Outcome Documents for
200 Years of Johnson v. M’Intosh (JvM): Indigenous Responses to the Religious Foundations of Racism
This website is the official archive of the outcome publications from the Henry J. Luce Foundation Grant Funded project “200 Years of Johnson v. M’Intosh (JvM): Indigenous Responses to the Religious Foundations of Racism". Professor Philip P. Arnold was the PI on this project which ran from 2022-2024. Project activities included a conference, podcasts, and various types of publications.
Summary
“200 Years of Johnson v. M’Intosh (JvM): Indigenous Responses to the Religious Foundations of Racism,” is a collaborative initiative made possible through relationships developed over 30 years between academic and Indigenous communities. At its core, the project seeks to interrogate and critically examine connections between the Doctrine of Christian Discovery (DOCD), the Catholic Papal Bulls that undergird the Doctrine, and the Doctrine’s pernicious influence on United States Indian Law today.
The 200th anniversary of JvM provides an excellent moment to challenge the theology and jurisprudence of DOCD and this critical Supreme Court decision. The project will deliver a range of digital products and written works combined with a host of public outreach activities to raise awareness about the harmful impacts of the DOCD and provide support for a global movement of Indigenous People’s that seek to repudiate it.
Christian Nationalism in the Lithuanian Context
The transition of Lithuania from a pagan to a Roman Catholic culture began with Pope Innocent IV's issuance of Bulls in 1251. Mindaugas, Grand Duke of Lithuania, was baptized Christian, and Lithuania was placed under the jurisdiction of the Bishop of Rome. The Dominicans led crusades against pagans in Prussia and Livonia. Later papal Bulls by Pope Alexander IV further solidified Roman Catholic dominance in Lithuania. The Roman Catholic Church has played a significant role in Lithuania's history and continues to influence its national identity. Christian Nationalism, intertwined with Roman Catholicism, shapes Lithuania's social and political order. Religious NGOs and the Lithuanian Parliament play a role in preserving traditional values and opposing perceived threats. The conflict between Roman Catholicism and traditional Baltic religion, exemplified by the Romuva community, reflects tensions in defining Lithuanian national identity.
Eglutė Trinkauskaitė
Routing Out Supremacy's Religious Roots: From Skin Color Back Through Bible Code to City-State Coercion
Perkinson discusses the origins of colonialism and white supremacy, tracing it back to the relationship with the land. He explores the shift from pastoral-nomad lifeways to city-state agriculture, leading to a myth of cultivar sovereignty and Christian supremacy. He argues that white supremacy is rooted in a myth of mastery over the non-human world, with a focus on urban-centered control of land. He highlights the resistance of pastoral nomad traditions against city-state coercion and the importance of a respectful land-based symbiosis. Furthermore, he stresses that the deep historical taproot of white supremacy implies a particular relationship to land centered in cities, supported by farmlands, and ultimately leading to the enslavement of both land and non-humankind.
James W. Perkinson
The Religious Origins of White Supremacy and The Doctrine of Christian Discovery
As we wrap up this volume and grant period we would like to express our deepest gratitude to S.B. Rodriguez-Plate and the entire team of CrossCurrents for helping to make this special issue a success. Again, we would like to extend our gratitude to all of our sponsors, funders, friends, colleagues, and of course conference attendees. Together we rise and work together to challenge and combat the Doctrine of Christian Discovery and Johnson V. M'Intosh. As we bring this issue to a close we would like to outline the scope of future work and next steps, inviting all of you to join us in the furtherance of this work. However, our research is going to be going in four main directions moving forward.
Philip P. Arnold
Sandra Bigtree
Adam DJ Brett
Documenting Domination in International Relations Through the Doctrine of Discovery
The American Indian Law Alliance (AILA) was founded in 1989 by Tonya Gonnella Frichner as an Indigenous, non-profit organization advocating for sovereignty, human rights, and social justice for Indigenous peoples. AILA works at the international level to support and advocate for Indigenous nations. In 2010, Gonnella Frichner submitted a Preliminary Study on The Impact on Indigenous Peoples of The Doctrine of Discovery to the United Nations. The study highlighted the ongoing effects of the Doctrine of Discovery on Indigenous peoples globally. AILA continues to call for a follow-up study by the United Nations. The organization also works to dismantle the Doctrine of Discovery through advocacy and collaboration with other organizations. Here, Brett and Hill discuss the history of the Doctrine of Discovery, the work of Indigenous nations in international diplomacy, and the importance of shifting from a rights-based approach to a responsibility-based approach. He emphasize the need for collective action to challenge the Doctrine of Discovery and create a more just and sustainable world.
Adam DJ Brett
Betty Hill (Lyons)
