Brian D. McLaren Quote

The statement serves as the basis for what is commonly called the Doctrine of Discovery, the teaching that whatever Christians discover, they can take and use as they wish. It is breathtaking in its theological horror. Muslims (then called Saracens) and all other non-Christians are reduced to enemies of Christ. Christians, even as they plunder, enslave, and kill, count themselves friends of Christ by contrast. Christian global mission is defined as to invade, search out, capture, vanquish, and subdue non-Christians around the world, and to steal all movable and immovable goods and to reduce their persons to perpetual slavery—and not only them, but their descendants. And notice the stunning use of the word convert: to convert them to his and their use and profit.