Doctrine of Christian Discovery: After Repudiation, What Next?

The Zen Center is one of the sponsors of the following Haudenosaunee conference. We hope that you can attend and engage in this important dialogue. 

From initial contact over 520 years ago, Indigenous leaders have brought into discussion the insidious role that Christianity has played in colonization and environmental destruction. Over the last several decades the Doctrine of Christian Discovery has been seen not only in historical and contemporary subjugation of indigenous human rights and land rights, but also in the ongoing devastation of the environment we all share.

We seek to bring together people who have worked on addressing and repudiating this doctrine so that we might learn from each other and develop strategies for moving forward with this work. How can we use the momentum from repudiation to change the colonial paradigms that drive decisions in our settler society? What are core issues that will benefit from alliances between Indigenous Peoples and Faith-Based Communities? What have we learned about people and what impacts our understanding?

Saturday, 24 May:

Sunday, 25 May:

Closing Ceremony, breakfast and summation

Please register by May 16th by contacting Sandy Bigtree, (sbigtree@syr.edu or 315-254-0288) so we can provide everyone with enough food. Discounted hotel information available. No one will be turned away from the door.$30 Registration fee includes meals 

Co-sponsors include: Onondaga Nation, Neighbors of the Onondaga Nation, Religion Department at Syracuse University, Onondaga Historical Association, Loretto Community (Denver, CO), New York Yearly Meeting (Quaker) Indian Affairs Committee, NYS Committee on Native American Ministries of the United Methodist Church, Zen Center of Syracuse, All Saints Catholic Parish.