The Doctrine of Christian Discovery

“A man sees in the world what he carries in his heart.”
— Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

Over the last six centuries, a single decree from the Vatican set the stage for pivotal global events, intertwining the fate of nations with divine mandates. This doctrine, a bridge from Christ’s teachings to America’s Manifest Destiny, has left an indelible mark on history. Here I unpack its origins, implications, and the complex web of influence it wove across continents in a conversation with perplexity.ai.

What is The Doctrine of Christian Discovery?

The Doctrine of Christian Discovery originated with 15th-century Papal Bulls that were issued by the Vatican. These bulls provided religious authority for Christian empires to conquer and claim the lands of non-Christians, impose Christianity on these populations, and exploit their resources. The doctrine was used to justify colonial conquest and the seizure of land not inhabited by Christians. It has had a lasting impact on United States and international law, and it was officially repudiated by the Vatican in March 2023, acknowledging its harmful implications and the need to respect the inherent human dignity of all individuals, regardless of their religious or cultural background[1][2][3].

Citations:
[1] https://doctrineofdiscovery.org/what-is-the-doctrine-of-discovery/
[2] https://humanrights.ca/story/doctrine-discovery
[3] https://upstanderproject.org/learn/guides-and-resources/first-light/doctrine-of-discovery
[4] https://www.ictinc.ca/blog/christopher-columbus-and-the-doctrine-of-discovery-5-things-to-know
[5] https://www.gilderlehrman.org/history-resources/spotlight-primary-source/doctrine-discovery-1493

What is a Papal Bull?

A papal bull is a type of public decree, letters patent, or charter issued by a pope of the Catholic Church. It is named after the leaden seal (bulla) traditionally appended to authenticate it. Papal bulls have been in use since at least the 6th century, but the phrase was not used until around the end of the 13th century. They were originally issued for various reasons of public communication, but after the 15th century, they were only issued for the most formal or solemn of occasions. The bull is today the most formal type of public decree or letters patent issued by the Vatican[2].

Citations:
[1] https://www.newworldencyclopedia.org/entry/Papal_bull
[2] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Papal_bull
[3] https://www.newadvent.org/cathen/03052b.htm
[4] https://www.britannica.com/topic/bull-papal
[5] https://humanrights.ca/story/doctrine-discovery

What Do Christ's Teachings Say about The Doctrine of Christian Discovery?

Christ's teachings, as recorded in the Gospels, emphasize love, compassion, and the golden rule. The use of the Doctrine of Christian Discovery to justify conquest and exploitation is not consistent with these teachings. The doctrine has been repudiated by the Vatican in March 2023, acknowledging its harmful implications and the need to respect the inherent human dignity of all individuals, regardless of their religious or cultural background[1][2][5]. The Doctrine of Christian Discovery provided religious authority for Christian empires to conquer and claim the lands of non-Christians, impose Christianity on these populations, and exploit their resources. This doctrine was used to justify colonial conquest and the seizure of land not inhabited by Christians. The repudiation of the doctrine by the Vatican reflects a recognition of its inconsistency with the principles of human dignity and respect espoused in Christ's teachings.

Citations:
[1] https://doctrineofdiscovery.org/what-is-the-doctrine-of-discovery/
[2] https://www.ictinc.ca/blog/christopher-columbus-and-the-doctrine-of-discovery-5-things-to-know
[3] https://www.sneucc.org/blogdetail/400-years-of-colonization-doctrine-of-discovery-and-manifest-destiny-14437775
[4] https://upstanderproject.org/learn/guides-and-resources/first-light/doctrine-of-discovery
[5] https://humanrights.ca/story/doctrine-discovery

Tell Me More about the Vatican's Repudiation of the Doctrine of Christian Discovery?

The Vatican formally repudiated the "Doctrine of Discovery" on March 30, 2023. This repudiation came after years of pressure from Indigenous groups and some government leaders, including Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. The rejection of the concept, which has been used to describe a collection of papal teachings dating back to the 15th century, was made in a two-page text issued by the dicasteries for Culture and Education and for Promoting Integral Human Development. The Vatican's statement emphasized the respect due to every human being and repudiated those concepts that fail to recognize the inherent human rights of Indigenous peoples, including what has become known as the legal and political 'doctrine of discovery'[1][2][3][4].

