The Land Is Not Empty: Following Jesus in Dismantling the Doctrine of Discovery

by Sarah Augustine

White settlers saw land for the taking. They failed to consider the perspective of the people already here. In The Land Is Not Empty , author Sarah Augustine unpacks the harm of the Doctrine of Discovery--a set of laws rooted in the fifteenth century that gave Christian governments the moral and legal right to seize lands they "discovered" despite those lands already being populated by indigenous peoples. Legitimized by the church and justified by a misreading of Scripture, the Doctrine of Discovery says a land can be considered "empty" and therefore free for the taking if inhabited by "heathens, pagans, and infidels." In this prophetic book, Augustine, a Pueblo woman, reframes the colonization of North America as she investigates ways that the Doctrine of Discovery continues to devastate indigenous cultures, and even the planet itself, as it justifies exploitation of both natural resources and people. This is a powerful call to reckon with the root causes of a legacy that continues to have devastating effects on indigenous peoples around the globe and a call to recognize how all of our lives and our choices are interwoven.

What was done in the name of Christ must be undone in the name of Christ, the author claims. The good news of Jesus means there is still hope for the righting of wrongs. Right relationship with God, others, and the earth requires no less.

Genres: Nonfiction, Indigenous, History, Theology, Faith, Native American, Spirituality

224 pages, Paperback

Published June 22, 2021

About the author

Sarah Augustine is founder and cochair of the Coalition to Dismantle the Doctrine of Discovery and executive director of the Dispute Resolution Center of Yakima and Kittitas Counties. Augustine, who is Pueblo (Tewa), has written for Sojourners, The Mennonite, and other publications, and she is an adjunct professor at Heritage University. She and her husband, Dan Peplow, and their son live in the Yakima Valley of Washington.

Reviews

[Clif Hostetler · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book’s author became involved with the Doctrine of Discovery before she knew what those words meant. She was in Suriname to provide a sociological perspective to a study of the effects of mercury poisoning caused by mining operations on the indigenous peoples living in the undeveloped parts of the country. A native woman insisted that she promise to help protect them from displacement from their homes caused by widespread deforestation, hydropower generation, and mineral extraction by large business interests.

The author later learned that the suffering being experienced by the indigenous peoples of Suriname is a current day manifestation of taking land away from people because the land is “empty.” This is a practice that goes back to the early European explorers who were given the right to claim ownership of land not already claimed or possessed by other Europeans. This has become known as the Doctrine of Discovery, and is justified by the belief that the land is empty (of people worthy of being recognized as truly human).

The efforts of the author and her husband to inform the world about the plight of the Suriname's indigenous populations attracted the attention of similar situations in other countries. In 2014, a small band of Miskitu leaders of Nicaragua asked them to help them in the way they had been attempting to help rainforest peoples in Suriname. In the following excerpt the author explains how the violence against powerless populations is happening worldwide.

I was shocked to learn this reality through my work in Suriname. I realized that what is happening there today is the exact process that unfolded in North America 150 years ago. While attending the United Nations Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues and attending meetings held by the World Council of Churches, I also learned that what is happening in the Suriname rainforest is happening around the world. I was befriended by Indigenous Peoples in the Philippines, West Papua, Sweden, Norway, Mexico, Nicaragua, Bolivia, Peru, Australia, New Zealand, Greenland, and many other countries. All faced legal forced removal from their lands. All faced major human rights abuses--in many cases including targeted violence and extrajudicial killings. In nearly every country, extractive industry was legally polluting land, causing disease, forcefully removing communities from their lands, and killing innocent people.

The author reflects on her own personal situation as another example of one who also has experienced a form of generational internal displacement caused by polices based on the Doctrine of Discovery. She is Pueblo (Tewa) but she is not enrolled as a member of her ancestral tribe because her parents were orphans and raised by others—“No history. No extended family. No identity.” She has recaptured a bit of her identification with native Americans by today living on the Yakima reservation in Washington, but ironically it was her husband’s “settler” ancestry that partly motivated their move to that location.

At numerous places within this book the author provides examples where Christians have used scripture to support behaviors in line with the Doctrine of Discovery. These examples are so devastating it's almost surprising to learn in other places in the book that the author is a Christian and she frequently references other scripture selections that support her view that the Christian God is a God of Justice.

My faith defines me. I am a Christian woman, a devoted follower of Jesus. Learning that the Christian church originated the Doctrine of Discovery sent my life spinning
sideways—my understanding of the world and my place in it. How strange to find that, according to the logic of the Doctrine, I am not one of the "chosen" in the exodus story, but rather a Canaanite. Learning the precepts that underlie the Doctrine of Discovery, the ideological alibis that morally and legally justify land theft on an epic scale, shook me. Yet understanding how the Doctrine of Discovery has shaped the world, and my life in particular, has awakened in me a call to justice and peace proclaimed by Jesus in Luke 4:18-19

The final chapter offers tangible answers to the question that the author often hears from groups to which she has spoken. “What can I do to help?”

1. Recognize that the suffering caused by prevailing polices and practices are largely “unseen except by those suffering from it.”

