ministry, sharing them in full seems far beyond the scope of our report as mandated. A note acknowledging this and directing readers to the aforementioned published documents for that aspect of the ministries would be a good addition to the report. But our investigation of the archives was directed by our mandate: we looked for evidence consistent with those historical effects of the Doctrine of Discovery in Canada and the U.S. Obviously, the basic premises of the Doctrine of Discovery--that "pagan," "infidel," "heathen" natives were subhuman and their lands could be rightfully claimed by Christian nations--was extremely negative and unChristian, and our findings trace the effects of that sinful thinking in North American culture, religion, and law that are encoded in our social and legal systems. That's not a pretty story, certainly not the kind we prefer, but seeking to reveal the sin seems pretty biblical to me.
I'd like to specifically address some comments suggesting that the American boarding school experience was not as bad as the Canadian; this is directly contradicted by every respected historian's research on the Indian Boarding Schools and the testimonies of survivors (the stories do not change as one crosses the border). Zitkala Sa's memoir, published in the Atlantic Monthly shortly after her time at the Carlisle School, is a good place to start. The education systems in the U.S. and Canada were somewhat different in structure, but the stories reveal similar abuses, trauma, and negative effects on the Native nations. Unfortunately, the U.S. government has failed to sponsor any type of truth and reconciliation programs similar to those in other countries to address this dark history.
I note those who are offended by the report admit that many things were done wrong in the Southwest ministries (I appreciate that admission but note that the wrongs are not clearly delineated, particularly from a Native perspective), but then the comments reflect a preference to consider the good things that were done and how things are done differently now. I am deeply grateful for these positive reforms, but there is still much work to do. Our faith tradition makes clear that sin--including collective sin--has consequences that carry through the generations. If we would take the time to listen to the stories of those who were abused, oppressed, and traumatized by the sinful thinking that is the legacy of the Doctrine of Discovery, we would see that OUR (we and our ancestors are all in this together) mistakes have resulted in extreme generational and systemic trauma among Native Americans and First Nations: these negatives effects are still very much evident. Unfortunately, we have not heard many of those stories because the trauma is so serious that many survivors do not feel safe in coming forward. I hope that we can agree on the importance of the report's recommendation to provide safe spaces for these brothers and sisters to be heard.
I pray that our defensiveness will be subordinated to our compassion for those who have suffered. I pray that we can empty ourselves and listen to those whom we have wronged. Like the Psalmist, we--the Church--should ask God to search our hearts and uncover that collective sin we have not fully recognized; we cannot confess and repent if we don't fully know our trespasses. I believe such a process of study and examination can lead to confession, lamentation, repentance, forgiveness, and ultimately reconciliation of the Body of Christ. I believe the power of the Holy Spirit stands ready to move in a mighty way if Christians would do this work together.
Posted in: Why the Church Should Pay Attention to the DOD Task Force
As a member of the committee, I would like to respond to those posts critical of the report's discussion of one aspect of its content--the Southwest ministries. In reading our report (I hope people will read it in full and in its context--chronology and complementarity are important), one should start with the mandate. We were not mandated to tell the story of the CRC's ministries in the Southwest; we were charged with documenting and tracing the "principal" and "continuing" effects of the Doctrine of Discovery in the U.S. and Canada, including the effects in related CRCNA ministries.
As Peter Vandermeulen pointed out, the larger stories of those ministries have been shared and published; these stories were among the many archival resources that figured into our research. If people are not familiar with the positive aspects of the ministry, sharing them in full seems far beyond the scope of our report as mandated. A note acknowledging this and directing readers to the aforementioned published documents for that aspect of the ministries would be a good addition to the report. But our investigation of the archives was directed by our mandate: we looked for evidence consistent with those historical effects of the Doctrine of Discovery in Canada and the U.S. Obviously, the basic premises of the Doctrine of Discovery--that "pagan," "infidel," "heathen" natives were subhuman and their lands could be rightfully claimed by Christian nations--was extremely negative and unChristian, and our findings trace the effects of that sinful thinking in North American culture, religion, and law that are encoded in our social and legal systems. That's not a pretty story, certainly not the kind we prefer, but seeking to reveal the sin seems pretty biblical to me.
I'd like to specifically address some comments suggesting that the American boarding school experience was not as bad as the Canadian; this is directly contradicted by every respected historian's research on the Indian Boarding Schools and the testimonies of survivors (the stories do not change as one crosses the border). Zitkala Sa's memoir, published in the Atlantic Monthly shortly after her time at the Carlisle School, is a good place to start. The education systems in the U.S. and Canada were somewhat different in structure, but the stories reveal similar abuses, trauma, and negative effects on the Native nations. Unfortunately, the U.S. government has failed to sponsor any type of truth and reconciliation programs similar to those in other countries to address this dark history.
I note those who are offended by the report admit that many things were done wrong in the Southwest ministries (I appreciate that admission but note that the wrongs are not clearly delineated, particularly from a Native perspective), but then the comments reflect a preference to consider the good things that were done and how things are done differently now. I am deeply grateful for these positive reforms, but there is still much work to do. Our faith tradition makes clear that sin--including collective sin--has consequences that carry through the generations. If we would take the time to listen to the stories of those who were abused, oppressed, and traumatized by the sinful thinking that is the legacy of the Doctrine of Discovery, we would see that OUR (we and our ancestors are all in this together) mistakes have resulted in extreme generational and systemic trauma among Native Americans and First Nations: these negatives effects are still very much evident. Unfortunately, we have not heard many of those stories because the trauma is so serious that many survivors do not feel safe in coming forward. I hope that we can agree on the importance of the report's recommendation to provide safe spaces for these brothers and sisters to be heard.
I pray that our defensiveness will be subordinated to our compassion for those who have suffered. I pray that we can empty ourselves and listen to those whom we have wronged. Like the Psalmist, we--the Church--should ask God to search our hearts and uncover that collective sin we have not fully recognized; we cannot confess and repent if we don't fully know our trespasses. I believe such a process of study and examination can lead to confession, lamentation, repentance, forgiveness, and ultimately reconciliation of the Body of Christ. I believe the power of the Holy Spirit stands ready to move in a mighty way if Christians would do this work together.