Whiteman's Gospel

By Craig Stephen Smith

Book Overview

"Christianity has wonderful answers to questions Indians aren't asking!" Craig Stephen Smith, a Chippewa, from northern Minnesota, seeks to answer the questions they are asking or ought to ask. His... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0920379125
• ISBN13: 9780920379127
• Release Date: June 1998
• Publisher: Indian Life Books
• Length: 153 Pages
• Weight: 0.53 lbs.
• Dimensions: 8.5" x 0.5" x 5.5"

Customer Reviews

Very good, for Indians as well as Whites, but easily misunderstood

Please note that Whiteman's Gospel is one of many fine publications from Indian Life Ministries, of Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada (indianlife dot org). This book spoke to me on many levels. Although I'm of Northern European descent, I was brought to Jesus by Indian elders on the Fort Hall, Idaho, Shoshone-Bannock Reservation. I now serve as a missionary in Chiapas, Mexico, whose Maya population makes it a magnet for tourists who pay money to get into shamanistic practices that Christian Mayans risked their lives to get out of. One of the author's messages--that Indians have the potential to reach people groups who won't listen to us Whites--echoes what I tell Mayan congregations: "Tourists come here to find out what YOU have to say about shamanism, not to hear what some White Devil Slave-Master like me thinks. So why not form and equip your own missionaries to talk to them?" It's unfortunate that the Indians' plight, and the atrocities that occasioned it, are the message that seemed to stick with most reviewers. This is an outcome that the author hoped to avoid. Of course he dealt with those topics, but only to lay the groundwork for two of his main messages. One of these, intended mainly for Whites, is that plight-based ministries keep Indian Christians in a subservient role, in which the church ignores and wastes their spiritual gifts. For example (p. 71): "The goal of developing strong, Native churches, which move from the receiving end to the participating end of ministry, will never be done through plight-based missions. If that is what we truly want to see among Native Americans, then a shift in the motivation of missionaries and even Native pastors must happen, and happen soon." The other message, which is mainly for Indians, is summarized well on pp. 100-101: "If we as the Native church are going to experience the hand of the Lord, then we need to take it upon ourselves to become cross-cultural [like the Antioch Church, in Acts 11]. I think it's a shame that we have had to discover this biblical truth on our own centuries after the gospel came here, but discover it we have, and now the responsibility lies on our shoulder. What are we going to do about this biblical concept that up to this point has not been taught to us? ... [Let's start with the Antioch church as our model.] I would challenge every Native believer, whether you have little, or whether you have much, to accept the biblical truth that God's hand will be on you and bless you when you reach out beyond your people, and bless someone of another culture or race. ... This principle applies to any individual or group that has been victimized by any other group." The author strengthens that message with examples of how God has worked through the underdogs throughout history. In addition to these messages, the author gives much good advice on the difficult subject of how a Christian should decide which of his or her culture's practices are pleasing to God, and which are not. The

eye opener

I have read many books concerning Native People's but none of them seemed to have captured their plight with Christianity nor offered any suggestions on moving forward. A great read.

Decolonizing Christianity

Every American Christian should read this book. It is very relevant in terms of its historical and cultural perspective. True students of history know that all history is revisionist. American Christians today are often taught about this country's Christian heritage and foundation. There is an element of truth to that message, but it is often one-sided. Much of it comes from an imperialist perspective that used the Old Testament accounts of the Israelites' exodus into the promised land as the justification for the genocide of indigenous Americans. We must be very careful not to represent Christianity from a nationalist viewpoint. This book goes a long way towards exposing the truth of how Christianity was misrepresented among native peoples as a white man's religion. The same thing has come full circle in the American political arena, where Christianity is falsely being represented as the Republican religion. This misrepresentation hinders the true Christian work, which is the commission Jesus gave to go into all the world and proclaim the Good News - the news that God has canceled out the penalty of sin through his Son, who took upon himself the punishment of sin; he was crucified, and his blood ratified a covenant between all mankind and his Creator. When I read this book, I was reminded of how the notion of America being a Christian nation could actually be more of a hindrance to the work of the Gospel than a help, because if the nations associate our (American) foreign policy with Jesus Christ, how can we get their attention long enough to proclaim the good news to them? Such is the case with the American Indians who could not hear the truth of the Gospel for the volume of such ungodly actions of dishonesty an tyranny perpetrated by a "civilized" and "Christian" nation. This book puts the Christian focus back where it should be. It is a work which exalts the ministry of reconciliation, which is the real purpose the Father had when he so loved the world that he sent his only begotten son.

Whiteman's Gospel & Reconciliation

Reconciliation is a key theme in Craig Smith's "Whiteman's Gospel." Pay particular attention to Chapter 3, "Christianity & Indian History." I was so moved by this chapter several years ago that it inspired me to write my own book. Very little is written about what the Church has done to Indian people. When we think of atrocities that were experienced by Native Americans, we tend to think that it was primarily the U.S. government that was responsible.Such was not the case, for in many instances, the Church has been responsible for genocide, sexual abuse, and kidnapping. We must face up to these facts before reconciliation can begin, and Mr. Smith's book accomplishes just that.I speak not as an outsider but as a fellow minister to Native Americans. For three years I have worked among the Omaha and Winnebago Tribes and I can tell you that "Whiteman's Gospel" is very factual, relevant, and much needed. Indian people rank at the bottom in academics, their young people commit suicide at rates 5 times higher than the general population, and medical facilites are either non-existent, or in disrepair. Clearly, these people are in distress and only the Church can meet many of their needs. Craig Smith's book makes those needs known.If you don't know anything about Native American ministry, then "Whiteman's Gospel" is a book that you must read.

Best Book on Native American Christians Today

I am not Native American. I am a Christian. This is the best book I have read that deals with problems in the dominant culture's church as well as the specific issues in the Native American church.I was convicted and moved deeply. Pastor Smith gives a messege of hope and a future that most today reject. Even though the dominant white (Anglo) church has made many grievous errors in it's past, there is till hope for the people that has been hurt, oh so deeply, by the unbiblical ways of my own forefathers.Every non-native needs to read this book to see just how wrong the church has historically been and every Native American needs to read this book to see that there is still hope after all the damage had been done.We can not undo the damage done. But, we can move forward as the Lord would have intended in the first place. Reader, beware. Your cultural biases will be challenged and your belief systems will change dramatically. Praise God for men like Pastor Smith. In these last days many more like him are needed if any sanity is to come out of the horrors of the past.This is an absolute must read for ALL Christians.