ISSN 1710 4742 Journal of North American Institute for Indigenous Theological Studies Journal of Volume 4 2006 ■ Re-Contextualization: Restoring the Biblical Message to a Jewish Israeli Context ■ Black Elk Speaks ■ Of Steeples and Stories: A Selective Overview of Mission Contact with Aboriginal Peoples of Canada ■ A View of the Native North American Contextual Movement and Its Undecided Future ■ A History of Slaughter: Embracing our Martyrdom on the Margins of Encounter ■ The Gospel Comes to North America ■ “Professor Whiteowl, This Classroom Hurts”: Contextualization of the Indigenous Leadership Formation Volume 4 Volume ■ Indigenous Expressions of Biblical Faith to a Jewish Israeli Context NAIITS NAIITS The JOURNAL of theThe NORTH JOURNAL AMERICAN of the NORTH INSTITUTE AMERICAN for INSTITUTE for INDIGENEOUS THEOLOGICALINDIGENEOUS STUDIES THEOLOGICAL STUDIES Volume 4 Volume 4 2006 2006 PUBLISHED BY PUBLISHED BY North American InstituteNorth forAmerican Indigenous Institute Theological for Indigenous Studies Theological Studies EDITED BY EDITED BY Wendy Peterson Wendy Peterson PARTICIPATING ORGANIZATIONSPARTICIPATING ORGANIZATIONS Asbury Seminary: ESJAsbury School Seminary: of World ESJ Mission School of World Mission Biola University Biola University Canadian MennoniteCanadian University Mennonite University First Nations AllianceFirst Churches(C&MA) Nations Alliance of Churches(C&MA) Canada of Canada My People InternationalMy People International Providence College andProvidence Seminary College and Seminary The Salvation Army TheEthics Salvation Centre Army Ethics Centre Urbana-InterVarsityUrbana-InterVarsity / USA / USA Wiconi InternationalWiconi International William & CatherineWilliam Booth College & Catherine Booth College North American BaptistNorth Seminary American Baptist Seminary NAIM NAIM Eagle’s Wings MinistriesEagle’s Wings Ministries United Native MinistriesUnited Native Ministries © Copyright, NAIITS,© 2006Copyright, NAIITS, 2006 ABOUT NAIITS Vision Statement NAIITS exists to address topics of present concern in Native North American ministry and mission. These topics range from evangelism to discipleship to leadership development as they relate to Native Christian ministry and worship. Through symposiums, publishing and dialogue, the Institute seeks to bring together men and women of varied experiences and backgrounds in mission and ministry from within the mainstream of orthodox evangelical Christian faith, intentionally providing a forum for biblical and theological thought from within Native North American points of view. NAIITS seeks to partner with the emerging coalition, the Indigenous Christian Alliance, as an excellent way to create dynamic partnerships in Native North American ministry. Head Office: NAIITS Suite 428 35-2855 Pembina Hwy Winnipeg MB CANADA R3T 4R6 (204) 261-5676 Fax (204) 261-9164 [email protected] Board of Directors Terry LeBlanc: Mi’kmaq/Acadian, (Edmonton),Chair Richard Twiss: Lakota (Washington State) Casey Church: Potawatomi (New Mexico) Shari Russell: Ojibway (Manitoba) Ray Aldred: Cree (Manitoba) Cheryl Bear Barnetson: Carrier (California) Cornelius Buller: Mennonite (Manitoba) Steve Cheramie Risingson: Biloxi-chittamacha (Alabama) Gavriel Gefen: Messianic Jew (Israel) Adrian Jacobs: Cayuga (Ontario) Wendy Peterson: Métis (Manitoba) Randy Woodley: Keetowah Cherokee (Kentucky) NAIITS iv Volume 4 NAIITS iii Volume 4 GUIDELINES for SUBMISSION An important component of the ongoing work of NAIITS includes publication. To this end NAIITS editors gladly accept the submission of articles for consideration. NAIITS is interested in publishing papers and book reviews that reflect an Aboriginal perspective on doing theology within an Aboriginal environment and related subjects. Ideas for papers and/or completed materials may be submitted under the following guidelines: x Length should not exceed 3000 words for papers, 5000 for specifically requested feature articles. x Book reviews are to be of relevant recent publications and should not exceed 800 words. x Submissions must include footnotes and a bibliography. x Submissions are required by October 31 of each year. x Email submissions to [email protected] CONTRIBUTORS : Damien COSTELLO: University of Dayton, PhD work Gavriel GEFEN: Director, Keren HaShilichut (Israel) Adrian JACOBS: Cayuga, My People International Mark McDONALD: Anglican Bishop, Indigenous Diocese [non-geographic] Wendy PETERSON: Métis, Adjunct Faculty, Providence College & Theological Seminary Russell W. WEST: Professor of Leadership Studies, Asbury Theological Seminary Randy WOODLEY: Keetowah Cherokee, President, Eagle Wing’s Ministry NAIITS vi Volume 4 NAIITS v Volume 4 TABLE of CONTENTS ABOUT THIS ISSUE 1 SECTION I: 3 Presentations to the Fourth NAIITS