Environmental Justice with Indigenous Peoples

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Each year, Creation Justice Ministries offers Christian education materials to equip faith communities to reflect on various issues. The resource is written to be useful year-round. Some dates to consider include:
Earth Day Sunday on April 23, World Day of Prayer for Care of Creation on September 1, or October 8, the Sunday before Columbus Day / Indigenous Peoples' Day.

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HYMNS

• Many and Great, Dakota hymn (purchase; Find on YouTube.)
• Heleluyan Muskogee Creek Hallelujia (link; YouTube)

OTHER WORSHIP RESOURCES

• Laments Over the Doctrine of Discovery, Episcopal Church (link)
• United Methodist Native American Ministries Sunday (link)
• Hymns from the United Methodist tradition (link)
• Litany of Reconciliation by United Methodist Women (link)
• Sermon: The Rich Man and Lazarus, and the Doctrine of Discovery, Iris de León-Hartshorn (link)
• Sermon: Jonah, the Ninevites, and Climate Change, Rev. Carol Devine (link)

CHRISTIAN EDUCATION RESOURCES

• Doctrine of Discovery website (link)
• Mennonite Doctrine of Discovery Study Guide (link)
• Episcopal Church Series on the Doctrine of Discovery
  • Looking at Columbus Day through the Lens of Our Baptismal Vows, Episcopal Study Guide (PDF)
  • Advent and the Doctrine of Discovery (PDF)
  • Lent and the Doctrine of Discovery, Episcopal Study Guide (PDF)
• Compilation of Capitol Hill Presbyterian Church Doctrine of Discovery Study Group (PDF)
• Living in the Shadow of Empire. Journal of Lutheran Ethics. (link)​

VIDEOS

• Protecting Sacred Places
  • Explore Bears Ears National Monument, online interactive by Patagonia (link)
  • "The Refuge" movie by Patagonia (15 minutes, bring tissues.) (link)
  • Music Video: Stand Up / Stand N Rock #NoDAPL (YouTube)
• Doctrine of Discovery
  • Dismantling the Doctrine of Discovery (43 minute film, Anabaptist site)
  • Discovered? Or Stolen! Repudiating the Doctrine of Discovery by United Church of Christ (6 minutes, YouTube)
  • The Episcopal Church Exposes the Doctrine of Discovery (14 minutes, YouTube)
  • Mini Lecture: What is the Doctrine of Discovery (In 7 minutes) by Mark Charles (YouTube)
  • Lecture: Race, Trauma, and the Doctrine of Discovery by Mark Charles (One hour, YouTube)

Denominational versions:
Alliance of Baptists * American Baptist Churches (USA) * Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) * ELCA * Mennonite Central Committee * PC(USA) * UCC * UMC

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TAKE ACTION - Let us know if you take action: [email protected].

​LEARN ABOUT INDIGENOUS PEOPLES NEAR YOU

• Find federally recognized tribes through the Tribal Directory Assessment Tool of the Department of Housing and Development (link)
• Find federal and state recognized tribes through the National Conference of State Legislatures (link)

PRACTICE ACKNOWLEDGING THE ORIGINAL PEOPLE OF THE LAND WHERE YOU LIVE, WORK, AND PRAY

• Consider adding to your email signature, church bulletin, or website some variation of this statement: "We acknowledge that this land is the traditional territory of the _________ peoples. Their presence is imbued in the lands and waters surrounding us. May we nurture our relationship with our Native neighbors, and the shared responsibilities to their homelands where we all reside today."

LEARN, SHARE, & PRACTICE THE JEMEZ PRINCIPLES (PDF)
The Jemez Principles can help groups forming  partnerships for justice. In 1996, 40 environmental justice leaders met in Jemez, New Mexico, and designed six principles for respectful partnership:

1. Be inclusive.
2. Emphasize bottom-up organizing.
3. Let people speak for themselves.
4. Work together in solidarity and mutuality.
5. Build just relationships among ourselves.
6. Commit to self-transformation.

