WCC NEWS: WCC disowns doctrine used against Indigenous Peoples

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World Council of Churches - News

WCC DISOWNS DOCTRINE USED AGAINST INDIGENOUS PEOPLES

For immediate release: 27 February 2012

In a recent meeting, the World Council of Churches (WCC) Executive
Committee denounced the “Doctrine of Discovery”, which has been used
to subjugate and colonize Indigenous Peoples. The Executive Committee
issued a statement calling the nature of the doctrine “completely
opposed to the gospel of Jesus”.

The statement was issued in a meeting from 14 to 18 February in Bossey,
Switzerland, urging to repudiate this doctrine, which has permitted the
enslavement of Indigenous Peoples in the name of Christianity.

The origin of the doctrine goes back to the papal bulls issued by Pope
Nicholas V in 1452, allowing the invasion and killing of the Indigenous
Peoples.

In 14th century, some of the historical church documents such as Dum
Diversas and Romanus Pontifex called for non-Christian people to be
captured, vanquished and to have their possessions and property seized by
the Christian monarchs.

On basis of the same historical precedence the statement points out that,
“Christopher Columbus was instructed, for example, to ‘discover and
conquer,’ ‘subdue’ and ‘acquire’ distant lands.”

European countries like Spain, Portugal, England, France, and Holland used
the doctrine. The doctrine was introduced in the law of the United States
and was referenced in the United States Supreme Court case of Johnson v.
M'Intosh, 21 U.S. (8 Wheat.) 543 (Link:
http://www.oikoumene.org/index.php?RDCT=018fdc3ec5069e727330
) in 1823, also has been cited by courts in Australia, Canada and New
Zealand.

Therefore the Executive Committee statement points out that the “current
situation of Indigenous Peoples around the world is the result of a linear
programme of 'legal' precedent, originating with the Doctrine of Discovery
and codified in contemporary national laws and policies.”

The statement rejects the idea endorsed by the doctrine that “Christians
enjoy a moral and legal right to invade and seize indigenous lands and to
dominate Indigenous Peoples.”

Rights of Indigenous Peoples

Calling the “Doctrine of Discovery” a violation of human rights, the
statement supports the “rights of Indigenous Peoples to live in and
retain their traditional lands and territories, and to maintain and enrich
their cultures.”

Many churches are making efforts to repudiate the doctrine to protect the
rights of Indigenous Peoples. The Executive Committee statement mentions
efforts by churches in the United States and Canada, like the Episcopal
Dioceses of Maine, Central New York and Philadelphia, the Yearly Meeting
of the Religious Society of Friends.

The Episcopal Church, the Anglican Church of Canada, Unitarian Universalist
churches and Quaker organizations also disowned the doctrine, says the
statement.

As the “Doctrine of Discovery” will be the theme for the 11th session
of the United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues (UNPFII) this
year, the Executive Committee statement stressed the need to sensitize
churches on this issue.

The UNPFII session will take place from 7 to 18 May 2012 in New York.

In consideration of this, the Executive Committee statement urged the
churches and ecumenical organizations to mobilize and participate in the
UNPFII process.

The statement requested the governments to “ensure that their policies,
regulations and laws that affect Indigenous Peoples comply with
international conventions, and in particular, conform to the United
Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples and the
International Labour Organization’s Convention 169.”

Through this statement, the WCC reaffirms its commitment to the rights of
the Indigenous Peoples, asking each member church to “reflect upon its
own national and church history” and to seek a better understanding of
the issues faced by Indigenous Peoples.

Read full text of the WCC Executive Committee statement (Link:
http://www.oikoumene.org/index.php?RDCT=4dddb2299f196a521ac4 )

"Is five hundred and seven years too long for justice?" (Link:
http://www.oikoumene.org/index.php?RDCT=6c3efe647920029d5b9b ) article from the
ECHOES magazine, 1999

Christian self-understanding in the context of indigenous religions
(Link:
http://www.oikoumene.org/index.php?RDCT=b9041b3baef7555fd51d
) (WCC press release of 14 February 2012)

WCC programme: Solidarity with Indigenous Peoples (Link:
http://www.oikoumene.org/index.php?RDCT=b2528e751a303126a408 )


The World Council of Churches promotes Christian unity in faith, witness 
and service for a just and peaceful world. An ecumenical fellowship of 
churches founded in 1948, today the WCC brings together 349 Protestant, 
Orthodox, Anglican and other churches representing more than 560 million 
Christians in over 110 countries, and works cooperatively with the Roman 
Catholic Church. The WCC general secretary is Rev. Dr Olav Fykse Tveit, 
from the [Lutheran] Church of Norway. Headquarters: Geneva, Switzerland.



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