2. Advocate for "dismantling laws and polices that lead to oppression and death.”

3. For congregations: Join the Dismantling the Doctrine of Discovery Coalition.

4. For church institutions: Put “pressure on mining companies in which they are invested to hold direct negotiations with communities harmed by the mining.” (This is referring to there retirement fund investments.)

5. For church institutions: (1) Advocate to "change the paradigm that regulates corporations"; (2) "Litigate environmental and human rights violations by U.S. corporations in U.S. courts." (3) "Call for the enforcement of international policy that protects vulnerable peoples."

(The book elaborates further on the above suggestions. The numbered format shown above is my own, not from the book.)

The following link is to a podcast in which the author participates on a regular basis:
https://anabaptistworld.org/podcast-l...

The following link is to the webpage for the author's non-profit organization for the support of indigenous peoples in Suriname.
http://www.sihfund.org

[Alex Strohschein · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5/5.

In 'The Land Is Not Empty: Following Jesus in Dismantling the Doctrine of Discovery" Sarah Augustine chronicles how the Doctrine of Discovery - originally a fifteenth century Catholic proclamation that permitted the seizure of already-inhabited lands by Christians - continues to impact indigenous peoples today. In an enlightening way, she goes back and forth between the Doctrine of Discovery's role in the colonization of North America in the past and its continuing impact in other regions (particularly Suriname) in the present.

Sarah Augustine is at her best when she is passionately advocating for the rights of indigenous peoples whose homelands are being assailed by powerful corporations who pollute the environment, displace natives, and whose impact radically reshapes indigenous society. Scripture speaks forcefully about the Christian calling to seek justice and to defend the oppressed and there is no doubt that millions around the globe have been harmed by negligent corporate practices (Sarah Augustine focuses primarily on physical well-being but one also thinks of Obianuju Ekeocha's eye-opening book 'Target Africa: Ideological Neo-Colonialism of the Twenty-First Century’ when it comes to social issues).

I am not that impressed when Sarah Augustine turns to theology. She speaks from a "prophetic posture" that denounces evil and injustice but at times one suspects that Christianity takes a backseat to Creation. She sees much good in indigenous spirituality, especially a respect and harmony for nature and indigenous societies are seen as edenic before Westerners intrude. Meanwhile, she is greatly distressed by the biblical narrative of the exodus for in its wielding by Westerners, First Nations took the place of the Canaanites - aboriginals who needed to be conquered by God's "chosen people." I want to stress that the colonization of the Americas did not reflect the heart of God and terrible harm has been done, but Canaanite religion was pagan and included practices that cannot be said to be anything less than demonic (those who champion indigenous spirituality never bring up Aztec human sacrifice). And, while acknowledging that Western Christianity has been riddled with unbiblical practices and folk beliefs that ought to be challenged and stamped out (think of American evangelicalism's obsession with guns and Bruce Cockburn's biting lyric "Sinister, cynical instrument / Who makes the gun into a sacrament") when it comes to Christianity's encounter with indigenous spirituality there must always be a reckoning to carefully and prayerfully discern what beliefs or practices can be retained through inculturation into orthodox Christianity.

By all means, it is not as if we need to wait for indigenous peoples to become Christians before we as believers lift a finger in aid (the author does a good job of providing practical ways that readers can advocate for change and help those affected by the Doctrine of Discovery), but Sarah Augustine does seem to suggest that at times it might be wrong to evangelize. As much as I do believe there is something to general revelation, I don't think that that means Jesus would have us forsake the Great Commission. The liberation theology that Sarah Augustine commends is certainly one aspect of the Christian faith - liberty for the oppressed - but I don't think any believer can rightfully say that conversion is wrong.

This book will most powerfully appeal to activist Christians who crusade for social justice. It is informative and does provide good practical suggestions for ways we can care for indigenous peoples today - even those an entire continent away. I admire Sarah Augustine's passionate advocacy but as with many "prophetic" books the lack of nuance is at times detrimental to the overall message.

[Josh Olds · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a heavy read. It’s a needed weight. Galatians says to carry each other’s burdens and for far too long, the weight of a stolen land has been around the necks of indigenous peoples who have seen their lands taken, their rights removed, their cultures disintegrated, and their way of life destroyed. In The Land is Not Empty, Sarah Augustine shares the burden of it all with her readers in the form of awareness and a call to action.

That burden, in and of itself, is not justice. Simply making others—particularly the descendants of those who took the land—aware of historic injustice does no make wrong things right. Even calling others to action and suggesting the beginnings of healing and reparation and stopping the places where these injustices are current and ongoing is not enough for justice. But it is a beginning. The Land is Not Empty is a powerful and prophetic book that has the power to break down the strongholds of oppression and turn the trickle of justice into a roaring stream.

It begins with the Doctrine of Discovery: a set of laws from the fifteenth century that gave Christian governments the legal and moral right to seize “discovered” lands even though those lands were already populated. From the first sentence of the introduction: The United States was founded on ill-gotten gains. And it has prospered. Augustine weaves her own personal narrative as a Native American along with her experience advocating for indigenous people groups in Suriname. She does so through the lenses of religion, economics, politics, and history providing readers with a damning look at how the very humanity of indigenous peoples has been overlooked and denied in the name of money and power.

