SerpApi.Org
Sarah Lucas, a lead pastor of the Foundations for Nations Church, which she co-founded with her husband, Jason, on the Wind River Reservation in Wyoming, is facing criticism and protests after calling the sacred Sun Dance ritual of the Northern Arapaho Tribe “idol worship” in a recent sermon.
In a clip from a sermon on July 5, Lucas made it clear that she did not approve of the Sun Dance. Now, her church, located on a private parcel of land in Arapahoe, is reportedly being asked to leave the reservation and has riled protesters who felt her message was disrespectful to their customs.
The Sun Dance, according to the Oklahoma Historical Society, is an annual multi-day religious ceremony practiced by a variety of Native Americans in the summer. The ritual serves as a form of community renewal and prayer for healing, promoting spiritual endurance through fasting and dancing around a central pole.
“This nation gathered this week and they prayed. They prayed to pipes, they prayed to their ancestors, believing that this is the way for their freedom to get free from addiction, for people to be healed from their sickness. This is what this culture did this week, and we went on as church as normal,” Lucas said before declaring that Jesus is the only God that should be worshiped.
“Jesus is the chain breaker. He is the only God that we should be praying to. A pipe cannot hear your prayers. It’s just a piece of material,” Lucas said, likely referring to the revered "grandfather pipe" that is linked to the Arapaho creation story that teaches that "the world was made from the mud at the bottom of the endless waters."
“And this is a cycle they are caught up in. This is all they’ve ever known and the Lord is saying tear down the idols, tear down the altars, they’re idol worship.”
Actor Christian Wassana, an enrolled Cheyenne Arapaho of Oklahoma known for his portrayal of Martin Kills Many on “Yellowstone,” was critical of Lucas' comments on Facebook.
“A pastor speaking at a church on the Rez in Wyoming condemning Sundance, one of our oldest and most sacred ceremonies. It feels like history repeating itself, with attempts to erase and discredit our traditional way of life,” Wassana lamented.
“Our lodges and ceremonies existed long before any church came to this land. Our ceremonies and way of life are a way of healing, identity, and connection for our people. Everyone has the right to practice their own faith. But claiming that one path is the only path while belittling and condemning ours is deeply disheartening. Respect should go both ways. Our traditions deserve the same dignity and respect as any other faith.”
Wassana’s post has since generated a wave of negative reactions, which prompted Northern Arapaho tribal leaders to ask Lucas and her church to leave the reservation, according to Cowboy State Daily. But Lucas, who started her nondenominational church in 2017, said she had no plans to leave just yet and is hoping for a “revival” in the meantime.
Lucas told the newspaper that she will not apologize for preaching the Gospel but is sorry that her words "came off as an attack.”
“But I am a Christian preacher. I am a pastor, and I preach the full counsel of God’s word,” she was quoted as saying.
One of the central teachings of the New Testament is John 3: 16, which states: "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life."
Foundations for Nations Church did not immediately respond to a request for comment from The Christian Post on Tuesday.
While Foundations for Nations Church sits on land located within the borders of the Wind River Indian Reservation, the parcel it sits on is private, not tribal, reports Cowboy State Daily. The church has operated in Fremont County for nearly a decade.
In a statement Monday, Keenan Groesbeck, chairman of the Northern Arapaho Business Council, said they adopted a new tribal policy “reaffirming the Northern Arapaho Tribe’s inherent sovereign authority to require consultation and governmental authorization for outside organizations seeking to conduct recurring ministries, charitable services, outreach programs, and other organized activities on lands under the jurisdiction of the Northern Arapaho Tribe.”
He said that Foundations for Nations was notified about the new policy and must now meet with the Business Council within 10 days “to discuss its mission, leadership, funding, activities, and any documentation it believes demonstrates authorization to operate on lands under Tribal jurisdiction."
“This policy is not about preventing anyone from practicing their religion,” Groesbeck said. “It is about respecting the sovereign government of the Northern Arapaho Tribe. Any outside organization seeking to conduct organized activities within our jurisdiction should first communicate with the elected leadership of our Nation and work in partnership with the Tribe.”
