S4E5 Pt. 1: Origin Seeks and Faith Calls: Liminal Spaces, Transitional Times

Balancing an American Indigenous identity with a Christian faith calling from within a "liminal space" between these worlds can be a place of learning and discernment.

Vance Blackfox cannot help but be Native, but he chooses to be Christian every day, and this liminal space helps him navigate how to be safe and effective in non-Indigenous environments.

When asked about changes in tribal inclusion within the church since he started in 1988-89, Vance expressed frustration that many of the same issues he raised decades ago remain unresolved, questioning when the church will fully implement promised changes.

Vance Blackfox, an Indigenous theologian and citizen of the Cherokee Nation, serves as the Director of Ecumenical and Tribal Relations of the Indigenous Theological Circle. Previously, Vance served the churchwide organization of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) as the Director of Indigenous Ministries and Tribal Relations. An alumnus of Texas Lutheran University (TLU) and the Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago (LSTC), Vance has served the ELCA in multiple capacities, from taking a post as National President of the Lutheran Youth Organization during his TLU days to later working as a diversity and cultural education professional for the Women of the ELCA, Augsburg Fortress Publishers, California Lutheran University, ELCA Youth Gathering, and LSTC’s Youth in Mission. In addition to serving numerous ELCA and ecumenical teams and committees throughout the years, he has also served as Indigenous Theologian and Coordinating Team Member for the ELCA’s Theological Round Table, as Indigenous theologian for the Faith-Based Initiative for the City of San Antonio, and is the creator and producer of the Vine Deloria Jr. Theological Symposium hosted at LSTC.Vance is the founder and director of Other+Wise, a multi-site cultural education and cultural immersion program for youth and student groups from across the country. He has also served as the Director of Communications at the National Native American Boarding School Healing Coalition and at Native Americans in Philanthropy, and has held executive director positions at the Haskell Foundation, which supports Haskell Indian Nations University, and the Oaks Indian Mission.