Sarah’s connection to this story begins in Suriname. The national government claims that the rainforests that comprise most of the country are uninhabited. But actually walk through the rainforest and you’ll find pockets of civilization where Indigenous Peoples attempt to carry on their ancient traditions and way of life. In the 1980s, Christian missionaries began consolidating the twelve distinct tribes into village clusters, moving the people out of the rainforest and into villages. This made them easier to proselytize (and control) and allowed the government to declare the rainforests to be empty and open for resource exploration and extraction. It was forced relocation to a reservation under a different name. The land was stolen.

Sarah arrived in Suriname as a sociologist, part of a research team investigating mercury toxicity in the Indigenous People. Mercury is used in alluvial gold mining and eventually makes its way into the rivers and streams—the primary food source for the local people. She was there as a nonpartisan observer but a single sentence from a Wayani woman changed everything “This is what I want to know…Are you going to fight with me?”

In the years since, Sarah Augustine has been fighting relentlessly. From personal life choices to activism in Suriname and beyond to working with (and against) government organizations. The Land is Not Empty is part-memoir, part-expose showcasing what most white Western Christian are ignorant of. I don’t know how Augustine’s message will be taken. For years (or centuries), those in power have knowingly and unknowingly looked the other way. The Land is Not Empty stands in defiance to any claim of ignorance. She paints the horror (and the hope) with broad and bold brush strokes that make the story plain. She unweaves the lies and half-truths and sings the unsung song of the oppressed. She calls the powerful and privileged to action through whatever power or privilege they hold. Together we are stronger than the systems of death, she writes. And so we can be.

[Stephanie’s Ninth Suitcase · Rating 5 out of 5]

*I received a complimentary ecopy of this ​book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Synopsis: Augustine explores the ways in which the roots of colonialism continue to bear fruit, through the lenses of Christianity and social justice. Augustine offers tangible ways for Christians to combat systemic injustice against Indigenous peoples.

Verdict: Highly Recommend (see Reservations below)
Personal Connection

Prior to college, I thought that racism was (essentially) a thing of the past in the United States. Racism appalled me, but I didn’t realize just how pervasive it continues to be, until I enrolled in a Race and Ethnicity in American Literature class. Through this course, I learned so much more about the exploitation of people groups in the United States. That year, I also attended the university’s SCORR Conference, which is dedicated to racial reconciliation. The same semester, a hate crime occurred on campus. For me, these experiences served to strengthen my desire for racial reconciliation. At the time, I thought I was a white girl learning to interact with people of other races.

Fastforward to September of 2019. On September 11th, my mom and I learned that her biological father was a first-generation Mexican American. My grandmother had lied to my mom her entire life, explicitly because she didn’t want my mom to know she was Mexican. It turns out, I too, had been directly affected by racism and have Indigenous roots. My mom advocates with our people and I believe that social justice is very important. For these reasons, I was intrigued by this book.

Audience

As a new book reviewer, this is exactly the kind of book I wanted to review. A major part of my calling, as a librarian and someone who really, really enjoys reading, is to be an “agent”— not necessarily in the traditional literary sense of the word, but in the sense of pointing to what the Lord is saying, through the people He is raising up. It is such a privilege to serve as an (unofficial) agent for my mom, Kimberly Vargas Agnese, who writes powerful, prophetic advocacy poetry.

With that said, having read Sarah Augustine’s “The Land is Not Empty,” I believe that this is SUCH an important text for Christians to read. As someone who resonates with certain aspects of Conservative Christianity (biblical sexuality and the sanctity of life), I recognize that there is so much room for growth when it comes to restoration and racial reconciliation.

Although the Bible demonstrates God’s heart for social justice, Conservative Christianity all-too-frequently scorns the notion of modern day racism. The Land is Not Empty is a call to action, not only for Conservative Christians, but for the body of Christ throughout the Western world, particularly in the United States.

Themes

The doctrine of discovery, which originated in the fifteenth century, created a legal precedent for “conquering” people groups around the world. According to the doctrine, if people were not Christians, they weren’t really people, so of course they could be wiped out.

This is such an ugly moment in church history, but we can’t turn away from it and ignore it, especially because our society remains entrenched in its philosophy, to this day. Through case studies and personal narrative, Augustine demonstrates that the doctrine of discovery is not an ugly thing of the past, but a present and violent violation of human rights. Augustine cites multiple examples of the oppression of indigenous peoples, who are having their land stripped away by partnerships between businesses and governments— partnerships in which the original occupants have no say.
I use the term “original occupants” intentionally. While my first inclination was to refer to the “rightful owners” of the land, Augustine strongly asserts that the land is not something that can be owned. “When Christians behave as though we can own creation,” Augustine writes, “we are degrading all ecosystems that support life.” Indeed, Augustine placed strong emphasis on our role, as humans, within Creation. According to Augustine, we are not separate from Creation, but part of it. As created beings, we have two choices: “cooperate, co-create with the systems of Life, which is [our] only choice, or [we]can pass away and waste [our lives] following the hollow logic that leads to death.” While this is not a traditional Western perspective, it does align with the original Garden of Eden call for us to steward nature. For us to willingly destroy, or permit the destruction of the earth, is truly to cooperate with a system of death. But, the God of Life is sovereign! “How fabulously foolish,” Augustine writes, “to believe any system invested in the destruction of creation, the Ancient of Days, will stand.”