Missiological Symposium hosted by Asbury Theological Seminary GAVRIEL GEFEN: 5 Re-Contextualization: Restoring the Biblical Message to a Jewish Israeli Context DAMIAN COSTELLO: 29 Black Elk Speaks WENDY PETERSON: 57 Of Steeples and Stories: A Selective Overview of Mission Contact with Aboriginal Peoples of Canada RANDY WOODLEY: 93 A View of the Native North American Contextual Movement and Its Undecided Future ADRIAN JACOBS: 115 A History of Slaughter: Embracing our Martyrdom on the Margins of Encounter MARK MCDONALD: 129 The Gospel Comes to North America RUSSELL W. WEST: 149 “Professor Whiteowl, This Classroom Hurts”: Contextualization of the Indigenous Leadership Formation SECTION II: 173 Related Paper GAVRIEL GEFEN: 175 Indigenous Expressions of Biblical Faith NAIITS viii Volume 4 NAIITS vii Volume 4 ABOUT THIS ISSUE Backing into the Future In recent decades efforts have been made to reinterpret the historical experience and outcome of mission within the Native North American context. Alternative explanations of often very destructive outcomes are suggested in newly proffered definitions of indigenaity and new measures of mission success. As we listen or read, we are told that we must judge the historical context — both social and theological — on its own, then contemporary merit and wisdom if we are to truly understand what took place in the mission field. This is intriguing given the drive of historical mission (even much in present-day mission) seemed triumphalistic, productivity and “future other-world destination” oriented. Even when mission was indisputably about “… [civilizing Indians] so that they might then become fit receptacles of the Gospel of Jesus Christ,”1 mission was often focused on various interpretations of a bright future for the Western world, one which Indians might ostensibly share if they were appropriately changed. If then, the historical social context has changed — with this I am sure we would all agree — but the drives of mission have varied little up to the present day, what does that say to us about this way of reinterpreting history? Indigenous people are prone to using the past as a marker, an informant which allows for a more thorough understanding of the present course of life. Traditionally, such a way of understanding has given them a more faithful path into the unknown. 1 D. N. Paul, We Were Not the Savages: A Micmac Perspective on the Collision of European and Aboriginal Civilization, (Halifax: Nimbus Publishing Ltd, 1993), 45. NAIITS 1 Volume 4 NAIITS 1 Volume 4 In this issue we explore several historical efforts at contextual theology, missiology and the practice of church. On the one hand we have Damian Costello’s challenging re-interpretation of Nicholas Black Elk’s contextualization of the Christian Gospel in Catholic form, offering a new and refreshing perspective of the conversion of Black Elk. In the presentation of Adrian Jacobs, a piece in which we feel deeply the impact of life lived in the aftermath of cultural loss, community displacement and social devastation, we are confronted with the real effect of non- contextualization of the gospel. A hopeful balance is offered in Mark MacDonald’s paper as he paints a masterful picture of the days which lie ahead — days which, in his words, are clearly post-colonial but equally importantly, post-denominational. Other presentations fill out our exploration. The papers and conversations reflected in this issue of the NAIITS Journal, offer us history as a lens through which time is viewed differently and a course for the future set. In this issue, we are clearly walking backward into the future. It is our hope that through observing the past in such an Indigenous way, we might set a more positive course! Terry LeBlanc, Chair NAIITS 2 Volume 4 NAIITS 2 Volume 4 SECTION I Presentations to the Fourth Biennial Native North American Missiological Symposium, hosted in Wilmore, Kentucky, by Asbury Theological Seminary, June 2006. Convened and sponsored by North American Institute for Indigenous Theological Studies: NAIITS. RE-CONTEXTUALIZATION: Restoring the Biblical Message to a Jewish Israeli Context Gavriel Gefen The biblical message tells us of the brokenness of creation. It shows us of our need to be restored as part of creation in right relationship with our Creator. It invites us to be co-laborers in bringing wholeness, complete healing, proper balance, and the restoration of all things. Scripture teaches us this message through and within the context of the Creator in covenant relationship with the nation of Israel. The uniqueness of this relationship between Israel and the Almighty is partially found in its being an exemplary relationship through which other nations would see a reflection of themselves and of their own brokenness.