History books are filled with stories of colonization, oppression, and cultural genocide perpetrated by the hands of European settlers. It's an unfortunate saga, to say the least, and it is made all the more painful by the church's participation in the conquest. Across the world and to varying degrees, the church stood by and often participated in some of the most appalling instances of what would collectively be referred to as colonization.

To this day, it is a scar on the history of the church, and the involvement of missionaries in the building of European empires at the expense of indigenous people has led many to question whether missions as a whole bears a permanent mark of shame. Yet today, as much as ever, the church sends out missionaries in hopes of reaching others for Christ. How are we to square this with its less-than-perfect history? Are missionaries, as a whole, just perpetuating the sins of our past? Should the whole enterprise be abandoned? These are tough questions, and they deserve honest answers. 

Luckily, we have an expert. Today, with Dr. Chris DeWelt, we ask whether missionaries are still guilty of colonization.