In addition to depicting the land as something that is not owned, Augustine explores the significance of land within Indigenous cultures, noting that land plays an integral role in every aspect of life. Within the transversal Winti worldview, there is no frame of reference for individuality. Rather, all members of a community, past and present, inhabiting the space are members of Creation, along with the land. Also central to Winti belief is the idea that the strife of past generations affects those living in the present. For this reason, redemption is key to the Winti religion. Augustine adds that “the good news of Winti is dismissed” because of its emphasis on community-wide restoration, rather than on a specific historical moment of salvation. I certainly agree that the Winti belief system offers greater insight into the faith that we, as Christians, profess. I also resonated with Augustine’s emphasis on communal transgression (systemic injustice), as opposed to an individualistic approach to sin and piety. While I am accustomed to the individualist approach, I definitely see Scriptural precedent for Augustine’s assertions.

In emphasizing a community approach, Augustine’s end is not to make the reader feel guilty (yet powerless) as an individual. Although she shares multiple instances in which her efforts have borne little fruit, her goal in writing the book is to catalyze change at the community level— and she describes practical ways of doing so. For example, stockholders who are investing in mining companies can contribute the profits they are gleaming directly to Indigenous peoples. Whole churches that are profiting from extractive industries, can open negotiations with these companies. Most importantly, “the God revealed in Scripture…is a God who is struggling with us and within us to bring about God’s shalom.”

Reservations

• The first few sentences of the foreword, which is not written by the author, references working on “LGBTQ and other justice issues.” To clarify, LGBTQ issues are not addressed anywhere else in the book. I feel that this opening line could definitely affect the book’s credibility with certain audiences and that the social justice issue invoked by the author of the foreword is not at all analogous with the suffering of Indigenous peoples.

• The foreword also noted that, at certain points, the reader may be tempted to “tone down” Augustine’s message. Overall, I strongly resonated with the arguments presented. There were a few moments that gave me pause, mostly in discussions of the insights provided by Indigenous religion. Personally, I believe that elements of their worldview are extremely important to Christianity, elements that have been replaced with worldly western ones. My disclaimer is that the transversal world view is a HUGELY important lens for looking at the world, but that Jesus Christ, as a historical and living person, is central. This is not to say that Augustine’s writing conflicts with Christ’s centrality. However, I wanted to make a clear statement, because of how unfamiliar transversal thought is within the colonized Western world.

I also cannot uphold the Indigenous belief that God cannot exist without the land. Augustine references this belief when discussing Indigenous cosmology— not citing it as her own. Again, my point is that many of the central tenets of Indigenous belief are extremely relevant and insightful for us as Christians, but do not hold complete truth. (Nor do I!)
In Summation

All too often, Christians are known, not for their pursuit of social justice, but for their denial that inequity exists. As Christians, we mustn’t turn a blind eye to the systems on which our country was founded and continues to operate. This is such an important book for Christians to read! Highly recommended.

[James Wheeler · Rating 4 out of 5]

Augustine encourages the church to participate in practical ways to help dismantle the doctrine of discovery. This can happen a number of different ways (touching, practical story on 63), but as chapter 6 states, a major part of this, is a re-imagining of christian theology. She suggests a move from an anthropocentric to an ecological paradigm where we understand ourselves as part of the created order, and see being human (embodied existence) in our part of the world as a critical part of our identity. 131 I recently heard a talk where a stoney nakoda woman in Calgary encouraged the group of settlers to indigenize themselves. To learn about local plants and wildlife, to understand the land. This is an invitation into deeper discipleship and knowing of God and ourselves through our local environment. And indigenous people are the best guides to lead settlers in this learning.

39&124 are powerful pages where Augustine notes that for herself and many other indigenous folks that when reading the exodus story they see themselves as the cannanites, not israel. This is easy to see when understanding how the allotment act in the u.s. reduced Indigenous Americans land from 138 million acres to 48 million acres. 51 Do churches and individual christians care about such gross injustices? It is painful to read Augustine's plea for traditional missionary help or leadership to stay away from first nations communities. Missionaries came with a colonial mindset that denigrated indigenous traditions and cultures and colluded with groups involved in extraction of resources.

This approach has deeply wounded and disempowered Indigenous groups (89, 196). Instead she asks if the church would send missionaries to "mining interests, oil companies and banks." And a bit later, to the u.s. treasury. 115 She goes on: "let us have annual days of prayer for those working in the vineyard, harvesting workers for the kingdom, in the places of power that threaten life for all of creation." On page 116 she states she is serious about this, no hyperbole.

Finally i found her description of the different eras of Indian policy used in the u.s. to be helpful. She takes this from Robert. J. Miller. They are:
The Trade and Intercourse Era 1789-1825
The Reservation Era 1850-1887
The Allotment and Assimilation Era 1887-1934
The Termination Era 1940s-1961 (it is in this era that the indian relocation act is established - 1956)
(see 77-82)

This is really well written and researched book, very accessible and though prophetic fire occasionally comes from her words, i never sense hatred or dismissal of settlers. Instead i hear invitation and welcome to partner in God's redemptive work with Indigenous people.

