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"The Harmony Way:" Integrating Indigenous Values Within Native North American Theology and Mission

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Digital Commons @ George Fox University Faculty Publications - Portland Seminary Portland Seminary 4-2010 "The aH rmony Way:" Integrating Indigenous Values Within Native North American Theology and Mission Randy Woodley George Fox University, [email protected] Follow this and additional works at: http://digitalcommons.georgefox.edu/gfes Part of the American Studies Commons, Christianity Commons, Missions and World Christianity Commons, and the Religious Thought, Theology and Philosophy of Religion Commons Recommended Citation Woodley, Randy, ""The aH rmony Way:" Integrating Indigenous Values Within Native North American Theology and Mission" (2010). Faculty Publications - Portland Seminary. 72. http://digitalcommons.georgefox.edu/gfes/72 This Dissertation is brought to you for free and open access by the Portland Seminary at Digital Commons @ George Fox University. It has been accepted for inclusion in Faculty Publications - Portland Seminary by an authorized administrator of Digital Commons @ George Fox University. For more information, please contact [email protected]. ABSTRACT "THE HARMONY WAY:" INTEGRATING INDIGENOUS VALVES WITHIN NATIVE NORTH AMERICAN THEOLOGY AND MISSION by Randy Stephen Woodley Given that Western models of mission have failed among Native Americans and that colonial practices have devastated native communities, this research sought a better way of pursuing Christian mission among Native Americans by asking two questions: (1) Do Native American have a generally shared set of values that could guide the construction of new models for mission in North American Native communities, and, if so, to what degree are these values shared among Native American communities? and, (2). What resources (particularly values) are available within the Native American communities themselves for developing appropriate models of mission and could such resources be developed into authentic, integral mission models? I began the project with a three-pronged framework from a biblical/theological construction of shalom, a contextually based anthropologically-informed missiology and an indigenous construction of decolonization and indigenization. A framework for studying values emerged based on literature from the fields of counseling, sociology, anthropology, education, missiology, history, and religion. The values themselves emerged from conversations with seven elders/spiritual leaders who participated in extensive interviews, and one hundred self-selected Native Americans who answered a ten-question survey. Responses were analyzed using grounded theory as a way to discover and organize a system of values. I linked responses with literature regarding Native American value studies, discourse, and experiences as the value categories emerged. I was able to establish among Native Americans, a widely spread construct I call the "Harmony Way." I was then able to isolate and examine ten commonly held core values that exist within the framework of the Native American Harmony Way. The research raised questions about current approaches to Native American mission and about the dangers of formulating mission models that are not based on Native American values and not within the framework of a Native American concept of "wellbeing" or what I will refer to as the "Native American Harmony Way." The research contributes to the practice of disrupting systems of oppression, even in the mission movement, and encourages the formation of alliances to promote Native American mission models that are empowering and liberating. DISSERTATION APPROVAL SHEET This dissertation, entitled "The Harmony Way:" Integrating Indigenous Values within Native North American Theology and Mission written by Randy Stephen Woodley and submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Intercultural Studies has been read and approved by the undersigned members of the Faculty of Asbury Theological Seminary Dr. Michael A. Rynlde~ch, Mentor ~cX.~ Dr. Eunice L. Irwin, Reader ;-~ Dr. Russell West, Reader April 12, 2010 "The Harmony Way:" Integrating Indigenous Values within Native North American Theology and Mission A Dissertation Presented to the Faculty of Asbury Theological Seminary Wilmore, Kentucky In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree Doctor of Philosophy in Intercultural Studies Dissertation Committee Dr. Michael A. Rynkiewich, Mentor Dr. Eunice Irwin, Reader Dr. Russell West, Reader By Randy Stephen Woodley April 12, 2010 Copyright 2010 Randy Stephen Woodley All rights reserved TABLE OF CONTENTS Page LIST OF FIGURES ........................................................................................................... vi LIST OF APPENDIXES ................................................................................................... vii DEDICATION ................................................................................................................. viii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ............................................................................................... ix CHAPTER 1. Introduction: The Problem and Research Methodology ............................... ! Narrative .................................................................................................................. 5 Presuppositions and Perspective .............................................................................. 9 Statement of the Problem ....................................................................................... 15 Finding Native American Contexts for Mission .................................................... 15 Research Strategy ................................................................................................... 17 Delimitations .......................................................................................................... 20 Defining Core Native North American Values .......................................... 20 The Geopolitical Limitations of the United States and Canada ................. 21 Definition of Key Terms ........................................................................................ 21 Native North American and Its Synonyms ................................................ 21 Well-Being Concepts ................................................................................. 22 Contextualization ....................................................................................... 26 Kingdom .................................................................................................... 27 iii Theoretical Frai:nework .......................................................................................... 28 The Sacred Space and the Holiness of God ............................................... 28 Religion as a Symbol System .................................................................... 29 Indigenization: Taiaiake Alfred ................................................................. 32 Shalom: Walter Brueggemann ................................................................... 37 Anthropological Mission Models: Bevans, Schreiter, Hiebert ............ .43 Qualitative Field Research ..................................................................................... 54 Significance of the Research .................................................................................. 57 CHAPTER 2. Background to the Problem ........................................................................ 58 Narrative of Mission Problems .............................................................................. 58 The Disconnect Between Mission and Conquest... ................................................ 61 Christian Mission as a Colonizing Strategy ........................................................... 63 Colonial Values and Mission Policy ...................................................................... 66 Contemporary Native American Mission Efforts .................................................. 75 CHAPTER 3. Discovering Core Native North American Values ..................................... 80 Defining Values ..................................................................................................... 80 Literature ................................................................................................................ 81 The Jacobs Value Set ................................................................................. 88 The Kelley Value Set ................................................................................. 91 The Evergreen Value Set ........................................................................... 92 "The Sacred" Value Set ............................................................................. 94 Synthesized Set of Native North American Core Values (Initial Effort) ................................................................................. 95 iii Interviews ............................................................................................................... 97 Survey .................................................................................................................. 103 Summary .............................................................................................................. 106 CHAPTER 4. Research Results and Meaning ................................................................. 110 Synopsis and Analysis of the Literature .............................................................. 110 Comparing the
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