I am placing several items here which look at Eurocentrism – which by definition means:
” Eurocentrism (also Eurocentricity or Western-centrism) is a worldview centered on or biased towards Western civilization. The exact scope of centrism varies from the entire Western world to only Europe or even just Western Europe (especially during the Cold War). When applied to history, it may refer to an apologetic stance towards European colonialism and other forms of imperialism. The term Eurocentrism itself dates back to the late 1970s and became prevalent during the 1990s, especially in the context of decolonization and development and humanitarian aid offered by industrialised countries (First World) to developing countries (Third World). “
In reading articles and listening to discussions on this topic, I found that many of the issues spoken of, have also been issues which I have had to deal with in the process of “exiting” the teachings of my parents, teachers, and the social pressures to keep to that worldview.
In fact, many of the issues which are brought up, are directly stemming from modern western Christian teachings. These include the idea that western “civilization” and its way of looking at the world, sets up the whole scenario of colonialization which the Europeans used to “enslave, civilize and integrate” the savages they found around the world.
In this way, the struggle I have had to deal with, has in a small way paralleled the type of struggle of those peoples who the Europeans have subjugated.
I must admit that I was quite surprised to hear the same words spoken by Dr. Marie Battiste and Dr. Sákéj Henderson, in discussing the process by which the white people marginalized them.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hnw-G-D4wG8
“trans-systemic” synthesis in education……. how do we braid together the two traditions of Eurocentrism and Native American tradition.
So while this term is being used to talk about Europeans in general, the churches influence on the attitudes of those colonizers, and the churches role in trying to re-educate the peoples of the countries they wished to control, was central in this story.
Here are a few articles speaking about Eurocentrism from different points of view:
http://www.marxists.org/history/erol/ncm-7/fm-euro.pdf
Reality is Dharma 