This would be excellent for a book club or church wanting to learn together. Especially as she turns into a short section called "re-imagining the good news" (208-210).

[Helen Richardson · Rating 5 out of 5]

I found Sarah Augustine’s work to be very accessible for all types of people in the church world. She does a great job of mapping colonial relations and the church historically and currently within her personal history, the Yakama peoples, and indigenous groups of Suriname. Would recommend for all church communities engaging in international mission work and studying environmental justice. In particular, her chapter on “Follow the Money” could be essential for explaining the international economic development debt system to people who are unfamiliar.

[Grant Showalter-Swanson · Rating 5 out of 5]

I had the honor and privilege to read this text in advance and write a study guide for it. My life has been richly blessed by what Sarah Augustine teaches in this text and I highly recommend everyone read it!

First, Augustine spends some time defining the Doctrine of Discovery, both academically/historically and with personal/practical examples. If the title feels daunting because you are not familiar with the Doctrine of Discovery, never fear, Augustine will take the time to catch you up.

Second, Augustine takes care to elaborate her personal context and how that situates her within the work of Indigenous sovereignty and dismantling the Doctrine of Discovery. Through this contextual testimony, Augustine invites us into our own contextual work.

Third, Augustine documents and details her journey in solidarity and repair work through experiential examples. She challenges us to challenge, expand, redefine, and act upon solidarity and repair work in community together, being attentive to who is, and who isn’t, at the table.

Fourth, Augustine drives home the essential work and call upon Christians and the Church to be at the forefront of dismantling the doctrine of discovery and solidarity and repair work. Augustine invites us to interrogate our theology, our investments, our mindsets, how we spend/use our money/property, and challenges us to truly follow a ‘Jesus Way’ in our solidarity and repair work.

Part of this work is aided by Augustine’s detailed explanation of cosmologies and theologies from Indigenous lenses. White settlers/dominant culture are invited to recognize our blind spots, our idols, and our agency to be actively invoked in solidarity and repair work with indigenous communities. Dismantling the Doctrine of Discovery starts in our personal lives, in our churches, and in our community politics/social work.

Finally, solidarity and repair work is active, ongoing, and relational. White settler/dominant western culture loves easy/symbolic gestures. However, solidarity and repair work is the ongoing choice of actively stepping out of the comfort of white supremacy and dominant western culture to be in relationship and resistance with oppressed communities. It is action. It is relationship. It is ongoing. And it demands that we rethink all mindsets and beliefs we take for granted. This is the work of solidarity and repair. This is the work of dismantling the doctrine of discovery. And Augustine lays all of this out in a powerful, relatable, and convicting way.

Start the work of solidarity and repair today by grabbing this book, hunkering down, and getting ready to start the journey of dismantling the Doctrine of Discovery with Sarah Augustine as your initial guide.

[Naomi Weiss · Rating 4 out of 5]

“I am a Christian because I am compelled by the mandate and example of Jesus. I am Christian because I love him. I cling to the hope he proclaims: good news for the poor, the release of prisoners, liberation for the oppressed”.

I read this book with a group of colleagues from work! This is definitely a “book club book”- there is so much to unpack and discuss. The author provides personal narratives, historical information, and current examples in explaining what the Doctrine of Discovery is, and why we should all care about this.

[Mona · Rating 5 out of 5]

For those broadening their knowledge of the Doctrine of Discovery, this is an essential read.

[Alain Verheij]

Ik hoop de auteur te interviewen voor De Nieuwe Koers juli 2025

[Heather · Rating 2 out of 5]

It's ok. A little heavy on the guilt.

[Weldon D. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sarah Augustine, The Land Is Not Empty -- Weldon D. Nisly review -- June 26, 2021

“Not everything that is faced can be changed, but nothing can be changed until it is faced.”
James Baldwin

Most colonial settler descendants on Turtle Island (United States and Canada) stand in the Doctrine of Discovery line even if they have never heard the term. The Doctrine of Discovery is rarely mentioned in “American” history. Yet it holds a defining place in white European Christian exploration of Turtle Island that colonized a continent with stolen land and stolen people. For over five centuries the Doctrine of Discovery has served as the legal, philosophical and moral basis for discovering and dominating the “new world” as terra nullis – empty land.

Recent testimony to the Doctrine of Discovery’s blinding hold on the political landscape was boldly proclaimed by a former U.S. Senator and network TV political commentator. He proudly declared at a political rally, “We came here and birthed a nation from nothing. I mean, there was nothing here.” He went on to boast, ‘We did it for faith and freedom rooted in Judeo-Christian values.’
In her new book, The land Is Not Empty, Sarah Augustine prophetically and poetically dismantles that tragic lie in an effort to Dismantle the Doctrine of Discovery forever. A first step toward ending this five-century devastation is to acknowledge that Indigenous people lived here many millennia before white colonizers arrived and used the Doctrine of Discovery as justification for genocide.

