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Kelsey Smith

Mrs. Bouch

Honors English 11

October 3, 2017

There are many different religions throughout the world, one of the largest being

Christianity. Catholicism, the fullest form of Christianity, can seem very strict and condemning

toward outsiders who are not Christians. The Catholic Church is, in reality, very welcoming to

people of other beliefs and recognizes that not all people have knowledge of the Catholic faith.

For example, the Catholic Church viewed Puritans and Native Americans fairly because Puritans

had Christian beliefs and Native Americans never had any knowledge of Christianity and, more

specifically, Catholicism.

The Vatican II documents Lumen Gentium and Nostra Aetate state that the truth of God is

fully and explicitly revealed through the Catholic Church, and that only a ray of this truth, not

the fullness of it, is revealed through creation. Because some of the truth of God is revealed

through creation, other beliefs like Puritanism and Native American religions are able to know

God. They are able to understand that there is a higher power that created everything, and that

this higher power takes care of all of creation. They are also able to understand the difference

between good and evil, which is evident in stories like Walam Olam.

Based on Lumen Gentium and Nostra Aetate, Catholics are meant to be respectful when

interacting with non-Catholics, including Native Americans and Puritans. Other religions, such

as Native American religions and Puritanism, are respected by the Catholic Church as long as

they “preserve and promote the good things” (NA para. 2). Although the Catholic Church is
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called to respect these other religions, the Church is also called to evangelize and convert them to

Catholicism. As stated in Lumen Gentium, “the Church both prays and labors in order that the

entire world may become the People of God, the Body of the Lord and the Temple of the Holy

Spirit, and that in Christ, the Head of all, all honor and glory may be rendered to the Creator and

Father of the Universe” (para. 17). Nostra Aetate also explains that we must spread the Gospel to

other people “so that they may truly be sons of the Father who is in Heaven” (para. 5)

Native American origin myths support the idea that God has revealed Himself to all

people in some way. Many of these origin myths share similar qualities with Genesis. Walam

Olam acknowledges a creator and shows that everything was created out of nothing, which is

also present in Genesis. The Navaho Origin Legend acknowledges several creators instead of just

one and says that humans were created out of natural materials: animal skins, corn, eagle

feathers, and the wind. In Genesis, humans were created out of natural materials as well, clay and

the breath of God. Other Native American origin myths share no similarities to Genesis, such as

Earth on Turtle’s Back. Earth on Turtle’s Back says that everything existed from the beginning,

but things were in different places. People lived in Skyland while fish and other animals lived in

the water below.

Puritan beliefs also show that God has revealed Himself to all people in some way.

Puritans split away from the Catholic Church, so they had beliefs that were rooted in

Catholicism. Some Puritan beliefs were very different from Catholic beliefs though. An example

of this difference in beliefs is Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God. This sermon described God

as an angry, unforgiving being. Catholic beliefs, on the other hand, show that God is very

forgiving and loving, and that He does not want anyone to go to Hell and be eternally separated
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from Him. Catholic beliefs also show that God does not predestine some people to go to Hell and

some to Heaven, which is something that Puritans believed strongly in.

The Catholic Church today still follows the guidelines laid out by Lumen Gentium and

Nostra Aetate. Following these guidelines, Catholics and all Christians must continue to show

respect for members of other religions and belief systems, just like with the Native American

religions and Puritanism. By showing respect for other religions and being welcoming in this

way, people spread the Gospel and exemplify the qualities of a good Christian. Spreading the

Gospel in turn helps to bring the fullness of God’s truth to all people.