It has become trendy in recent years to rag on Christopher Columbus. Indeed, here in Seattle, they’ve officially replaced Columbus Day with Indigenous Peoples’ Day. Many Christians have hopped on the bandwagon, throwing our long-passed brother-in-Christ under said bandwagon, and have done so loudly from the street corner so that all may witness their virtue.
Last year, I got in a lengthy discussion with an old friend, let’s call him Bryant (because his name is Bryant,) a brother-in-Christ whom I have great respect for, over this very issue. Since then, I’ve pondered the matter. And so, Bryant, it is to you I dedicate this blog.
Have at.
“We are constantly being told that theologians used racks and thumbscrews, and so they did. Theologians used racks and thumbscrews just as they used thimbles and three-legged stools, because everybody else used them.”
– G.K. Chesterton
I’ve considered your arguments, and I’ve come to a conclusion…
Your real issue rests not with Columbus, but with the world in which he lived. And that’s perfectly reasonable — one should take issue with that world because it had faults aplenty. One should take issue with our world because it has faults aplenty. And the truth of the matter is that we don’t see all of them clearly. You are blind to your own blind spots. (otherwise, they’d just be called “spots”)
Let’s say in a hundred years, it is absolutely clear that eating animals is immoral. It turns out the Seventh Day Adventists were right and we’ve totally been misreading Scripture. Everyone now sees it. Our great-grandchildren cry at our barbarity.
The fact that we lived in such a world doesn’t mean that the good we accomplished is forfeit.
If you ran into a burning school and saved the lives of 50 children right now, that would be a good thing. It would be silly for people to look back and say, “Yeah, well, he did that, but was he vegan?”
That won’t have meant that your bacon-eating wasn’t abhorrent and deserving of the hottest fires of Hell, but it does mean that when we’re weighing your contribution to the betterment of the world, context matters. It’s silly to pretend otherwise.
So, yes, Columbus and those who followed him were engaged in terrible sins, slavery included. But for context, so were the natives. Incidentally, this is why it makes no sense to replace Columbus Day with Indigenous People Day — they were doing the exact same thing (plus cannibalism). To call the former evil without also condemning the latter is hypocritical (and, worse, logically inconsistent).
Now, at this point, I suppose it becomes necessary to say what exactly Columbus did that was so good.
Well, two things:
1) He expanded western civilization, bringing new technologies, medicines, and a dramatic improvement to the quality of life for the peoples of North and South America.
2) He brought the Gospel.
Debate the first point all you want. Fine. The second is what really matters.
Whatever negatives may have come with him, the fact remains that Columbus changed the eternal destiny of millions of people. Countless generations of natives were born, died, and went to an eternity of agonizing separation from their true Creator. And there’s no telling how long that would have continued apart from Columbus’ chance (or, one might venture, providential) discovery.
That is not inconsequential.
Let me put it another way: Columbus has brought more people to the saving knowledge of Jesus Christ than you, me, and the rest of your Facebook friends list combined. Before we rush to judgment, let’s bear that in mind.
“Who are you to judge another man’s servant?”
– Romans 14:4
Does it mean he was innocent of wrongdoing?
No, of course not. Like every single historic figure ever — biblical ones included — he had faults. But the expansion of the kingdom of God on earth and the salvation of countless souls is nothing to scoff at. And if sinlessness is a prerequisite for having one’s own holiday, then we might as well make every holiday Jesus Day, because he’s the only one who’d merit any.
Which, I mean, hey, maybe isn’t that bad of an idea…
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This essay was re-posted with permission from Andrew Haack’s blog. Andrew is a spirit-filled sage of great wisdom and a world-renown purveyor of good news and bad jokes. You can find his work on his blog or follow him on Twitter!
Columbus was a terrible human being. According to his words in relation to the word of God and truth. He was not just an uninformed product of his time. His words and actions were misguided and anti-Christ centered. It is okay for us believers to identify and call out inappropriate and evil behaviors of those who have gone before us regardless of the perceived benefit they accomplished. He behaviors were evil and should be called out as such. His holiday was not observed until in 1930s some Italian Americans lobbied for someone for their kids to look up to. There are plenty of others to celebrate and he was wrong choice.
This is an example of a Christ centered explorer who worked hard for justice and mercy throughout his lifetime and is a much better example than Columbus.
“Bartolomé de las Casas spent 50 years of his life actively fighting slavery and the colonial abuse of indigenous peoples, especially by trying to convince the Spanish court to adopt a more humane policy of colonization. Unlike some other priests who sought to destroy the indigenous peoples’ native books and writings, he strictly opposed this action.[6]”
One important step of humility for leaders is to truly acknowledge the dark sides of history. Honestly acknowledging the mistakes of our imperialistic roots, including the policy of “manifest destiny.” This is a statement that was read by Columbus and other Italian and Spanish conquerors to indigenous people. This was done in the name of Christ, the church and Spain. As the inappropriately identified holiday of Columbus Day is no longer celebrated in many places, here is one reason:
“I implore you to recognize the Church as a lady and in the name of the Pope take the King as lord of this land and obey his mandates. If you do not do it, I tell you that with the help of God I will enter powerfully against you all. I will make war everywhere and every way that I can. I will subject you to the yoke and obedience to the Church and to his majesty. I will take your women and children and make them slaves . . . The deaths and injuries that you will receive form here on will be your own fault and not that of his majesty nor of the gentlemen that accompany me.”
This statement typifies the conqueror mentality that many in the world today still use to reject the love of Christ.
Lord forgive us and those who have gone before us and have profaned your name, heal our land.
All fair points Darrin, and thanks for lending your voice to the discussion. I don’t want to erase or diminish the evil done by Columbus, but I do want us to look back at history with humility, remembering to always examine our own hearts for the sin we are blind to as he was. Thanks for reading!!