My mind was racing after Peace Team presented in chapel on Friday, Feb. 9. Christine Nobiss shared her perspective of the Church as a Native American peace activist. She accused the Church of being a dominating and violent institution that legitimatizes stealing land, harming the Earth, and forcing conversion and assimilation of Native people.
Although I disagree with some of what she said, I believe Nobiss presents a legitimate challenge to the Church. How do we, as the Church, reclaim and proclaim a religion of love when so much of our past is wrapped up with colonialism? I left chapel that day grappling with this question and feeling, as Pastor Brian likes to say, “adequately disturbed.”
Towards the end of chapel, we shared with a neighbor about what our ideal image of the world is. While this dream seems unrealistic, I think the purpose was for us to be empowered to articulate our vision.
I had trouble articulating my dream for “world peace” in chapel, but a metaphor came to me later that day. While watching the Olympics Opening Ceremony, I saw a small version of my vision for the world: countries and individuals coming together in peace with an atmosphere of “you belong just as you are.”
I believe part of the beauty of the world is our diversity of cultures. In the ceremony, I saw cultures being celebrated and valued, without any one fighting for dominance.
This is my vision, which I believe lines up with God’s vision for the world. So what is the Church’s role in creating this vision? Perhaps to start, we can ask forgiveness for our history of violence which has brought so much pain and harm to Native people, here in the U.S. especially.
Perhaps we can reclaim the love of God by living out our faith in radical ways, following Jesus by loving the outsiders and the oppressed of the world. Perhaps Christianity can be “born again” by repenting and turning from our systematic domination. Then the Church can begin living — truly living — and bring new life, hope, and peace to this broken world. Matthew 19:26b says, “With man, this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.” Amen — may it be so.
