Mapping the Doctrine of Discovery
The Mapping the Doctrine of Discovery podcast, hosted by Philip P. Arnold and Sandy Bigtree (Mohawk Nation), critically examines the historical and ongoing impacts of the Doctrine of Christian Discovery. Rooted in 15th-century papal edicts, this doctrine provided theological and legal justification for European colonialism, the seizure of Indigenous lands, and the subjugation of non-Christian peoples. The podcast explores how these principles became codified in U.S. law, from Johnson v. M’Intosh (1823) to Sherrill v. Oneida (2005), and continue to underpin contemporary legal, religious, and corporate frameworks. Featuring discussions with scholars, legal experts, and Indigenous leaders, the series sheds light on how this doctrine fuels environmental destruction, economic exploitation, and cultural genocide while also highlighting Indigenous resistance and calls for justice, land restoration, and the repudiation of these colonial structures.
This podcast is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License, https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/deed.en.
Learn more: podcast.doctrineofdiscovery.org.
Episodes
42 episodes
Remembering The Teacher: Charles H. Long (Part 1)
The story begins with a mentor called simply “the teacher.” From a first lecture on sky gods to late-night phone calls and a leather coat the color of memory, we trace how Charles H. Long shaped minds through myth, method, and a rare musicality...
•
Season 6
•
Episode 8
•
39:53
Inside The Seven Mountains Mandate And The Rise Of Turning Point USA
Power rarely announces itself as a plan. Here, it does. We dive into the Seven Mountains mandate with Matthew Boedy, tracing how Turning Point USA evolved from a campus brand into a nationwide movement designed to seize cultural institutions—ed...
•
Season 6
•
Episode 7
•
56:51
S06E06: Sacred Waters: Trauma of the Erie Canal
A celebrated waterway can also be a wound. We open the Erie Canal’s familiar legend and find the story most of us never learned: how a triumph of engineering cut a dam through Haudenosaunee homelands, accelerated dispossession, and rewrote law,...
•
Season 6
•
Episode 6
•
1:36:15
S06E05: The Sloan Lecture - The Oneidas, the Best Land, and the Erie Canal - By Susan Brewer
We trace the Erie Canal’s celebrated corridor through one farm in Oneida, New York, revealing how innovation rode alongside broken treaties, pressured sales and the erasure of Oneida lives. Through the intertwined stories of Polly Denny and Ang...
•
Season 6
•
Episode 5
•
52:11
S06E04: Clearing Iroquoia: New York’s Land Grab in the 1779 Campaigns of the American Revolution
We trace how the Sullivan–Clinton campaign was conceived and executed as a land seizure against the Haudenosaunee, not a simple response to raids. We follow letters, orders, and deals that moved from neutrality to burning villages, then to surv...
•
Season 6
•
Episode 4
•
1:06:08
S06E03: How Rethinking God, Gender, And Nature Can Heal A Burning World
A campfire changes the kind of conversation you can have. With scholar and wilderness guide Kimberly Carfore, we lean into that flame to ask why so much of Western faith and culture treats the earth—and women—as subordinate, and how we can reor...
•
Season 6
•
Episode 3
•
1:01:21
S6E02: A Theologian Confronts the Doctrine of Discovery and Calls for Institutional Repair
Jeannine Hill Fletcher, a theologian trained to interpret religious diversity, arrives at a white, Jesuit university and realizes something unsettling: you can’t do justice work without confronting the white supremacy woven through Christian hi...
•
Season 6
•
Episode 2
•
1:01:33
Defending Mother Earth from The Doctrine of Christian Discovery #NoKings
Standing on the shores of Onondaga Lake—the birthplace of democracy in North America—Haudenosaunee knowledge keepers share timeless wisdom about our relationship with Mother Earth. This powerful conversation begins with Jake Edwards reciting th...
•
Season 6
•
Episode 1
•
2:09:26
Teaching Uncomfortable History: The Doctrine of Discovery
Holly Rine, associate professor of history at Le Moyne College, offers a compelling perspective on teaching the Doctrine of Discovery at a Jesuit institution. With remarkable candor, she shares her own journey from unfamiliarity with this histo...
•
Season 5
•
Episode 8
•
53:47
S05E07: Indigenous Wisdom for Planetary Healing with Yuria Celidwen
Yuria Celidwen, a Nahua and Maya scholar and UC Berkeley postdoctoral researcher, shares how Indigenous wisdom offers pathways for collective healing beyond colonial mindfulness practices that prioritize individual benefit over community wellbe...
•
Season 5
•
Episode 7
•
48:50
S05E06: Rethinking Our Values: Indigenous Values for a Sustainable Future
This episode explores the vital need for a value change rooted in indigenous perspectives, particularly the teachings of the Haudenosaunee. Listeners are invited to reflect on how our current monetary-driven worldview is unsustainable and how a...
•
Season 5
•
Episode 6
•
50:27
S05E05: Reimagining Legal Frameworks: Protecting Native American Sacred Sites and Sovereignty
What if the key to protecting Native American sacred sites lies not within the confines of existing religious freedom laws, but in a reimagined legal strategy? Join us as we engage with Michael McNally, the insightful author of "Defend the Sacr...
