Overview

Full Product Details

Author:   Mark Charles ,  Soong–chan Rah
Publisher:   InterVarsity Press
Imprint:   Inter-Varsity Press,US
Dimensions:   Width: 15.10cm , Height: 1.50cm , Length: 23.80cm
Weight:   0.390kg
ISBN:  

9780830845255

ISBN 10:   0830845259
Pages:   224
Publication Date:   05 November 2019
Audience:   Professional and scholarly ,  Professional & Vocational
Format:   Paperback
Publisher's Status:   Active
Availability:   Available To Order  
We have confirmation that this item is in stock with the supplier. It will be ordered in for you and dispatched immediately.

Table of Contents

Introduction: Who We Are and What We Bring 1. The Doctrine of Discovery and Why It Matters 2. The Power of Narratives and the Imagination 3. The Kingdom of God Is About Relationship Not Empire 4. The Rise and Defense of Christendom 5. A Dysfunctional Theology Brought to the “New” World 6. Exceptionalism and the Founding Documents of the United States 7. Dysfunctional Theology and the Spread of Settler Colonialism 8. Genocide, the Impact of a Dysfunctional Theology 9. Abraham Lincoln and the Narrative of White Messiahship 10. Abraham Lincoln and Native Genocide 11. The Complex Trauma of the American Story 12. The Christian Worldview and the Failure of Re-conciliation Conclusion: Truth and Conciliation Acknowledgments Appendix Notes Name and Subject Index

Reviews

This sobering critique presents a disturbing yet welcome analysis of how the Doctrine of Discovery has split American church and society along racial lines, and makes a powerful argument for engaging in national dialogue around issues of class, gender, and race. -- Publishers Weekly, October 14, 2019

Unsettling Truths is a must-read for all Christians and should become a staple of seminary education. There is virtually no other book targeted toward a biblically centered audience that explains the theological significance of the doctrine of discovery and its legal progeny for not only Native peoples but for Christian settlers. In addition, there are virtually no books that so adeptly analyze the relationship between settler colonialism and indigenous genocide with the history of racialization of other people of color in the United States. Through their masterful and extended analysis of the ideological and legal foundations of the United States, these authors force to us to wrestle the unsettling truths of the foundations of US democracy. As the same time, they provide us the resources to imagine biblically based possibilities for new forms of collectivity and governance beyond settler colonialism. This book provides not only critically needed information about the generally misunderstood political and legal status of Native nations, it provides a paradigm-shifting approach for how to understand the United States (and other settler nations) from a biblical perspective. Andrea Smith, cofounder of Evangelicals 4 Justice and board member of the North American Institute for Indigenous Theological Studies Why should I endorse a book when I do not agree with some of its historical judgments? Answer: for the same reason you should read it. Charles and Rah attack a pernicious principle (the Doctrine of Discovery), review an evil history (the United States' treatment of Native peoples), challenge a persistent stereotype (American exceptionalism), and psychoanalyze white America (in denial about the nation's history). The entire book, even when you think things could be evaluated differently, will make you think, and think hard, about crucially important questions of Christian doctrine, American history, and God's standards of justice. Mark Noll, author of The Civil War as a Theological Crisis There is an inherent danger in attempting to decolonize and deconstruct one's faith without an understanding of how deeply Western Christianity wed itself to the false and dangerous Doctrine of Discovery. Mark Charles and Soong-Chan Rah skillfully give us an unflinching look at Western political and church history, weave in personal stories, and help connect the past to present policies, appealing to both our hearts and minds. Kathy Khang, speaker and author of Raise Your Voice

Author Information

Mark Charles, a man of Navajo and Dutch American descent, is a speaker, writer, and consultant on the complexities of American history, race, culture, and faith. He is the author of the blog Reflections from the Hogan and was the Washington, DC, correspondent and columnist for Native News Online. He has served on the boards of the Christian Community Development Association and the Christian Reformed Church of North America. He and his family live in Washington, DC. Soong-Chan Rah (ThD, Duke Divinity School) is Milton B. Engebretson Professor of Church Growth and Evangelism at North Park Theological Seminary in Chicago, Illinois. He and his family live in Chicago. His books include The Next Evangelicalism and Prophetic Lament.

Tab Content 6

Author Website:  

Countries Available

All regions