Undoing Manifest Destiny INTERVIEW WITH THE AUTHOR
JON BOYD IVP vice president of editorial and associate publisher
Jon Boyd: You are an Old Testament scholar. Why did you want to write a book on American history and colonialism? L. Daniel Hawk: The journey toward this book began decades ago as an academic exercise—namely, when I decided to read Joshua in conversation with the American conquest narrative. That got me reading Indigenous histories of the United States. I was astounded, and then dismayed, by what I read and what I learned from conversations with Indigenous colleagues and friends. I discovered how much has been glossed over and silenced. The silence was particularly deafening regarding the use of Christian theology to justify the colonial project. I began speaking and writing on the topic, which led eventually to writing this book. JB: Many of the stories in this book are disturbing to read. Why do you think it’s necessary to tell them today? LDH: Because the stories are still with us: in the generational trauma and continuing assaults on tribal sovereignty suffered by Indigenous nations; in the ways that mainstream culture renders Indigenous peoples as figures from the past rather than vibrant communities in the present; and in the subterranean influence of the colonial script, which is manifested by our nation’s infatuation with violence, the persistence of racial antagonism, and the exploitation of land. Exposing the stories that White settler America has repressed is the first and necessary step toward composing a new script that values all voices, honors all stories, and recognizes the good gifts and wisdom that Indigenous peoples offer.
JB: How do you hope your book might help readers better engage with the Bible?
LDH: We Protestants commonly view the Bible as a lamp, which lights our way and shows us what to believe and how to live. I draw on a different biblical metaphor. I approach the book of Joshua as a mirror, a truth-telling text that reflects who we are, both the good and the bad. Reading Joshua as a mirror renders it a pivotal resource for naming and exposing the colonial program, not only because of the common plot it shares with the American conquest narrative, but also in the ways that Joshua—an extraordinarily sophisticated and subtle book—models how to confront painful truths and steward difficult conversations. JB: What’s some encouraging feedback you’ve received as this book goes out into the world? LDH: I’ve been encouraged by responses from Indigenous colleagues and friends. Some have been telling painful stories to deaf Christian settler ears for a long time. My effort to tell some of the stories and to expose settler justifications and denials has been well-received. One early Indigenous reviewer has voiced the hope that the book might offer a model for future decolonizing conversations. That is my hope as well. ■
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