Unsettling the Word: Biblical Experiments in Decolonization

by Steve Heinrichs (Editor), Jonathan Dyck (Illustrator), Sylvia Mcadam (Afterword)

For generations, the Bible has been employed by settler colonial societies as a weapon to dispossess Indigenous and racialized peoples of their lands, cultures, and spiritualties. Given this devastating legacy, many want nothing to with it. But is it possible for the exploited and their allies to reclaim the Bible from the dominant powers? Can it serve as an instrument for justice in the cause of the oppressed? Even a nonviolent weapon toward decolonization? In Unsettling the Word, over 60 Indigenous and Settler authors come together to wrestle with the Scriptures, rereading and re-imagining the ancient text for the sake of reparative futures.

Genres: Spirituality, Nonfiction, Faith, Theology, Religion, Indigenous

320 pages, Paperback

Published January 1, 2019

Reviews

[Tristan Sherwin · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book has its highs and lows. But overall, this is a beautiful, jarring and courageous collection of poems, articles, stories and commentary. An important collection, that seeks to do an important and needed work: dismantling the stains of colonisation in our interpretations of the Bible, and in our wider world.

[SaraJane · Rating 4 out of 5]

pg. 6 "It was in the beginning that we were taught what is 'good.' We're finding our way back there, to the natural world, and so finding ourselves again. It is time that we all reclaim our genesis. We must intimately interact with what is 'good' in order to effectively enact what is good."
Return to the Good - Marcus Briggs-Cloud

pg. 29 "Learning when enough is enough is one of our biggest challenges. We have confused our wants for needs. We allow ourselves to be swayed by desire and motivated by fear and greed. We don't stop for rest and sabbath, and in so doing, we forget who we are and whose we are. What if we dared to return to the old ways? what if we took only what we needed? What if we took care of each other and ensured that all were fed?" Economies of Enough - Carmen Lansdowne

pg. 67 "This earth is everyone's home. All the great mystics and spiritual teachers have wagered their lives on this: Prayers is awareness of one's world; Prayers is awareness of something or someone else in one's world; Prayer is awareness it isn't one's world at all; Prayers is awareness that there is only one world and this one world is everyone's home. ...... Sisters and brothers, no matter your pain, the things you have endured or inflicted, the dehumanization you have suffered or caused, the fear and insecurity you have felt, the scars on land and body, you are never beyond being moved by the Spirit never beyond remembering you have eyes, never beyond a clay jar filled with love and beauty."
Give Us a King - Deanna Zantingh

pg. 117 "Creator, you restore us. You sustain our communities and strengthen our people's spirits of resilience as we rebuild. You are the Great Healer of our broken minds, our broken spirits, our broken hearts. You cleanse our abused bodies as no human can. Creator, you challenge me to be a warrior in support of those in my community whose hurts run too deep for telling, those who find it difficult to be heard, those who are forgotten, those who are misunderstood or subject to racism and hatred. .... We give you thanks for renewing our strength each day to continue the journey to which you have called us."

pg. 182 "And around that table we will share stories of where we have found healing and how we might help others find it as well."

pg. 201 "We have seen strong men come and go, but what has endured is empire and its tentacles - racism, sexism, heterosexism, ecocide, ableism, and so much more." Beyond the Strong Man - Ralph Armbruster-Sandoval

[Jolabrese · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is another great read on a journey of decolonization. I enjoyed the many voices that contributed to this book and the whole walk through the Bible. There are many challenges presented in the reading.

This book will bother many mainline Christian folks. I think its good for them to be bothered. It is good to question our assumption of interpretation on such an important piece as the Bible.

[Ryan Mann · Rating 2 out of 5]

In high school English class, we learned that, when writing essays, you must treat the reader fairly and not assume they agree with you. This would not be that type of anthology. I wanted to learn from this book but the essays seem like they would make better dialogues than monologues.

[Rohadi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Must read for all Christians. Challenges some inherited foundations.

[Steve Hildebrand · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is important for settler Christ followers to read.
I am planning to incorporate this book into my daily meditation. It will be a great reminder of my role in reconciling turtle island.