Sámi Nature-Centered Christianity in the European Arctic

Sámi theologian Rev. Dr. Tore Johnsen is associate proffesor at KUN/VID Tromsø, Faculty of Theology, Diaconia and Leadership Studies, VID Specialized University, Norway.

• IllustrationsPreface and AcknowledgmentsChapter One: Christian Worldmaking Reconsidered: The Sámi Arctic SpeaksChapter Two: Doing Decolonial Theology in the European ArcticPart I: Historical AnalysisChapter Three: Deconstructing Historical Lutheran Discourses on the Sámi TraditionPart II: Qualitative AnalysisChapter Four: The Enacted Faith of Sámi Nature-centered ChristianityChapter Five: The Religio-philosophical Framing of Local Sámi Everyday ChristianityPart III: Theological AnalysisChapter Six: Theological Analysis through the Lens of African and Native American TheologiesChapter Seven: Blessing Liturgy and Cosmological Orientation: A Critical Conversation with Norwegian LutheranismChapter Eight: Christian Theology beyond Hierarchical Worldmaking: Sámi ContributionsAppendicesAppendix 1: List of Research ParticipantsAppendix 2: North Sámi-English GlossaryAppendix 3: Invitation Letter and Consent FormAppendix 4: Interview GuideBibliographyIndex

This eye-opener of a text succeeds in being both critical and creative. Tore Johnsen not only claims the obvious right to formulate indigenous and decolonial answers to central questions of human existence, but also shows how indispensable these answers are and why. The approach may be theological and the empirical example Sámi, but the range of the analysis is much wider. It convincingly demonstrates the advantage of using reasonings of so-called ordinary people as building-blocks in the formulation of a non-hierarchical philosophies, be they religious (as in this case) or secular.