ORCID
Philip P. Arnold: 0009-0008-1224-5714
Document Type
Article
Date
3-3-2026
Keywords
Religious studies, critical Indigenous Studies, decolonial studies
Disciplines
Religion
Description/Abstract
This preface critically interrogates the theological and ritual justifications of domination embedded within eurochristian frameworks, as imposed through colonial encounters from 1492 onward. Centering the epistemological clash between eurochristian and Indigenous worldviews, it contrasts a distant, property-centered metaphysics with Haudenosaunee understandings of sacrality rooted in a reciprocal relationship to the land. Drawing on citations from Indigenous leaders and scholars, the text addresses the ongoing impacts of doctrines like the Doctrine of Discovery and legal decisions such as Johnson v. M’Intosh. It highlights healing movements such as #Landback and #Lakeback as ceremonial acts of restoring right relationship with land, sovereignty, and all living beings. Ultimately, the piece calls for a fundamental value change—one grounded in Indigenous knowledge—to dismantle systems of domination and promote planetary healing.
Recommended Citation
Arnold, Philip P., "Preface for Challenging the Justifications of Domination Through Religion: “We Were Planting Corn, and They Were Planting Crosses” (Part I)." (2026). Religion - All Scholarship. 125.
https://surface.syr.edu/rel/125
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
