Doctrine of Discovery Rejected

Doctrine of Discovery Rejected

Commentary By Becky Tallent

After 571 years, on March 30 the Vatican finally rejected its “Doctrine of Discovery.” The doctrine sanctioned the conquest, colonization and exploitation of non-Christian people and territories.

The sound from the Americas at the announcement was a collective “at last” by Indigenous people who for generations had demanded reversal of the 1452 papal bulls. The doctrine was fully developed by a series of 15th century papal bulls and creating the doctrine was responsible of the seizure of lands, enslavement and exploitation of Indigenous people for more than 500 years.

Responding to the calls for the reversal, the Vatican formally repudiated the “Doctrine of Discovery” saying it “did not adequately reflect the equal dignity and rights of Indigenous peoples.” Church leaders said the doctrine has never been considered an expression of the Catholic faith.

Why It Matters

Some readers might be saying: “So what? This is old stuff.” As my friend Dr. Elizabeth Parent (an Alaska Native) often says: So here’s what:

The “Doctrine of Discovery” was established by Pope Nicholas V who, reacting to the discoveries by numerous 15th century European explorers, gave Europeans the right to take lands and exterminate the people already living there. For generations, Indigenous people have asked for a rejection or a repudiation of the old decree.

In 2006 and updated in 2018, Indian Country Today reported there is “no ambiguity in the language of the 15th-century papal bulls issued by the popes of the Roman Catholic Church as they encouraged the kings of Portugal and Spain to conquer ‘undiscovered’ lands, enslave their non-Christian populations and expropriate their possession and resources.”

That same year, the UN Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues said the “Doctrine of Discovery” sanctified the massacre of millions of Indigenous people and continues to influence groups — including the U.S. Supreme Court.

Unforeseen Consequences

While Pope Nicholas V could not have foreseen the long-term impact of the doctrine, it has been problematic for Native Americans since before the founding of the U.S. Since 1823 the U.S. Supreme Court has repeatedly underpinned the “Doctrine of Discovery” as a legal concept that has come to mean the ownership and sovereignty of land passed immediately to the Europeans because they “discovered” it even though the Indigenous tribes were granted sovereign rights over the lands in various treaties with the federal government.

Although Pope Francis apologized to Indigenous nations in Canada during his 2022 visit, that apology seemed targeted at the abuse of children at Indian Boarding schools rather than the Doctrine of Discovery issue. That apology was not universally accepted by Indigenous people who had suffered at the schools and who wanted a more complete apology for all the transgressions.

Though neither the rejection of the Doctrine nor the apology are likely to have any bearing in the Americas today, the impact in economic and psychological terms on Indigenous people is still significant due to the long-term trauma inflicted on Indigenous people for generations. In addition, the doctrine might still impact in this country if the U.S. Supreme Court continues to see the Doctrine of Discovery as a legal precedent.

It’s About Land

At the heart of the matter is land — who owns it or has rights to it. But overarching the land issue is the treatment of Indigenous people and how we have been long considered as “other” in Anglo society. The ideas are hard for non-Indigenous people to give up, many people still want to “kill the savage and save the man,” as Lt. Richard H. Pratt said in 1892 defending disciplinary actions at the Carlisle Boarding School. The racism is real and continues throughout American society.

With the Catholic Church now rejecting the “Doctrine of Discovery,” maybe we can start to see a change in the treatment of Indigenous people. It will take a long time, and none of us are holding our breath; but that is expected when it has been 571 years of sanctified oppression.