Wiconi International: A Native North American Contextual Movement in Christ

WCIU Journal: Area Studies Topic

November 3, 2015

by Namarr Newson

This is research about a phenomenal form of ministry and theology practiced by renowned First Nations ministers of North America within an organization. This research reflects personal observation, volunteer involvement, personal conversations with these leaders, and academic study utilized to establish good perspective. This perspective involves contextualization necessary to share the Gospel with North American Indians within their own cultural context and negate an enduring custom of ridding them from their cultural values to become Christians. This customary practice of Christian mission towards these people discouraged them to not follow Christ or to follow Christ at the expense of disregarding their own tribal culture.

As a result of this problem for multiple generations, it is often believed that the First Nations are unlikely to accept the Gospel as ultimate truth. If they do accept it, then the propaganda is that Indian cultural values must not be practiced anymore or it shouldn’t be as important as was to the person(s) before. The aim of this research study is to reveal that there are more First Nations followers of Christ than many others believe, and that there are tribal leaders sharing the Gospel contextually and academically. This is an issue about theological development in the North American region. It is a robust phenomenon that is commonly opposed by other ministers.

This study also serves as an illustration that not only is this contextual movement through this particular organization known as Wiconi International a testimony of the teaching of Jesus, but why it is very necessary to be practiced by the First Nations that were historically victimized from ethnocide enforced by practitioners of Western tradition that misrepresented or misunderstood the teachings of Christ Jesus.

 Read the full article here.

Namarr Newson is a graduate of Asbury Theological Seminary in Wilmore, KY. His major field of study was Intercultural Studies, and he is currently involved in community outreach with Native American Indians.