Note: Here is the official repudiation of the Doctrine of Discovery.

Citations:
[1] https://www.pbs.org/newshour/politics/vatican-formally-rejects-doctrine-of-discovery-after-indigenous-calls
[2] https://www.ncronline.org/vatican/vatican-news/vatican-formally-repudiates-doctrine-discovery-used-justify-colonial
[3] https://www.usccb.org/news/2023/responding-indigenous-vatican-disavows-doctrine-discovery
[4] https://www.npr.org/2023/03/30/1167056438/vatican-doctrine-of-discovery-colonialism-indigenous
[5] https://humanrights.ca/story/doctrine-discovery

What Territorial Acquisitions Resulted from The Doctrine of Christian Discovery?

The Doctrine of Discovery has been applied in various regions, including Africa, Asia, Australia, New Zealand, and the Americas. It provided a religious, political, and legal justification for colonization and the seizure of land not inhabited by Christians. The foundational elements of the doctrine can be found in a series of papal bulls, or decrees, beginning in the 1100s. The 1493 Papal decree aimed to justify Christian European explorers’ claims on land and waterways and promote Christian domination and superiority. The doctrine has been cited as a legal formulation in U.S. Supreme Court cases and continues to influence United States and international law today[1][4].

The specific territorial acquisitions resulting from the Doctrine of Christian Discovery include the lands in Africa, Asia, Australia, New Zealand, and the Americas, where the doctrine was used to justify the colonization and seizure of territories not inhabited by Christians. The application of the doctrine allowed European explorers to claim land in the name of Christian European monarchs, leading to the exploitation and colonization of these territories[1][4].

Citations:
[1] https://upstanderproject.org/learn/guides-and-resources/first-light/doctrine-of-discovery
[2] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Discovery_doctrine
[3] https://www.sneucc.org/blogdetail/400-years-of-colonization-doctrine-of-discovery-and-manifest-destiny-14437775
[4] https://doctrineofdiscovery.org/what-is-the-doctrine-of-discovery/
[5] https://humanrights.ca/story/doctrine-discovery

What is the Doctrine of Manifest Destiny?

The doctrine of Manifest Destiny was a belief in the 19th-century United States that white Americans were destined by God to expand across the continent. It was based on the idea of the inherent superiority of white Americans and their institutions, as well as the mission of the United States to redeem and remake the West in the image of the agrarian East[1][2]. This belief inspired a variety of measures designed to remove or destroy indigenous populations and inflamed sectional tensions over slavery, ultimately leading to the Civil War[1]. The term was coined by newspaper editor John L. O’Sullivan in 1845 to describe this ideology, which had long been a part of the American experience[3]. Manifest Destiny was used as a pretext for the United States to acquire land in various territories, even if it meant paying large amounts for new land, starting wars, or battling Native Americans who had lived on the land for generations[5].

Citations:
[1] https://www.khanacademy.org/humanities/us-history/the-early-republic/age-of-jackson/a/manifest-destiny
[2] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Manifest_destiny
[3] https://www.britannica.com/event/Manifest-Destiny
[4] https://americanexperience.si.edu/historical-eras/expansion/pair-westward-apotheosis/
[5] https://www.britannica.com/video/222022/did-you-know-Manifest-Destiny

Is the Doctrine of Manifest Destiny Considered to Be White Supremacist?

The doctrine of Manifest Destiny is considered to be intertwined with white supremacist and racially supremacist beliefs. It was synonymous with white imperialist, racially supremacist, and religiously intolerant thoughts and actions against Native Americans, Mexicans, Chinese, Japanese, and other people of color[1]. The concept of Manifest Destiny was also described as a racial doctrine of white supremacy that granted no native rights[3]. Additionally, it has been discussed in the context of white nationalist and white supremacist ideologies[5]. Therefore, Manifest Destiny is widely viewed as being associated with white supremacist beliefs and actions.

Citations:
[1] https://dp.la/primary-source-sets/manifest-destiny
[2] https://sociology.iresearchnet.com/sociology-of-race/manifest-destiny/
[3] https://nationalhumanitiescenter.org/tserve/nineteen/nkeyinfo/mandestiny.htm
[4] https://www.publicbooks.org/the-manifest-destiny-of-computing/
[5] https://www.jstor.org/stable/10.5149/9781469676654_boutelle

What Land Acquisitions Are Associated with Manifest Destiny?

