Sacred Instructions

December 11, 2017
Lawyer and activist Mitchell, a member of the Penawahpskek (Penobscot) Nation, offers an all-embracing message of human connectedness that will resonate widely. Drawing on her own spiritual experiences, Mitchell argues that all human beings are inextricably connected to one another and to the natural world, and that the history of the United States is one of conquest and genocide driven by Christian religious extremism. New stories of wholeness and interconnection are urgently needed, she says, to turn society from its currently destructive path. She writes that coming to terms with a history of violence, decolonizing natural and social resources (like courts and schools), rejecting patriarchal hierarchies, and recentering communal values can help to create a new and better future. The work contrasts the values of community, collaboration, and inclusivity (which Mitchell positions as intrinsically Native American) with Euro-American individuality, competition, and exclusivity. Those who don’t share Mitchell’s beliefs in the interconnectedness of all will probably not be swayed by her arguments. However, tradition-specific language aside, the ethics and practices Mitchell promotes (particularly universal oneness) are shared widely across many world religions, and their articulation here—grounded in indigenous North American Wabanaki spiritual traditions—is a welcome resource.

February 1, 2018

Buddhist philosophy and Christian theology so frequently compete for attention that alternative voices of faith are often not heard. Mitchell (executive director, Land Peace Fdn.) introduces a rich, sophisticated, and socially aware spirituality. A member of the Penobscot Nation, the author draws from myths and histories of many Native peoples that are filtered through her story, family, ancestors, and elders. For instance, the creation story she tells is not simply an account of origins but of how her people come to relate to one another and their place along Maine's Penobscot River. Whether discussing social justice, environmental activism, Native rights, diversity, war and peace, and a myriad other topics, the author raises particularities of our universal connections that are contrasted with modern attempts to make the universal an abstraction. She concludes with a series of Native prophecies that are at once a promise of a time of renewal and a call to action. VERDICT The spirituality Mitchell displays is at once vibrant and intriguing but all too brief. Anyone interested in holistic faith traditions will find her work rewarding.--James Wetherbee, Wingate Univ. Libs., NC

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