Theology in the Americas: The Finale - Theology from the Native American StandpointWe

This will be the last essay on the Theology in the Americas Conference, held in Detroit in 1975.  This essay will focus on how theological reflection takes place in the Native American community. This is a challenge, because we are now talking about theological reflection emerging from a conquered and vanquished people.

Theology from the standpoint of the conquerors is assumed to be superior and universally valid.  It is part and parcel of the mentality that those who conquer "must be doing something right." The basic underlying presupposition is that those who conquer have been enabled by God to conquer, and therefore, the conquest reflects God's favor of and preference for the conquerors. Therefore, biblical interpretation and theological reflection which takes place in the conquering community must be "the correct one."  Subsequently, biblical interpretation and theological reflection from the standpoint of the vanquished is an appendix at best, and secondary and inferior at worst.

Sister Jeanne Rollins, who at the time of this writing, was a Franciscan Sister working on a Swinomish reservation in the state of Washington, says the following: "From words of Paul in 2 Corinthians 4: 8-18), we can perhaps come to grips with what it means to born into society as a native American.  We were born into a community native to this land and yet displaced because of historical and sociological events by which the white man usurped our land using it in a way very much different from our way (Rollins in Eagleson and Torres, p. 202)."

Rollins adds " Today many of our people live on reservations where land has been set aside for us. There are as many reactions to reservation life as there are a variety of economic situations due to the climate, location, and natural resources of each particular reservation.  Some feel the reservation system must be abolished and Indian people integrated into the mainstream of white society. This would follow the original intention of setting up reservations: that they be a temporary place for us until we could mix into society in five or ten years. Instead, the system has been in progress for over a century now. Many don't mind this, however, because they see the reservation as the last sign of self-pride and more than likely we would have been completely eradicated had this system followed its original course.  Oppression, in its many forms-social, economic, educational, and physical-would be total without the reservation (Rollins, p.203)."

Finally, Rollins states, "We must continue to live closely with the Great Spirit in the way He is familiar to us: Wakan Taran, Nabi, Jesus, whoever. It is our responsibility to provide for the good of all the community and also to have respect and reverence for all of life and creation.  We must be ready to carry on the role of the Spirit and not allow or wait for the black robes and/or their followers to lead us.  We must recognize and work with the young for our community. They are the prize of today and the hope of our tomorrow.  To provide this educational setting, communication is of the utmost importance.  Most of our communication is the heart, in the remembered spoken word rather than the easily forgotten ideas that lose their meanings in abstractions.  We have an "eye" for what is there and miss much of what is on the printed page.  We are also unfamiliar with the spirit of competition as it is manifested in the white man's world; therefore there is much cause for "burning," and putting down. Where do we look? What do we do?  We have already learned that waiting for someone else to take positive action on Indian issues is a lesson in frustration. If things are to change in line with our expectations , then the answers must ultimately come from ourselves (Rollins, p. 205)."

Speaking as a Native American. Rollins is advocating for and promoting the need for Native American theological reflection not only to be indigenous, but also autonomous. In other words, Native Americans should not sit and wait for the conqueror to be doing theology for them.  The theology of Native Americans, as Rollins describes it, needs to emerge from their culture and from their experience as an oppressed and marginalized group, rather than be a theology that is imposed on them by "the white man."  The biblical message has to be understood through the prism of a conquered people and not through the values of the conquerors.  The affinity with and closeness to nature of Native American people, together with their experience of being conquered and marginalized, must be the starting point for biblical interpretation and theological reflection.

In closing this series of essays on Theology in the Americas, I challenge you, the reader to ponder on the following questions:

1. What do you think about doing biblical interpretation and theological reflection from the standpoint of the economic, political, and social underdog, i.e. the powerless?

2. If you are a Caucasian Christian, do you feel threatened and uncomfortable by non-Caucasians doing theology from their social standpoint?

3. Is it possible to construct a theological system that reflects the diversity of people of ethnic/racial, class, and gender background in the U.S.A?  Is there such an animal as an "eclectic" theology.

I trust that this series of essays on Theology in the Americas has been helpful to you in your spiritual journey and quest for clarity of thinking.

In the Name of the Creator, and of the Liberator, and of the Sustainer. Amen.

Rev. Dr. Juan A. Ayala-Carmona