Rescuing the Gospel from the Cowboys - by Richard Twiss (Paperback)

About the Book

The gospel of Jesus has not always been good news for Native Americans. But despite the far-reaching effects of colonialism, some Natives have forged culturally authentic ways to follow Jesus. In his final work, Richard Twiss surveys the complicated history of Christian missions among Indigenous peoples and voices a hopeful vision of contextual Native Christian faith.

Book Synopsis

Missio Alliance Essential Reading List
One of Seedbed's 10 Notable Books

The gospel of Jesus has not always been good news for Native Americans.

The history of North America is marred by atrocities committed against Native peoples. Indigenous cultures were erased in the name of Christianity. As a result, to this day few Native Americans are followers of Jesus. However, despite the far-reaching effects of colonialism, some Natives have forged culturally authentic ways to follow the way of Jesus.

In his final work, Richard Twiss provides a contextualized Indigenous expression of the Christian faith among the Native communities of North America. He surveys the painful, complicated history of Christian missions among Indigenous peoples and chronicles more hopeful visions of culturally contextual Native Christian faith. For Twiss, contextualization is not merely a formula or evangelistic strategy, but rather a relational process of theological and cultural reflection within a local community. Native leaders reframe the gospel narrative in light of post-colonization, reincorporating traditional practices and rituals while critiquing and correcting the assumptions of American Christian mythologies.

Twiss gives voice to the stories of Native followers of Jesus, with perspectives on theology and spirituality plus concrete models for intercultural ministry. Future generations of Native followers of Jesus, and those working crossculturally with them, will be indebted to this work.

Review Quotes

"Although Rescuing the Gospel from the Cowboys is primarily written for a Native audience, Christians of all ethnicities ignore books like this at our own peril. Twiss and other Indigenous theologians are important prophetic voices to Christianity in America. The integrity of the Church--as well as the effectiveness of our participation in God's mission of reconciliation and redemption--is severely diminished by ignoring the theological contributions of our Native brothers and sisters."

--James Stambaugh, The Englewood Review of Books, Summer 2015

"Having sat at the feet of Richard Twiss, known the warmth of his friendship and grieved his passing, I was thrilled to learn of this volume we now hold. Rescuing the Gospel from the Cowboys is a significant book for all who seek to live in the way of Jesus. Speaking honestly and respectfully in the face of oppression and violence perpetrated in the name of the good news, Twiss invites fresh and real ways of following in the way of Jesus without preference to any one cultural frame, and therefore opens the way to be who you are, as a particular person, of a particular culture, and to do so in the shambolic way of the Creator. This book accomplishes a vital task that should be self-evident: a person can be fully Lakota and fully Christian--in fact, there is no other way to be fully Christian. Twiss throws open the door for all indigenous churches to wrestle afresh with the fact that the gospel is at home in every culture and simultaneously alien to every culture."

--Dwight J. Friesen, associate professor of practical theology at the Seattle School of Theology Psychology, coauthor of The New Parish and author of Thy Kingdom Connected

"In Rescuing the Gospel from the Cowboys, Dr. Richard Twiss is articulate as usual. He has an assertive and yet gracious ability to help non-Natives change their minds about Indigenous issues. I'm grateful for Richard's strong voice that is still resounding among us for our Indigenous people."

--Cheryl Bear Barnetson, Nadleh Whut'en First Nation, BC, Canada

"Richard Twiss's Rescuing the Gospel from the Cowboys provokes and challenges while leading readers into a Native American understanding of the 'Jesus Way.' The reader is confronted directly with racism, oppression and pain in Twiss's own personal narrative as he sought to express a contextualized indigenous Christian theology that extended far beyond the limitations of 'white man's religion.' This indigenous account of decolonization of the gospel presents profound truths about the person of Christ and significant historical lessons from indigenous believers."

--Mae Elise Cannon, author of Just Spirituality: How Faith Practices Fuel Social Action, Social Justice Handbook: Small Steps for a Better World, and coauthor of Forgive Us: Confessions of a Compromised Faith

About the Author

Richard Twiss (Taoyate Ob Najin, "He Stands with His People," 1954-2013), was the founder of Wiconi International. A Sicangu Lakota, he was a cofounder of NAIITS (North American Institute for Indigenous Theological Studies) and a cofounder of Evangelicals for Justice. He earned a doctorate in missiology from Asbury Theological Seminary and was the author of One Church, Many Tribes. He is survived by his wife, Katherine, and his sons and grandsons.