Augustine beautifully weaves together her own personal story as an Indigenous woman of faith and her professional calling promoting human rights by confronting the white settler social construction of reality that perpetuates the lie that this was “empty land.” She brilliantly narrates a legal, philosophical, theological, and biblical critique of colonial settler domination and discrimination ravaging sacred land and people. Her book reads like a novel and reveals like a modern biblical commentary interwoven with searing social analysis.

Full disclosure: Sarah Augustine is a beloved friend and I served as her pastor for over a decade. I can assure you that this book gives living witness to Sarah’s prophetic life and faith as well as her professional gifts and commitment to be the change she wants to see in God’s world! She knows and embodies James Baldwin’s wisdom that, “Not everything that is faced can be changed, but nothing can be changed until it is faced.”

An honest reading of The Land Is Not Empty will remove the blinders from our eyes and compel us to join this essential dismantling project and relinquish white settler supremacy rooted in the myth of American exceptionalism and entitlement. Read and weep and be transformed by truth in our post-truth time.

[Eric · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read this book for the book club at my church. Augustine writes as a reconnected member of the Native American community about the history and destruction caused by the Doctrine of Discovery. The Doctrine of Discovery comes from a 14th century edict by the Pope. As the church was heavily influenced by the State at that time (still today, too), the edict basically said that unless you were a European Christian all people were savage and therefore had no rights to the lands which they occupied. The Church was therefore empowered, and authorized State interests, to colonize and not only 'christianize' the people found there, but also to seize their land.

Such colonization has ended in our own day - at least officially. But as Augustine clearly outlines, the practice continues. For Indigenous Peoples in the world today, large corporate interests continue to invade their lands to extract resources, leaving a path of pollution, environmental destruction, and poisoned lives in their wake. This process is supported by world governments, and even the United Nations, as the practice falls under the rubric of "economic development." Everyone feels sorry for these people, but nothing is done to stop it. The economic interests of Western civilization easily trump any concerns about the rights of Indigenous People.

But what are we do to? Augustine closes the book with actions that would need to be taken to stop this destruction of Indigenous People's lives and land. Unfortunately, I am not sure these answers will be enacted. They would involve a significant financial loss for churches, institutions, universities, and even charitable foundations. So much of the current world wealth is dependent upon the continued economic success of companies who extract resources from the powerless peoples.

This is a wonderful exploration of the history of the Doctrine of Discovery and how it continues to thrive in the 21 century. It exposes our Western culpability in the destruction of lands and peoples. It presents a moral argument for change, not just individually but culturally and across all nations. Sadly, her voice will largely be lost in the winds of our time.

[Helen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Chances are you've never heard of the Doctrine of Discovery and if you have, you think of it as something out of the distant past--European monarchs sending out explorers to plant their flags on far-flung territories way back in the 1400s. Sarah Augustine's book is a needed corrective--explaining not only what happened hundreds of years ago but also the suffering the doctrine still causes today for indigenous people in the U.S. and other countries.

The doctrine comes from papal decrees giving Christian governments the right to invade the lands of nonbelievers and subjugate their occupants. Any land not ruled by a Christian monarch was considered to be "terra nullius," empty land--thus the title of the book. That's how England, Spain, and France laid claim to our own country. The U.S. government became the legal successor to foreign monarchs through wars and purchases. U.S. courts, including the Supreme Court, upheld the doctrine as part of our legal structure. Native Americans were removed from their lands and/or died from warfare and disease. Today their descendants still suffer from the loss of their land and extraction of resources.

The same process occurred in many other parts of the globe. Augustine writes extensively about her work with indigenous people in Suriname, where the Wayana are being poisoned by mercury released into their waters by gold miners. She uses Scripture to back up the moral imperative for Christians to do something about the injustice. I also enjoyed the way she explained indigenous beliefs about land, community and creation.

The book does a great job of describing the problem and pointing fingers of blame at corporations, governments and development agencies. Augustine acknowledges that changing the way any of these operate would be a monumental task and makes suggestions for steps to take to at least move a tiny bit in that direction. For example, she says if you are going to hold stock in extractive industries, you should at least give the profits to the cause. She herself avoids the stock market altogether.

I am glad that she is optimistic that change can occur over time and wish I had that same confidence. I do feel better educated about the issue for having read the book.

[Phil · Rating 4 out of 5]

I ran across this book in a bookstore in Waterloo, while visiting my son, who is studying there. This books goes along with the Indigenous authors I've been reading, but with the twist that the author is also Christian, looking at the legacy of colonialism in the context of being an Indigenous Christian. And that is a tricky balance to navigate.

The focus of this book, of course, is the Doctrine of Discovery, that initially ecclesiological doctrine which, effectively, handed the New World (and Africa and parts of Asia-anywhere where Christian kings were not ruling) to the European colonial powers- initially, Spain and Portugal, then Britain and France. Augustine explains the origins of this doctrine, how it morphed into a legal argument and how it is impacting people today, specifically her own Pueblo people, but especially the Yakama people in Suriname. She writes within the Mennonite theological heritage, but her activism comes through in everything she writes.

The result is a challenging book. Not because the theology is tricky. I mean, the absurdity of the Doctrine of Discovery has already been repudiated by almost all mainline churches. The Roman Catholic church which promulgated it in a series of papal bulls has even recently admitted its mistake in teaching in itin the first place. The book is challenging because the doctrine, now a legal principle, continues to be employed in disputes about who owns the land which mining and other exploitative industries work. Augustine is unrelenting in calling attention to these abuses and in demanding help for the Yakima people, and all who are resisting these policies. She doesn't stop with informing. She demands action.

