Walking Together: Decolonizing Faith on Indigenous Peoples Day
By Cindi Byron-Dixon
Today we acknowledge and celebrate Indigenous Peoples’ Day. This is more than just a date on the calendar—it is a sacred opportunity to honor the wisdom, histories, and resilience of Indigenous peoples across these lands. Today then, we pause to recognize that our faith journey does not exist in isolation; it is woven into the tapestry of many stories, cultures, and spiritual traditions. So together, let us open our hearts and minds to the lessons that await us when we listen deeply and journey humbly.
We begin by honoring the First Peoples of this land—their ancestors, their living descendants, and the enduring spirit that has survived centuries of colonization and injustice. Indigenous communities have shown remarkable resilience in the face of hardship and have continued to nurture traditions that uplift healing, harmony, and stewardship of creation. Their wisdom calls us to pay attention: to the land, to one another, and to the Creator who sustains all life.
As Christians, we must acknowledge that the history of the church is not always aligned with the teachings of Jesus. Too often, Christianity has been used as an instrument of colonization rather than liberation. Today, let us confess that truth and commit ourselves to a path that brings restoration, reconciliation, and honor to Indigenous voices. The institution of the church has played a significant role in shaping world history, yet its actions have also resulted in harm across generations and continents. During the Crusades, church-endorsed campaigns led to widespread violence and loss of life, often targeting populations with different beliefs. Throughout the era of colonization, church missions were frequently intertwined with imperial expansion, contributing to the suppression and exploitation of indigenous peoples and their cultures. These actions sometimes involved forced conversions, destruction of traditional practices, and the erasure of native languages. In various regions, church institutions have also perpetuated systems of racism, either by upholding discriminatory doctrines or by failing to challenge unjust social structures. Furthermore, the church has caused pain to many LGBTQ+ Christians through practices of abandonment and exclusion, denying them acceptance and spiritual belonging within their faith communities. The cumulative impact of these actions has left deep scars on individuals and communities worldwide, with enduring consequences for cultural identity, social justice, and historical memory. How do we right this? Can we? To me, when we take seriously decolonizing our faith, we are taking a step toward restoring the movement that the humble teacher Jesus started 2000 years ago.
What does it mean to decolonize our faith? Decolonizing Christianity asks us to peel away the layers of empire, power, and exclusion that have become entangled with our spiritual traditions. It challenges us to let go of supremacy and to rediscover a faith that reflects humility, justice, and radical hospitality. Decolonizing is not about abandoning our beliefs—it’s about purifying them, returning to the heart of Jesus’ message: love of neighbor, care for the marginalized, and resistance to systems of domination.
In this process, we learn to listen more deeply to those whose voices have been silenced. We embrace truths that may unsettle us. We seek to repair relationships—with Indigenous peoples, with our environment, and with God.
Many Indigenous traditions speak of "the Red Road"—a sacred path for living in balance, humility, and respect. The Red Road invites a journey marked by community, accountability, and reverence for all creation. In many ways, this path mirrors the Way of Jesus. Jesus calls us to walk humbly, to share freely, to seek justice, and to love without boundaries. Both the Red Road and the Way of Jesus ask us to walk together, as companions rather than conquerors, honoring the divine image in everyone we meet.
Both paths teach us that true spirituality is not about claiming power over others. Instead, it is about surrendering our ego, seeking truth, and cultivating peace. As we reflect today, let us ask: How do these parallel journeys invite us to deeper transformation? What can we learn when we walk side by side with Indigenous wisdom and the teachings of Jesus?
We must also speak truthfully about the dangers of Christian Nationalism—a movement that seeks to merge faith with political power and cultural dominance. Christian Nationalism stands in stark contrast to both the Red Road and the Way of Jesus. It promotes exclusion, hierarchy, and oppression, rather than welcome, humility, and justice. Jesus did not teach us to build empires or enforce conformity; he showed us how to dismantle barriers, care for the outsider, and love our enemies.
Indigenous spirituality, too, rejects domination and control. It honors diversity and calls for right relationship with all people and the earth. To follow Jesus, we must reject any ideology that turns faith into a weapon of division. We must instead pursue a way of life marked by solidarity, service, and a commitment to healing the wounds of history.
While Jesus preached radical inclusion, Christian Nationalism often promotes exclusion, drawing lines between “insiders” and “outsiders” and withholding compassion from those deemed different. Jesus embraced the marginalized—tax collectors, Samaritans, women, people with disabilities—while Christian Nationalism frequently supports policies and rhetoric that marginalize and discriminate against vulnerable groups.
Christian Nationalism undermines the heart of Jesus’ message—a message rooted in love, humility, justice, and peace. To truly walk the Way of Jesus and the Red Road is to reject any ideology that seeks to elevate itself through oppression, exclusion, or violence, and instead cultivate a faith marked by openness and solidarity with all people.
On this Indigenous Peoples Day, I invite you to take courageous steps toward decolonizing your own faith and life:
· Listen and Learn: Seek out Indigenous voices, stories, and theologians. Listen without defensiveness and allow yourself to be changed by what you hear.
· Confront the Past: Research the history of your own church and community, especially regarding Indigenous peoples. Acknowledge harm and seek ways to repair relationships.
· Support Indigenous Justice: Advocate for the rights and well-being of Indigenous communities. Donate to Indigenous-led organizations, participate in local actions, and amplify their causes.
· Reimagine Worship: Integrate Indigenous prayers, songs, and art into your spiritual practices where invited and appropriate, always with respect and consent.
· Practice Humility: Approach your faith journey with openness, recognizing that you still have much to learn and unlearn.
· Reject Nationalism: Challenge Christian Nationalism wherever you find it—in public discourse, in policy, and within your own heart. Speak up for an inclusive, liberating faith.
Decolonizing is not a one-time act; it is a lifelong journey. It is about growing, repenting, and committing again and again to justice and love.
My prayer for us today, friends, is that Creator God, source of all life and wisdom, whom we thank for the gifts of Indigenous peoples and the sacred traditions they keep will help us to walk humbly, to listen deeply, and to act courageously. May we follow the Red Road and the Way of Jesus, rejecting the powers of domination and embracing the path of peace. Give us strength to decolonize our lives, our faith, and our communities. May we become agents of healing and hope, for the well-being of all creation. Let’s go forth, committed to walking together—side by side—toward true justice, humility, and love.
Cindi Byron-Dixon (she/her) grew up in Kipton, Ohio and identifies as Haudenosaunee, a collective term for six different nations more commonly known as the Iroquois. Cindi is one of the founding members of the Indigenous Peoples' Day Committee of Oberlin and the Pastor at Peace Community Church.
