November Spotlight: ELCA Truth and Healing Movement

Since 1990, November has been Native American Heritage Month. This November, we spotlight the work being done by, with, and for Indigenous members of the ELCA that our Church may better minister to their needs.

Photo courtesy of Association of American Indians and Alaska Natives of the ELCA

Schools vary widely in what they teach about America’s Indigenous Peoples and their history, so what you know about Indigenous cultures, rights, and struggles are likely determined by where you live, where you grew up, where and when you went through school, and what you do for work. It is important, though, for all of us to educate ourselves about the issues that affect Indigenous communities and the specific impacts these issues have.

Service at NELM’s House of Prayer

Regardless of the depth of one’s knowledge, most of us are vaguely aware that the current system of tribal reservations, which are a key part of modern Native American culture and politics, came about through the American government’s forced relocation campaigns and treaty violations. These programs of disenfranchisement are not just historical events; they continue to have lasting effects on our shared society today. Loving our neighbor means much more than passively wishing them the best or believing that we should all be treated equally; to love our neighbor requires us to work for their wellbeing, which we cannot do without listening to their needs. We have a duty to educate ourselves about the historic and current issues impacting Native American populations.

Map of Tribal Homelands in Arizona, courtesy of Inter Tribal Council of Arizona

This is especially true for us: Arizona has the second largest American Indian/Alaskan Native population of any state in the U.S., and nearly one quarter of the state is reservation land. Arizona is home to 22 Indigenous tribes. The Grand Canyon Synod is also home to the Navajo Evangelical Lutheran Mission (NELM), which provides spiritual care, medical services, and schooling to residents in and around Rock Point, Arizona.

Native people are more likely to suffer poor health outcomes, are less likely to have access to running water, and have historically been more likely to suffer from food insecurity than other racial groups. On average, life expectancies for Indigenous Americans are twelve years shorter than they are for White Americans. Indigenous populations experience suicide, respiratory problems, homicide, and drug overdoses at higher rates that other racial groups, and these disparities are not small. These, and many other problems, come from structural problems, and so our strides for justice must intentionally include our Native American neighbors and loved ones, lest they continue to be overlooked.

Truth & Healing

The ELCA Truth and Healing movement was launched to help the Church better understand the impacts we have had on Indigenous communities in the past and present. The movement gives space for Indigenous lay leaders, clergy, and theologians to discuss their spiritual practices and faith relationships without the censure that is commonly faced in predominantly white institutions. The movement also provides the wider church with many opportunities to learn about the issues facing Native American communities, the history of these communities, especially in relationship to the church, and the ways that we, as fellow Christians, can be support this land’s original peoples.

The ELCA is very White church, in terms of our racial demographics. While this is not inherently immoral, it does mean that we must be intentional about how we engage with the history and politics of this church and this land. Those of us who are White Christians must reckon with the fact that our very presence on North American soil is possible because of the disenfranchisement, subjection, displacement, and often massacres of the Indigenous people. Even if your family did not immigrate to America until comparatively recently, the power structures, land use policies, and resource management that has allowed for the development of modern American society are built upon these inequities.

It is also important for us to grapple with these issues as Christians. Christianity has often been warped into a weapon used against Indigenous peoples, forcing subjugation and assimilation to White, Western ideals. We must be intentional, then, to not continue perpetuating old injustices against our neighbors.

To love our neighbor means to stand with them and work for their wellbeing, even when it is difficult, uncomfortable, or at odds with the histories we were taught in grade school. Regardless of your level of education, we encourage you to spend this month exploring the resources and events offered by the Truth and Healing Movement. The initiative offers educational materials and engagement opportunities on history, theology, and current issues.

Educational Materials and Engagement Opportunities

• Read the Declaration of the ELCA to American Indian and Alaskan Native People. This document details the ELCA’s commitment to seeking justice for our Indigenous members and neighbors, including and especially within our own churches. It also gives the rest of us a good place to begin learning about these issues.

• Learn about the Doctrine of Discovery. This long-held Christian belief used faith to justify brutal conquests and colonization around the world. As modern churches grapple with the difficult legacy left by this doctrine, there are diverse set of opinions on the matter. Find out about the ELCA’s Repudiation of the Doctrine of Discover.

• Learn about the history of Indian Boarding Schools in this country. Boarding schools, many of which were run by churches, were used to nonconsensually separate Native children from their families and communities in order to “civilize” them. Countless children died in the care of Indian boarding schools, and even more carried life long wounds. Indian boarding schools were a clear, direct attempt to eradiate Indigenous cultures, languages, and customs, and many communities still suffer from the legacy left by these programs.

• Engage with education materials on the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women Crisis. Indigenous women face domestic violence, assault, homicide, and kidnapping at much higher rates than women of any other group. Despite only making up 1.1% of America’s population, 40% of sex trafficking victims are Indigenous women. Additionally, under reporting, government negligence, and a lack of media coverage are much more common in these cases, leading to a critical lack of assistance for people and families who are suffering from the affects of violence. Broader education about this issue is an important step in addressing this problem.

We at LAMA invite you to join us in honoring Native American Heritage Month by exploring the ways our ELCA communities and our advocacy can better serve Indigenous community members and neighbors.