BECOME FAMILIAR WITH ORGANIZATIONS THAT REPRESENT AND DEFEND INDIGENOUS RIGHTS

• National Congress of American Indians (NCAI) (link)
  • NCAI Land and Natural Resources Updates (link)
• United Nations Division for Social Policy Development - Indigenous Peoples (link)
  • United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (PDF)

STAND WITH INDIGENOUS PEOPLE IN PROTECTING SACRED PLACES
1. Protect the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge from Imminent Threats: Sign the petition to stand with the Gwich'in people of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge in their effort to protect their ancestral home and the porcupine caribou on which they rely. Learn more at www.creationjustice.org/arctic
2. Advocate to Uphold the Bears Ears National Monument: Sign the petition to stand with the Bears Ears Commission of tribal representatives in efforts to uphold and properly steward the Bears Ears National Monument, the only U.S. national monument that highlights the contributions of tribes.
www.creationjustice.org/bears-ears

• Three policies important to protecting sacred places are Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act, the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA), and the Department of Interior Policy on Consultation with Tribes. Learn about these policies. (Handbook on Section 106 and NEPA; Sacred Site Protection Guide; Department of Interior Policy on Consultation with Tribes)

​3. Learn About Indigenous People and Climate Justice:

• Teaching Materials and Advanced Bibliography (link) 

 Statements by Christian Denominations and Communions (under construction)

DOCTRINE OF DISCOVERY & APOLOGY STATEMENTS
Christian Church (Disciples of Christ)
Reflection on Theology and Polity, the Christian Doctrine of Discovery, and the Indigenous Voice (General Assembly, 2013)

Episcopal Church
Pastoral Letter: Repudiation of the Doctrine of Discovery
Policy Archive: Native Americans and Indigenous People

Presbyterian Church (USA)
PC(USA) leaders apologize to Native Americans, Alaska Natives, and Native Hawaiians

United Church of Christ
Repudiation of the Doctrine of Discovery
 
World Council of Churches
Statement on the Doctrine of Discovery and Its Enduring Impact on Indigenous Peoples

STATEMENTS ON ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE ISSUES
Ecumenical Round-Up of Statements on Standing Rock
Faith Leaders' Letter Supporting Bears Ears National Monument

Christian Church (Disciples of Christ)
Statement of Gratitude to Native Americans and First Peoples (Disciples Justice Table, 2016)

United Church of Christ
A Public Declaration to the Tribal Councils and Traditional Spiritual Leaders of the Native Peoples of the Northwest from the United Church of Christ 

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NEWS CLIPS
What Standing Rock Teaches Us About Environmental Racism and Justice, Health Affairs Blog, April 2017
Resettling America's First Climate Refugees, New York Times 2016
On the Navajo Nation, Special Ed Students Await Water that Doesn't Stink, New York Times 2017
Discover the Treasures: Finding God in Our Woundedness, United Methodist News Service 2016
General Conference 2016 Recalls, Laments the Sand Creek Massacre, United Methodist News Service 2016
An Invitation to Repentance. Rev. Glen Chebon Kernell Jr., United Methodist Church

More than 500 clergy gathered at Standing Rock and burned a copy of the Doctrine of Discovery. Photo credit: United Church of Christ

North Dakota Bishop Michael Smith, who grew up in Oklahoma and is an enrolled Potowatomi, opened the March 9 Standing as Stone service at Washington National Cathedral. Photo: Mary Frances Schjonberg/Episcopal News Service

The Rev. Vine Deloria Sr., who was a member of the Standing Rock Sioux Nation and the first of his tribe to be ordained an Episcopal priest, is one of just a few Americans commemorated on the reredos of Washington National Cathedral’s high altar. Photo: Washington National Cathedral

Some of the many Episcopalians who attended the March 10 Native Nations Rise demonstration and rally pose in Lafayette Square across from the White House. Photo: Mary Frances Schjonberg/Episcopal News Service

Hundreds of Christian allies gathered to pray at First Trinity Lutheran Church in DC, before marching with the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe at the Native Nations Rise March on Washington Photo credit: Jessie Palatucci, United Church of Christ

Hundreds if not thousands filled the streets of Washington, D.C., for the March 10 Native Nations Rise demonstration and rally. Photo: Mary Frances Schjonberg/Episcopal News Service

Episcopalians, from left, Joshua Floberg, the Rev. Lauren Stanley, the Rev. Phyllis Manoogian, the Rev. John Floberg and John Michael Floberg carry the Episcopal flag during the March 10 Native Nations Rise demonstration and rally. Photo courtesy of Lauren Stanley

The March 10, 2017 Native Nations Rise march on Washington attracted nearly 5,000 people to stand with Standing Rock after the Trump Administration advanced plans for the Dakota Access Pipeline. Photo credit: Jessie Palatucci, United Church of Christ

Pictured left to right: Elizabeth Lee, Executive for Economic and Environmental Justice, Christian Social Action, Cindy Saufferer, Cynthia Rives, Daryl June-Joe, Deborah Williams, and Deaconess Cindy Johnson. Photo credit: United Methodist Women

Gwich'in Steering Committee members present a children's collage to Senator Murkowski of Alaska, urging her to protect the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge from oil drilling. Photo credit: Bernadette Demientieff, Gwich'in Steering Committee

Photo credit: Gwich'in Steering Committee