Doctrine of Discovery

Introduction

In 2012, New York Yearly meeting's Indian Affairs Committee brought to the Yearly Meeting a minute of conscience for the body's approval that repudiated the so-called Doctrine of Christian Discovery, a principle of international law that orginiated with papal bulls issued in the late 15th and early 16th centuries that granted "Christian princes" sovereignty over the lands being "discovered" in the New World and over its indigenous peoples.

This web page gathers all the materials that have been approved or published regarding New York Yearly Meeting and the Doctrine of Discovery, including minutes approvied by the body and other efforts to resist the Doctrine's influence on American and international law and policy.

NYYM Documents relating to the Doctrine of Discovery

NYYM Actions

• New York Yearly Meeting's original minute on the Doctrine of Discovery (2012)
• Letter to Pople Francis asking him to rescind the papal bulls that established the Docrtine of Discovery (2015)
  • The text of the letter to Pope Francis
  • Response of the Apostolic Nunciature USA

Resources on the Doctrine of Discovery

• What Is the Doctrine of Discovery? Why Should It Be Repudiated? (fact sheet).
• Website dedicated to the Doctrine of Discovery.
• “Christian ‘doctrine’ fueled dehumanization”—article published by Common Dreams, a progressive news and opinion site.
• The Doctrine of Discovery: Unmasking the Domination Code—a film on the Doctrine of Discvoery by Dakota filmmaker Sheldon Wolfchild and 38 Puls 2 Productions.
• Canadian Yearly Meeting's Statement on the Doctrine of Discovery.
• Minutes of Conscience from New England Yearly Meeting and Philadelphia Yearly Meetings.

Indian Affairs Committee

Indian Affairs Committee web page