The Great Commission, Papal Bulls and the Doctrine of Discovery: from the 4th Century to Current Law

Abstract

When we study Canada's Indian Residential Schools, we frequently hear words reconciliation, of discovery and What we do not hear is the great commission. This paper traces history of great commission, papal bulls and doctrine of discovery. The purpose is to continue a study into what caused Indian Residential Schools to come into existence. The first paper in this study was The Deep History of White Supremacist Laws and Canada’s Indian Residential Schools: Agriculture, Civilization, Great Chain of Being and Great (March 16, 2021). Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=3805447 or http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.3805447 The current paper expands on history of Great Commission: idea that Christianity is one true religion, that Catholic Church has universal authority over all humans, that Christians are compelled by God to treat every non-Christian either as a potential convert or someone who should be killed. In my view, Great Chain of Being and Great Commission are irreconcilable with reconciliation between Christians and indigenous peoples. This paper traces history of papal bulls that purported to give indigenous lands to Christians monarchs. This paper notes that purported objective of of discovery was to prevent Christian monarchs from going to war against each other over discovered lands once pope had declared which Christian monarch had right to spread Christianity in those lands. This paper examines history of how of discovery was a complete failure. Christian monarchs constantly ignored papal bulls and constantly went to war against each other for discovered lands. Further, not only were papal bulls about Great Commission and discovery, they were primarily about white supremacy and enslavement of Africans and indigenous peoples. It is a grave mistake to use vocabulary of invaders (doctrine of discovery) instead of more accurate vocabulary of what was really going on: white supremacy. Do not exaggerate importance of of discovery and related papal bulls. If they ever did have influence, their power over Christian monarchs ended in 15th century.