Christian Churches who have Repudiated the Doctrine of Discovery

As of April 26, 2013

·      It appears the first resolution revoking the Papal Bulls was passed by the Pacific Islander and Asian American Ministries (PAAM), United Church of Christ, Hawai‘i Conference in Feb. 1999.

·      The National Episcopal Church repudiated the Doctrine of Discovery in 2009 and called for the U.S. to comply with UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP). Then in 2012 Episcopal Presiding Bishop Katharine Jefferts Schori issued a pastoral letter on the Doctrine of Discovery and Indigenous Peoples.

·      Various groups of the Religious Society of Friends (also known as the Quakers,) have repudiated the Doctrine of Discovery, in 2009 and 2012. The first was the Quaker Indian Committee of Philadelphia.

·      The Executive Committee of the World Council of Churches, repudiated the Doctrine of Discovery and called for governments to comply with UNDRIP in February 2012.

·      The Unitarian Universalist Association General Assembly repudiated the Doctrine of Discovery and demanded that the U.S. government fully implement the UNDRIP in June 2012. They also called on Unitarian Universalists to study the Doctrine of Discovery and eliminate its presence from the “contemporary policies, programs, theologies, and structures of Unitarian Universalism.” UUA offers seed grants to UU congregations to take action against the Doctrine of Discovery.

·      The United Methodist Church General Conference condemned the Doctrine of Discovery in Sept. 2011.

References:

Pacific Islander and Asian American Ministries (PAAM) United Church of Christ, Hawai‘i Conference:
http://tempxyp2440ym0wn.blogspot.com/2012/10/united-church-of-christ-statement-on.html.  

National Episcopal Church: http://www.yesmagazine.org/peace-justice/episcopal-church-repudiates-doctrine-of-discovery &  

Episcopal Bishops: http://www.episcopalchurch.org/notice/episcopal-presiding-bishop-katharine-jefferts-schori-issues-pastoral-letter-doctrine-discover. 

Religious Society of Friends: http://www.rd-ad.org/Index.html & http://www.nyym.org/index.php?q=doc_of_disc_factsheet. 

World Council of Churches : http://www.oikoumene.org/en/resources/documents/executive-committee/bossey-february-2012/statement-on-the-doctrine-of-discovery-and-its-enduring-impact-on-indigenous-peoples. 

Unitarian Universalist Association: http://www.uua.org/multiculturalism/dod/index.shtml. 

United Methodist Church: http://new.gbgm-umc.org/umw/response/articles/item/index.cfm?id=976 & http://naicumc.org/?p=419.

Additional Resources: 

Text of UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples 
http://www.un.org/esa/socdev/unpfii/documents/DRIPS_en.pdf 

Preliminary study of the impact on indigenous peoples of the international legal construct known as the Doctrine of Discovery:

 http://www.un.org/esa/socdev/unpfii/documents/E.C.19.2010.13%20EN.pdf 

Timeline of Efforts by Indigenous Nations & Peoples Calling on Vatican to Revoke Papal Bull:  http://www.nativevillage.org/International%20Council%20of%2013%20INDIGENOUS%20GR/GR%20Other%20pages/timeline_of_the_efforts_by_indig.htm

Compiled by the American Indian Law Alliance

www.ailanyc.org