Contextualizing the Character of God for Colonized Peoples

How do we introduce Indigenous people to a loving Creator when Christianity itself has sometimes contributed to a distorted picture of Him?

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At the heart of the Great Controversy is a question about the character of God: Who is He, and can He be trusted? For many Indigenous people, this question carries particular weight. Christianity did not always come to Indigenous communities simply as an invitation to know Jesus and the Creator's great love for humanity. It also became associated with the painful history of colonization, residential schools, and the forced loss of language and culture.

The Scriptures help us understand the importance of the separation of church and state, especially as we near the end of time. History has repeatedly demonstrated the dangers that arise when this biblical principle is ignored. In Canada, the involvement of Christian churches in government policies connected to the name of Christ left deep wounds that continue to affect Indigenous communities today. The union of these two powers presented a distorted gospel—one associated with force and coercion rather than the freedom found in a loving Saviour. As a result, actions carried out by Christians have sometimes misrepresented the character of Christ and left people questioning the God Christians claimed to represent.

This presents an important challenge for those of us serving in Indigenous ministry: How do we introduce people to a loving Creator when Christianity itself has sometimes contributed to a distorted picture of Him?

The Bible provides a powerful framework for answering this question through the theme of the Great Controversy. It reveals a conflict between Christ and Satan over the character of God. It also explains how humanity became caught in this struggle and how Jesus came into our dark world to reveal the true character of God and ultimately restore what sin has broken.

The message itself does not need to change. However, my experience in Indigenous ministry has taught me that the way we communicate that message sometimes must. This requires us to listen, learn, understand the history and culture of the people we serve, and find meaningful ways of communicating biblical truth while remaining faithful to Scripture. The challenge is not to create a different gospel for Indigenous people, but to communicate the everlasting gospel in a way that can be clearly heard and understood within an Indigenous context.

One principle that has helped guide my approach is contextualization. The Seventh-day Adventist Church's guidelines on “Engaging in Global Mission” describe contextualization as communicating the gospel “in a culturally meaningful way” while remaining faithful to Scripture. They describe this approach as “biblical, legitimate, and necessary,” while also warning against syncretism—the blending of religious truth with error.

We can see this principle in the ministry of Paul. He wrote, “I have become all things to all men, that I might by all means save some” (1 Cor 9:22). In Athens, Paul noticed an altar inscribed “to the unknown god” and used it as a bridge to introduce his audience to the biblical Creator: “Therefore, the One whom you worship without knowing, Him I proclaim to you” (Acts 17:23). Paul used something familiar to his listeners to communicate biblical truth without compromising the message.

Faithful contextualization, therefore, does not change biblical truth to fit the culture. Scripture remains the standard; our task is to communicate its message in ways that can be meaningfully understood by the people we are seeking to reach.

I have seen firsthand how this approach can open meaningful conversations. At one Indigenous gathering where people came from different communities and backgrounds, I presented a topic entitled “The Roots of Colonization.” I opened the presentation with the story of Daniel and his friends in Daniel 1. They had been taken from their homeland to Babylon, placed within a new system of education, taught a new language, and given new names. Although Daniel 1 is not describing the Canadian residential school system, the similarities immediately caught the attention of those listening. They could recognize within the biblical story experiences that connected with their own history.

From there, I used the Great Controversy as a framework to look deeper at the roots of colonization. Before there was ever war and bloodshed on earth, sin arose in the heart of Lucifer. Pride and self-exaltation led him to desire a position that was not his: “I will exalt my throne above the stars of God” (Isa 14:13). His rebellion eventually brought war and division into heaven. The same spirit of pride, selfishness, and domination and the desire for power have continued within the human family and can be seen throughout our history of conquest, war, and bloodshed. Colonization can therefore be understood within the larger biblical story of what sin has done to humanity.

This does not remove responsibility from individuals, governments, or churches for the wrongs they have committed. Rather, the Great Controversy reminds us that we belong to one human family and helps us recognize the deeper spiritual conflict behind human oppression and division.

After the presentation, one Indigenous participant who was not an Adventist shared with me how this perspective had opened his eyes. He explained that he had hated white people because of what had been done to his people. But now he could see a bigger picture. The ultimate enemy was not another group of people, but Satan, who has worked throughout human history to bring division within the human family. For me, this was a powerful example of how the Bible and the theme of the Great Controversy can speak meaningfully within an Indigenous context and help move the conversation from division toward healing and reconciliation.

Ultimately, contextualization must become more than an effective presentation of words; it must become a lived expression of what the Bible teaches. If we are seeking to introduce people to the Creator, then His character must not only be proclaimed through our words but also reflected in the way we live.

We see this most clearly in Jesus. When people heard Him speak, they declared, “No man ever spoke like this Man!” (John 7:46). Ellen White explains why His words carried such power: “Had His life been other than it was, He could not have spoken as He did. His words bore with them a convincing power” (The Ministry of Healing, 469). His life gave testimony to the truth of His words.

I experienced this personally with a man who, for several years, rarely spoke to me. One day, however, he told me that he had been watching me. He had noticed the way I treated the elders and youth of his Nation and the love I showed toward them. He then told me that he was happy I was there. His words reminded me that even when people may not say much to us, they may still be watching how we live. They may be studying our lives long before they ever study the Bible.

As Seventh-day Adventists, we keep the Sabbath because we believe in and worship the Creator. If our purpose is to introduce people to Jesus, our Creator and Redeemer, then our words and our lives must together bear witness to who He truly is.

God is love.

Valoaga Siatunu’u is the pastor of the Gwa’sala-‘Nakwaxda’xw Seventh-day Adventist Church in Port Hardy, British Columbia.