Acknowledging the Indigenous peoples on whose land our churches sit has the potential to profoundly shift our relationship to our history, our indigenous neighbors, and the land. How might you lead your church through a process that opens the door to awakening?
Inspired by Vance Blackfox’s call for Lutherans to embrace and practice Native land acknowledgement, Kim Marinucci Acker and Trevor Bakker (Palo Alto, CA) co-led an 11-member committee through an eight-week process of self reflection, research, statement creation, and roll-out to the congregation. To share their experience, they have created a resource and facilitation guide to assist you in leading a collaborative land acknowledgment process.
Listen to them share experiences and resources on this recorded call (click to hear) and explore the resources below for more information on this topic.
*There is interest in brainstorming more ways our ELCA communities can accompany the efforts of indigenous peoples. If you are interested in joining a cohort on this topic please complete a Contact Us form (click).*
Resources and Links to us Live our a Repudiation of the Doctrine of Discovery:
- Creation care requires Indigenous voices – Pr. Joann Conroy, President of ELCA’s American Indian and Alaska Native Ministries
- ‘Wild Places’ reflection shared by Young Adult Ministries from Taina Diaz-Reyes, Hunger Advocacy Fellow.
A Christian theological ethic that incorporates our relationality with Creation into our spiritual imagination could turn us from the colonial idea of “wilderness” to understanding ourselves as part of a sacred community. – Taina Diaz-Reyes
- A call from Cherokee Nation citizen and fellow Lutheran: Vance Blackfox
See also his 2017 Reflection of Repudiation of Doctrine of Discovery - Watch this (click)! A panel of remarkable perspectives shared at the 2020 Vine Deloria Jr. Theological Symposium in collaboration between Other+Wise and Lutheran School of Theology in Chicago (11/17-18).
- Just Lutheran – Taking tangible steps to minimize bias.
- Reparations, voluntary tax models :
www.realrentduwamish.org
The Shuumi Land Tax - Land Acknowledgement Panel from Ohlone Land (April 2020)
- Honor Native Land (4 minute overview)
- Guide to Land Acknowledgement
- Who are the first earth-keepers on the land you stand on?
- Whose Land of the Free? a reflection
