An exploration of land and church history
In her 2019 Maymester course, Susan McArver, Ph.D., escorted a small group of students to Montana. The group spent two weeks immersed in Chippewa Cree culture on the Rocky Boy’s Reservation, and there on the plains of north central Montana, an idea began taking shape.
“I developed a deeper interest in our relationship with the land we occupy,” said McArver. “I was thinking about what it means to live on land that was occupied by Christian nations imposing their will on the land and the people living there. I wanted to look into that history and learn what that means for us today.”
Four years later, McArver brought these and similar ideas to a new initiative at LTSS, the Explore Course — a one credit hour course that takes a deep dive into a focused topic. Her Explore Course, “The Land and its Inhabitants,” ran in fall 2023.
“Explore Courses give degree students a taste of subjects that might not otherwise fit into their schedule,” McArver explained. “Or non-degree students can enroll as continuing education — in the case of pastors or deacons — or just as an individual with an interest in a topic.”
“The Land and its Inhabitants” looked at the role of the church behind the history of colonization and domination over Indigenous peoples in the Americas.
“We looked at the fact that the church was an active initiator of the problem and is now working to address it,” shared McArver.
In addition to history, students delved into restorative justice. McArver collaborated with Vance Blackfox, ELCA director of Indigenous ministries and tribal relations, and Pastor Jack Russell of Living Waters Cherokee Lutheran Church — both of whom shared their experiences and modeled an approach to ministry that acknowledges history in a productive way.
“The course gave students some tools to help them continue studying and thinking about these ideas and lead worship on these topics,” said McArver. “And they could hear the voices beyond the white European perspective.”
