Doctrine of Discovery and Racism

The "doctrine" of Discovery created in the 1400s from 3 Papal Bulls continues to have a legacy in today's world especially for Native Americans. We talk about this doctrine and the White Supremacist attitude behind it. This doctrine is why Native Americans had "guardianships" as adults and prohibits tribes from "owning" their land. It creates a perpetual view of Indigenous persons as less than, and not fully equal. As recent as 2005 the SCOTUS has upheld this doctrine in cases about Native Rights, because it is "precedent". Two dozen Protestant Churches have renounced this doctrine. The first in 2013 (UCC). The ELCA in 2016. The Roman Catholic Church renounced it March 30, 2023. 

The legacy of this racist doctrine continues to impact people of color across the globe. Unless we understand the past, we will not understand our present, or make the future better for all.