Definitely, this is a worthwhile book, both as a refutation of the Doctrine of Discovery, but also as a call to action.

[Jeanne Elmhorst · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sarah Augustine weaves her own compelling story into the historical narrative of the Doctrine of Discovery. She writes with passion and compassion as she explores lineage, diaspora, colonization and injustice in her life and in current struggles of other indigenous peoples. In doing so, she spotlights the clear and the camouflaged ways in which the Doctrine of Discovery impacts individuals and communities today. My eyes opened to see how the misguided and unjust principles from the Doctrine of Discovery’s underpinnings live on in current laws and practices in the U.S. and other nations.

The author provides a concise and well-documented analysis of the origins and continuation of the Doctrine of Discovery and I wanted to read every footnote. Other chapters explore the (personal and institutional) money trails that impact policies toward native people and further, how to go beyond symbolic solidarity and repair of injustices. With great energy, Sarah Augustine challenges readers to look deeply into Bible passages, to reimagine theology and to consider the direction of one’s walk as a follower of Jesus. Next step: a clear call to action emerges from a call for justice.

If you know nothing about the Doctrine of Discovery, this book provides a strong overview; if you think you know everything about it, this book will surprise and challenge you. I started reading (and underlining) and didn’t want to quit. I finished and began to re-read my numerous underlined words, sentences, paragraphs.

Sarah’s writing enriches my understanding of historical and current events and spurs me to action.

A discussion guide is available for individuals or book groups. https://heraldpress.com/wp-content/up...

[Meghan · Rating 5 out of 5]

For anyone with a heart or a retirement account.

I emptied an entire highlighter into The Land is not Empty. I am a white, professional class 30-something who chooses the Hampton Inn for business travel over the Holiday Inn because the Hampton recycles. By which I mean I am equally obsessed with “doing my part” to save the planet and fearful of the knowing in my bones that “doing my part” will radically change who I am. The Land is Not Empty is ostensibly for a Christian audience. It’s right there in the subtitle. But it is also for the humanist. And the atheist. And the spiritual-but-not-religious. And the I-don’t-even-know-anymore. It is for ALL of US because we must all know the legacy of Christianity’s complicity with economic and political systems of dominance to pursue justice. Augustine’s Christian faith is infused with her identity as an Indigenous woman, it pulses brilliantly against the individualism and “lust for security” that characterize so many mainstream Christian denominations. But the writing is not dogmatic or heavy handed. It is light and even friendly, even as it details the devastating impact of private property, gold mining, and impotent government bodies on Indigenous Peoples. This is a book of stories in the same way the Bible is a book of stories: stories that we can turn to when we, as people of privilege, are rightfully haunted by the question of “what can I do?”. This is a book that will change you, if you let it, in all the best ways.

[Susan · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this book for a church book study just after returning from Santa Fe, where I learned about the Doctrine of Discovery. In this book, Sarah Augustine, an indigenous tribal member and advocate as well as pastor, discusses her efforts to dismantle the harm cause by the Doctrine of Discovery. The harm of the Doctrine of Discovery is based on white settlers imposition of their faith on indigenous people. It is a 15th century precept which gave Christian governments the moral, religious, and legal right to seize lands lived in by indigenous people. The doctrine says a land can be considered empty and therefore free for the taking if inhabited by heathens, pagans, and infidels. The book also examines the way the Doctrine of Discovery continues to negatively impact indigenous cultures, and the natural environment and planet, as it justifies exploitation of both natural resources and people. The author details efforts to help countries and communities come to terms with and ameliorate to impacts of the doctrine of discovery by for example conserving natural resources, returning lands, paying reparations, providing shelter and health care. It’s a mind opening book leaving the reader with the sense that only a small dent has been made in the process of educating about impacts and working to address them.

[Esther · Rating 4 out of 5]

Augustine delves into what the Doctrine of Discovery is, its history, and how Bible passages were used (or rather, misused) to justify it. Drawing from her personal experiences as a Pueblo woman and her work advocating for indigenous people in Suriname, she gives concrete examples of the enduring impact of the Doctrine of Discovery. This book is challenging and eye-opening, giving insight into the struggles indigenous peoples are facing today. At times, it’s hard to read and will make you feel uncomfortable. But if you stick with it, Augustine offers hope and a pathway for all of us to be part of dismantling the Doctrine of Discovery and working towards justice in concrete ways.

Augustine is not a theologian, and because of this, there were times when I felt she could have dealt with how certain misinterpreted Bible passages should be interpreted in a more robust way. Still, she’s a Christian who takes the Bible and following Jesus seriously. And if you keep in mind that she’s exposing how the Bible has been used for harm and not saying, “This is what the original authors intended,” then what she has to say can be transformative. This book made me want to study more on the topic of the Doctrine of Discovery!

