Editor's Note: Dr. John Chaffee is a member of Trinity Memorial in Binghamton.
* FINAL VERSION - Concurred
/Resolution:/ *D035*
/Title:/ *Repudiate the Doctrine of Discovery*
/Topic:/ *Reconciliation*
/Committee:/ *09 - National and International Concerns*
/House of Initial Action:/ *Deputies*
/Proposer:/ *Dr. John Chaffee*
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/ Resolved, /the House of Bishops concurring, That the 76th General
Convention repudiates and renounces the Doctrine of Discovery as
fundamentally opposed to the Gospel of Jesus Christ and our
understanding of the inherent rights that individuals and peoples have
received from God, and that this declaration be proclaimed among our
churches and shared with the United Nations and all the nations and
peoples located within The Episcopal Church's boundaries. This doctrine,
which originated with Henry VII in 1496, held that Christian sovereigns
and their representative explorers could assert dominion and title over
non-Christian lands with the full blessing and sanction of the Church.
It continues to be invoked, in only slightly modified form, in court
cases and in the many destructive policies of governments and other
institutions of the modern nation-state that lead to the colonizing
dispossession of the lands of indigenous peoples and the disruption of
their way of life; and be it further
/Resolved, /that The Episcopal Church review its policies and programs
with a view to exposing the historical reality and impact of the
Doctrine of Discovery and eliminating its presence in its contemporary
policies, program, and structures and, further, that this body directs
the appropriate representatives of the House of Bishops and House of
Deputies, to inform all relevant governmental bodies in The United
States of its action and suggest similar and equivalent review of
historical and contemporary policies that contribute to the continuing
colonization of Indigenous Peoples and, further, to write to Queen
Elizabeth II, the Supreme Governor of the Church of England, requesting
that her Majesty disavow, and repudiate publicly, the claimed validity
of the Christian Doctrine of Discovery; and be it further
/Resolved, /that each diocese within the Episcopal Church be encouraged
to reflect upon its own history, in light of these actions and encourage
all Episcopalians to seek a greater understanding of the Indigenous
Peoples within the geo-political boundaries claimed by the United States
and other nation states located within the Episcopal Church's
boundaries, and to support those peoples in their ongoing efforts for
their inherent sovereignty and fundamental human rights as peoples to be
respected; and be it further
/Resolved, /that the 76th General Convention direct the Office of
Government Relations to advocate for the U.S. government's endorsement
of the "United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples,"
which the United States has refused to endorse (only the U.S., Canada,
New Zealand, and Australia have failed to sign on).
*EXPLANATION*
European Christian religious leaders, such as Pope Nicholas V, Martin V,
Pope Alexander VI, and Pope Leo X, used the concept of discovery in a
manner that was dehumanizing to indigenous peoples. These and other
religious leaders used the discovery doctrine as a way of justifying
European monarchs sending royal representatives and explorers forth in a
conquering manner in order to take over Indigenous lands and
possessions, and to enslave, kill, or subject the Indigenous peoples
they encountered. Following that tradition, King Henry VII granted a
charter to John Cabot and his sons on March 5, 1496. It authorized the
Cabots, by whatever means were necessary, to take possession and assume
a conquering dominion over the lands of the Indigenous Peoples of North
America. The charter specifically authorized John Cabot and his sons "to
find, discover and investigate whatsoever islands, countries, regions or
provinces of heathens and infidels, in whatsoever part of the world
placed, which before this time were unknown to all Christians." The
Charter also reads in part, "John and his sons or their heirs and
deputies may conquer, occupy and possess whatsoever such towns, castles,
cities and islands by them thus discovered that they may be able to
conquer, occupy and possess, as our vassals and governors lieutenants
and deputies therein, acquiring for us the dominion, title and
jurisdiction of the same towns, castles, cities, islands and mainlands
so discovered." In the past, Indigenous Peoples' representatives have
called upon Queen Elizabeth II to repudiate the Cabot Charter and other
similar Royal Charters.
The English subsequently put into effect their conquest of North America
with two charters granted by Queen Elizabeth I, the head of the English
Church, in which the Christian Doctrine of Discovery was a driving
justification. The first was in 1583 to Henry Gilbert, and the second in
1584 to Walter Raleigh. The letters patent to Walter Raleigh gave him
and his heirs the power to discover "such remote heathen and barbarous
landes Contries and territories not actually possessed of any Christian
Prynce and inhabited by Christian People" and to exploit the resources
and people of those lands to the full extent of their power, including
"all the soyle of all such landes Countryes and territories so to be
discovered or possessed as aforesaid and of all the Cittyes Castles
townes villages and places in the same" and the full power to dispose of
all this as they wish.
This resolution would put the Episcopal Church on record condemning the
Christian Doctrine of Discovery and supporting Indigenous Peoples in
their call for the repudiation of the 1496 Royal Charter issued to John
Cabot and his sons and other similar Royal Charters which sanctioned
European invasion of the Western Hemisphere. The resolution also calls
upon each diocese to reflect upon its relationship with the Indigenous
Peoples within its area to understand the history of its relationship
with them, to build a relationship with all such Peoples, and to support
them in their political and legal struggles for their inherent
sovereignty and fundamental human rights as peoples to be respected.
/* Note: The final language, as well as the final status of each
resolution, is being reviewed by the General Convention office. The
Journal of the 76th General Convention and the Constitution and Canons
will be published once the review process has been completed./
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/
/I also found the following which ties 2009-D035 to resolutions directly
and indirectly related from previous General Conventions:
//
A pdf at: http://www.episcopalarchives.org/GC2009/09_nic/2009-D035.pdf
GENERAL CONVENTION OF THE EPISCOPAL CHURCH 2009
ARCHIVES' RESEARCH REPORT
RESOLUTION No.: 2009-0035
TITLE: Repudiate the Doctrine of Discovery
PROPOSER: Dr. John Chaffee
COMMITTEE: National and International Concerns
Directly Related: (attached)
2006-0046 Reaffirm the Jamestown Covenant
2003-C008 Reaffirm the "Decade of Remembrance, Recognition, and
Reconciliation" 1997-A035 Designate a "Decade of Remembrance,
Recognition, and Reconciliation"
1991-C041 Urge Creation of Government Commission on the Rights of
American Indians 1991-C069 Support Protection of Religious Freedom
ofNative Americans
1991-0179 Celebrate the Survival ofNative Americans on the Columbus
Quincentennial 1985-B007 Request Church-wide Advocacy of Indian Rights
Indirectly Related:
1997-0053 Oppose Commercial Exploitation of Native American Symbols
/* Note: The final language, as well as the final status of each
resolution, is being reviewed by the General Convention office. The
Journal of the 76th General Convention and the Constitution and Canons
will be published once the review process has been completed./
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