Introduction: Who we are and what we bring -- The Doctrine of Discovery and why it matters -- The power of narratives and the imagination -- The kingdom of God is about relationship not empire -- The rise and defense of Christendom -- A dysfunctional theology brought to the "new" world -- Exceptionalism and the founding documents of the United States -- Dysfunctional theology and the spread of settler colonialism -- Genocide, the impact of a dysfunctional theology -- Abraham Lincoln and the narrative of white messiahship -- Abraham Lincoln and native genocide -- The complex trauma of the American story -- The Christian worldview and the failure of re-conciliation -- Conclusion: Truth and conciliation

"You cannot discover lands already inhabited. In this prophetic blend of history, theology, and cultural commentary, Mark Charles and Soong-Chan Rah reveal the damaging effects of the "Doctrine of Discovery," which institutionalized American triumphalism and white supremacy. This book calls our nation and churches to a truth-telling that will expose past injustices and open the door to conciliation and true community"--