[marcus miller · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a bit like reading Isaiah, Amos, or maybe Ezekial. Augustine shares her personal story of growing up knowing she is Native American but yet not knowing, because her parents were stripped of their identity. She shares about working with the Wayana peoples of Surinam as mining companies pollute the rivers and land, and realizing both are connected to the concept of the Doctrine of Discovery. Augustine shares about the Doctrine of Discovery and her efforts to work at dismantaling the system. On one hand, Augustine seems "realistic" realizing that her work is may not change much, but on the other hand, she calls on the power of a faith that can move mountains and bring about change.
This is a book that will stick with me. I ponder her call for the church to send "missionaries" to the board rooms of exploitive corporations. Her statement that "solidarity cannot be symbolic," that the church and Christians must stand on the side of those who are being exploited, and at the same time, recognizing our complicity in the exploitation of indigenous communities around the world.

[Rob · Rating 3 out of 5]

Dr. Augustine does a magnificent job introducing you to the impact of the "doctrine of discovery." Through personal reflections, well-researched data, and her own experiences working alongside marginalized indigineous populations, Dr. Augustine shows the real impact that these ideas have had and continue to have. The environmental and personal consequences born by some of the most vulnerable in our world for our wealth is a call, by God, to repent and come near to the one who is "making all things new." I would recommend this book for any Christian who wants to grow in their understanding and commitment to living God's justice in our world today.

[Heather · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is challenging and thought-provoking. I'm looking forward to wrestling through it with others in conversation. Augustine sets forth a lot of heavy charges against the church for its complicity in and responsibility for the Doctrine of Discovery which has resulted in so much loss and suffering for indigenous people. But she does it as someone who is part of the church and lovingly calling us to be better and to bring the repair and restoration that God calls for. Through her own example, she shows how we can stand up against injustice and call our faith communities to join us. But she also shows us through her experience that it's really hard.

[Bruce · Rating 4 out of 5]

A challenging book about how to unwind a false doctrine that became, from the 15th century onward, a weapon in the race to colonize the non-white, non-Christian majority of the world's people and, most importantly, their land. It gave justification for the colonizers to claim, occupy, settle, and extract resources from the land, all the while reducing the land the original inhabitants had to live on and from. Sarah Augustine, of Pueblo descent, writes with conviction and without rose-colored glasses about what it might take for White Christians, who have benefited from this system of conquest, to reject it and instead work toward establishing a right relationship. Actual rating:4.5.

[Joe Keefhaver · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is an extremely thought-provoking book about the treatment of indigenous cultures by the West as a result of the "Doctrine of Discovery." It is especially an indictment of Western Christianity for acting as if the Great Commission gave us the authority to steal the land of non-believers, destroy their culture and, in some cases, make them slaves. The church often asks "what can we do?" The author, who is of native American ancestry and is a devout Christian, gives an answer. It's not what most of us want to hear!

[Haley Elenbaas Thomas · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was so so good. I recommend to anyone. It’s Christian based, but also is so full of good knowledge for all. Sarah goes really deep discussing the history of the doctrine of discovery, the way the church has used and abused these systems, and how the systems of this world have stolen directly from indigenous communities in the past and currently. I felt like I learned so much, and was exposed to how my being has been a part of oppressing indigenous communities. She also shares a lot about her personal experience and how we can move forward.

[Jesse · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow. An amazing, profound, convicting book. Opens the mind and heart to deep broken systems that not only drive modern society but are the foundation it is built upon. There will be great loss for those on the top, but great new life possible for the vulnerable. It reminds me of the harsh true behind Luke 6. But the author writes with humility, hope and graciousness. One can only imagine how amazing it would be for churches to join together for justice for our world, creation, from the ground up.

[Melissa · Rating 5 out of 5]

An amazing eye opening, faith changing read. Each chapter was dense, full of information and grounded in Scripture as well as church history. I printed the reading guide and found it very useful for reinforcing the points.

There is so much depth to be gained through understanding the Indigenous perspective of Creation - to understand that we are a part of Creation, not separate from it, and how that should inform our living. I really appreciate Augustine's use of Christ's teachings and the Old Testament in each chapter.

I highly recommend this book.

[Nina · Rating 4 out of 5]

A perfect read for Indigenous Heritage month, of course, but more than that a perfect book for learning why colonization and oppression go against ancient law, the basic principles of Christianity, and basic moral sense. Additionally, Augustine spells out actions we can collectively take today to end the continued oppression and dehumanization of indigenous populations all over the globe. For they are our relatives, our brothers and sisters in humanity, which should be reason enough to end systemic oppression, resource extraction, and greed.

[Wintermote · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars. Obviously the author is an authority on the subject and I was thankful for her honesty and bold call to Christians and perhaps even more to Mennonites to make radical changes in our lives, policies, and understandings. I do wish the book had been organization a little differently, that would’ve helped me retain more that just the essential messages of the chapters—but I recognize that’s Personal preference.

[Kathryn Clare · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Land Is Not our Own

This book needs to be read & discussed with a group, so that we learn how to raise our voices for justice by dismantling the Doctrine of Discovery that fuels the corporate structures that take advantage of Indigenous peoples & are destroying our planet. If we don't do something to stop this March towards death, it could mean the end of the human race. Fortunately, the author gives effective ideas on how to do this.