So far, all of the posts in this series have been haunted by a shared ghost, the ghost of 'Christian civilization,' or what is known as Christendom. Christendom is the belief that Christianity could be, and was, expressed in and through the power and authority of self-consciously 'Christian' governments. In this worldview, Church and State … Continue reading Setting Our Stories Straight: The Myth of Christendom
In the most recent post in this series interrogating and dismantling the bad theology used to justify European colonization, I looked at the Doctrine of Discovery, which was a profound failure of the Church's understanding of what it means to be human, declaring that non-Christians were "enemies of Christ" and their lands were "no one's … Continue reading Setting our Stories Straight: A Chosen People
We humans are a rather predictable lot. Our heads are turned by good looks whether we want them to be or not; we can know someone is manipulative and still find ourselves caught up in their charm. We are drawn to the biggest, the most powerful, and the 'best'. The shiniest. The brightest. But these … Continue reading A Kingdom of Small Beginnings
As I seek to identify, interrogate, and ultimately unravel the various strands of dysfunctional Christian theology that were used to justify European expansion and colonization, I need to start with the biggest, baddest narrative of them all: the Doctrine of Discovery. I would argue that no idea has had as profound consequences for the world … Continue reading Setting our Stories Straight: Doctrine of Discovery
I remember when I was about eight years old desperately wanting a skateboard, and not just any skateboard, but a banana board, a style that was all the rage among second grade taste-makers in Whitehorse at the time. I wasn't particularly agile or stable on my feet, and I got around just fine on my … Continue reading Give us a King: A Reflection on 1 Samuel 8.4-20
Matthew Root 