Junipero Serra: saint or tyrant?

Two sides of an American issue

Does history have two sides?

CHRISTOPHER COLUMBUS

“Columbus had all the spirit of a crusader, and, at the same time, the investigating nature of a modern man of science.” – Edmund Arthur Helps

“Columbus' government was characterised by a form of tyranny.” – Conseulo Varela

Or how about…GEORGE W. BUSH

Bush Country: How George W. Bush Became the First Great Leader of the 21st Century—While Driving Liberals Insane

Worse Than Watergate: The Secret Presidency of George W. Bush

(actual book titles)

Father Junipero Serra

• Spanish Franciscan friar

• Founded first nine of 21 Spanish missions in California

• Converted and housed Native Americans

• Beatified by Pope John Paul II in 1988

• Up for canonization by Pope Francis in 2015

Canonize him…“Serra faced government and settler demands for retributive justice against the Indians and put his life in jeopardy by insisting on radical mercy. I see his devotion to Native Californians as heartfelt, plain-spoken and borne out by continuous example. When the pope canonizes Serra in September in Washington, I would like to be there.”

—Gregory Orfalea, Los Angeles Times

…or don’t?“Pope Francis' decision to declare Father Junipero Serra a saint in recognition of his work as ‘the evangelizer of the West in the United States’ represents a profound insult to Native Americans and an injustice to history. … Even by 18th century standards, Serra's religious fanaticism was over the top. … Over a period of about 150 years, the native population declined by more than 90%.”

—Tony Platt, Los Angeles Times

So, where do we start?

Pre-reading exercise:

Anticipation guide•What do we know?

•What do we presume to know?

•What are our attitudes?

•Are we biased?

Question 1

Is one culture ever justified in entering and converting another? If so, when and why?

Question 2Does a “saint” need to be perfect? If so, what is our standard for perfection? And if not, which good qualities are enough to outweigh flaws?

Question 3Do the ends always justify the means? Is it acceptable to resort to violence or strict discipline for the greater good of the world?

Later in this lesson…

•We will read two op-eds about Junipero Serra and do additional research online

•We will form pairs and have in-class debates about whether Serra deserves to be canonized

Good luck!…and have fun being historians and debaters.

Remember, history will be in your generation’s hands one day!