The United States acquired various territories as a result of the doctrine of Manifest Destiny. Some of the significant land acquisitions through this belief included:

1. The Louisiana Purchase in 1803, which doubled the size of the United States by buying over 828,000 square miles of land from France[3].
2. The Florida Territory, which was acquired in 1819 with the Adams-Onis Treaty, where Spain ceded its remaining province of Florida to the U.S.[3].
3. The Oregon Country, Texas, Mexico, and California, which were acquired in the decades before the American Civil War, using Manifest Destiny as a pretext for the United States to acquire land[2].
4. The Oregon Territory, which was acquired through the Oregon Treaty of 1846, giving the U.S. the land south of the 49th parallel, including present-day states of Oregon, Washington, and parts of Idaho and Wyoming[3].

These are some of the major land acquisitions associated with the doctrine of Manifest Destiny.

Citations:
[1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Manifest_destiny
[2] https://www.britannica.com/video/222022/did-you-know-Manifest-Destiny
[3] https://www.studentsofhistory.com/manifest-destiny
[4] https://americanexperience.si.edu/historical-eras/expansion/pair-westward-apotheosis/
[5] https://www.khanacademy.org/humanities/us-history/the-early-republic/age-of-jackson/a/manifest-destiny

What is the Relationship between Christian Discovery and Manifest Destiny?

The relationship between the Doctrine of Christian Discovery and Manifest Destiny is significant. The Doctrine of Christian Discovery, originating from 15th-century Papal Bulls, provided the religious and legal justification for Christian explorers to claim and conquer territories inhabited by non-Christians. It was based on the belief that European culture, religion, and people were superior to all others. This doctrine was later used to justify the colonial conquest and seizure of land not inhabited by Christians. Manifest Destiny, on the other hand, was a 19th-century expansionist ideology grounded in religious, cultural, and racial supremacy. It was based on the belief that the United States had a divine providence and a future destined by God to expand its borders without limit. Manifest Destiny was the continuation of the Doctrine of Discovery adapted to the needs of the 19th century, reflecting the ongoing influence of religious justifications for territorial expansion. Therefore, the two concepts are interconnected, with Manifest Destiny being seen as an extension of the principles established by the Doctrine of Christian Discovery[1][3][4].

Citations:
[1] https://christianhegemony.org/the-doctrine-of-discovery-manifest-destiny-and-american-exceptionalism
[2] https://homework.study.com/explanation/what-is-the-connection-between-manifest-destiny-and-christianity.html
[3] https://doctrineofdiscovery.org/blog/manifest-destiny/
[4] https://www.sneucc.org/blogdetail/400-years-of-colonization-doctrine-of-discovery-and-manifest-destiny-14437775
[5] https://nationalhumanitiescenter.org/tserve/nineteen/nkeyinfo/mandestiny.htm

Is the Doctrine of Christian Discovery Considered to be White Supremacist?

Yes, the Doctrine of Discovery is considered to be white supremacist. It has been linked to the origins and history of white supremacy, as it provided a religious and legal justification for the colonization and seizure of land not inhabited by Christians. The doctrine fueled white supremacy by supporting the dehumanization of indigenous peoples, their dispossession, murder, and forced assimilation. It has been described as a dangerous piece of rhetoric to distract and avoid discussing white supremacy, and it has been connected to the deepest political conflicts and the seizing, settling, and exploitation of the land. The repudiation of the doctrine by the Vatican acknowledges its harmful implications and the need to respect the inherent human dignity of all individuals, regardless of their religious or cultural background[1][2][3][5].

Citations:
[1] https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=4110207
[2] https://religionmediacentre.org.uk/news/the-white-christian-problem-the-doctrine-of-discovery-that-encouraged-enslavement-and-lynchings/
[3] https://upstanderproject.org/learn/guides-and-resources/first-light/doctrine-of-discovery
[4] https://doctrineofdiscovery.org/blog/religious-origins-white-supremacy/
[5] https://www.axios.com/2023/12/19/us-white-supremacy-roots-catholic-doctrine-book