ABSTRACT
Contemporary Native Americans have to grapple with the exclusionary reading of the Hebrew Bible that aided the genocide against their ancestors. This contribution traces the roots of the identification of Native Americans with Canaan and outlines responses from contemporary native theologians and authors. Three areas of focus are suggested for a constructive engagement with this topic: to practise lament, to deconstruct church teachings on this topic, and to change our mission practices towards a decolonial praxis of mission. I conclude that it is necessary for contemporary readers to strongly distance themselves from violent readings that legitimize conquest in order to arrive at a truly decolonial reading of exclusionary texts.