•
Season 5
•
Episode 5
•
1:17:01
S05E04: Unveiling the Doctrine of Discovery: Historical Injustice and Pathways to Healing
Uncover the often overlooked yet deeply influential Doctrine of Discovery with us, as we bring political science instructor and former Congressional candidate Steve Schwartzberg to the table. Join us to explore how this doctrine, woven into the...
•
Season 5
•
Episode 5
•
53:17
S05E03 Reclaiming Faith: Dismantling White Christian Supremacy and Healing Through Indigenous Spirituality
What if the very religion that oppressed your ancestors could also be your path to liberation? Join us as we engage with Soulforce's representatives—Reverend Alba Onofrio, Nadia Arellano, and Karina Vargas—in a powerful conversation about disma...
•
Season 5
•
Episode 3
•
1:11:04
S05E02: Exploring the Legacy of Vine Deloria Jr. on Native American Thought with Philip Deloria
Discover the transformative power of Native American thought and religious studies in our conversation with the esteemed Philip Deloria. Learn about the profound legacy of Vine Deloria Jr., whose influential works like God is Red have ...
•
Season 5
•
Episode 2
•
1:17:47
S05E01: Bridging History and Today: Religion, Law, and Indigenous Influences in American Democracy with Winifred Sullivan
How have universities become the focal point of inclusive religious dialogue? Join us for a captivating episode as we converse with Winifred Sullivan, a professor at Indiana University, who brings a wealth of experience from her dual careers in...
•
Season 5
•
Episode 1
•
54:51
S04E06: Unveiling Histories: Colonialism, Faith, and Identity in the Americas with João Chaves
Embark on a profound historical exploration with João Chaves, Assistant Professor at Baylor University, as we uncover the lasting effects of the Doctrine of Discovery and its legacy of colonialism, faith, and power struggles in the Americas. Ou...
•
1:08:46
S04E05: Rekindling Culture and Healing History: A Dialogue on Decolonization and Indigenous Land Connection
Embark on a profound exploration with us as S. Lily Mendoza and Jim Perkinson take us through the winding paths of decolonization and the urgent quest to reconnect with the land. They illuminate the suppressed histories and indigenous cultures ...
•
1:03:50
S04E04: Reckoning with the Legacy of Colonization: A Dialogue on Native American Erasure and Resilience with Tink Tinker
This week on the podcast, we have Professor Tink Tinker, a luminary in Native American Studies. In this episode, he tells of the heart-wrenching legacy of Christian colonization on Indigenous communities. Our conversation probes deep into the c...
•
Season 4
•
Episode 4
•
58:33
S04E03: Reclaiming Sacred Ground: Indigenous Sovereignty, Environmental Wisdom, and the Path to Restorative Justice with Patrick Gonzalez-Rogers
Discover the lingering shadows of the Doctrine of Discovery as we journey through the historical and modern challenges Indigenous nations face, particularly in safeguarding sacred sites like Bears Ears. Joined by Patrick Gonzalez-Rogers of the ...
•
Season 4
•
Episode 3
•
46:07
S04E02: Exploring the American Religious Tapestry: From Civil Religion to Secularism and the Impact of the January 6th Insurrection with Joel Harrison
Embark on a profound journey through the tapestry of American religious history with Joel Harrison, associate professor of religion, and his sharp students, Jason Armstrong and Christian Oppenhagen. Together, we unravel the complex narratives o...
•
Season 4
•
Episode 2
•
53:59
Unearthing the Foundations: Examining Native American Legal Battles and the Doctrine of Discovery with Peter d'Errico, Steven T. Newcomb, and Joseph J. Heath
Discover the overlooked truths of Native American legal struggles and examine the enduring impact of the Doctrine of Discovery with our esteemed guests Peter d'Errico, Steven T. Newcomb, and Joseph J. Heath. This episode promises to enhance you...
•
Season 4
•
Episode 1
•
1:00:27
S03E06: Exploring the Cultural, Historical, and Culinary Significance of Chilis with Victor Valle
Ready to put your culinary curiosity to the test? Brace yourself as we journey through a world where fire and chili are more than just ingredients; they're centuries-old metaphors that have shaped cultural identities. We're joined by our distin...
•
Season 3
•
Episode 6
•
1:25:54
S03E05: Land is Kin: Indigenous Rights and Sovereignty with Dana Lloyd
Have you ever wondered what it truly means for land to be sacred? Join us on a thought-provoking exploration with Dr. Dana Lloyd, author of "Land is Kin: Sovereignty, Religious Freedom, and Indigenous Sacred Sites." A Tel Aviv native raised on ...
•
Season 3
•
Episode 5
•
55:50
S03E04: Beekeeping, Mushrooms and Sculptures: A Glimpse into Traditional Lithuanian Life
Ever wondered how the Baltic region's indigenous religious traditions have evolved over the centuries? Join us in conversation with our esteemed guest, Eglute Trinkauskaite, a faculty member at Maryland Institute College of Art, who offers a de...
•
Season 3
•
Episode 4
•
56:11