Native Americans are a very spiritual people. A foundational spiritual belief among Native American traditionalists and post-traditionalists is that there is One Creator, whom they call the “Great Spirit” and the “Great Mystery.”
Interestingly, the Apostle Paul, in his letters to the early church, used the word “mystery” 17 times, trying to dispel the confusion of God’s purposes for humankind—“Christ in you, the Hope of Glory!” (Colossians 1:27)—and end the prejudice between Jews and non-Jews.
Most Native Americans believe that, since the Creator made all things, all things must be spiritually connected or related. They also do not believe humankind is at the top of the food chain; rather, they are one with creation and must live in balance with their environment. In other words, the Native worldview is not hierarchical, but egalitarian.
A common Siouan phrase used is “Mitákuye Oyás’iŋ,” which means “We are all related.” It is not uncommon to read Native authors personify the elements of our world, referring to “mother earth,” and “two-legged” and “four-legged nations.” This explains their universal concern and care for the earth.
Sadly, I have also discovered that most non-Natives automatically associate traditional Native beliefs with the New Age or with pantheism (the belief that there is no personal Creator God but rather an energy or essence shared with all creation). My current understanding is that this is not the case. A Siouan word often used interchangeably with the “Great Mystery” is “Grandfather,” a loved and revered elder. Certainly, this alone should dismiss the idea of an ethereal, non-personal entity.
Why is this important to understanding? Because the Bible has many passages that seem to personify nature. The following passages, and others, will be interpreted differently based on a person’s worldview:
The heavens proclaiming God’s glory (Psalm 19:1)
The trees clapping their hands (Isaiah 55:12)
The sea and wind obeying Him (Luke 8:24)
The fields, trees of the forest, and all within them singing for joy (Psalm 96:10-13)
Nature acting as a witness to God’s existence (Romans 1:20) and instructing humanity (Job 12:7-9)
In Genesis 1, nature responding immediately to God’s spoken commands (such as, “Let there be light,” and there was light).
And, Jesus noting in Luke 19:40 that if people do not praise him, the stones themselves would shout out.
Then there is the sower in the book of Matthew who indiscriminately sows his seeds on rocks, the path and even in a few brier bushes. Read literally, it makes no sense to the Western mind (and many others) for the sower to waste seed on places that have little or no chance for a harvest. But this same parable makes perfect sense to someone who believes that the Great Spirit made all creation and all creation is equally deserving to hear the good news of Jesus. Therefore, in their way of thinking, why not share it with rocks and bushes, elk, bears and birds?
Actually, all nature already declares the glory of God. It’s only us two-legged nations that seem confused about the gospel.
