Season of Origins
Decolonial Healing Together
The Season of Origins (Origins) is a new liturgical season developed by Kate Common in her book Undoing Conquest and is designed to equip congregations with the tools, language, and theological imagination to faithfully engage in the work of healing from centuries of Christian violence, resisting the rise of Christian nationalism, and reclaiming a liberative, justice-centered expression of faith.
Grounded in the biblical traditions, Origins is envisioned as a justice-centered, decolonial season unapologetically focused on confronting and repairing the legacies of colonialism, genocide, patriarchy, and white supremacy. It is a bold reimagining of church practice, created to support congregations actively seeking to live into reparative justice as a core expression of discipleship.
Origins at a glance
Origins is a four-week season like Advent, focusing on new archaeological findings about the origins of the Hebrew people and biblical traditions that challenge violent conquest narratives. It typically starts in October, on the Sunday before Indigenous Peoples’ Day, but some churches may observe it at a different time. Origins encompasses education, relationship-building, reparative actions, and reconciliation, beyond worship and liturgical practices. Like Advent, each week centers on a theme: Invite, Name, Repair, and Imagine.
The Four Weeks of Origins
“The Season of Origins is the antidote to Christian nationalism.”
—Rev. Sarah Buteux, UCC pastor, First Churches Northampton
Origins on the move
Kate Common was awarded grant funding from the Louisville Institute to initiate the Season of Origins Design Project. In June 2025, church leaders from seven different congregations will gather to create the inaugural Season of Origins, which will be launched in October 2025. This diverse assembly of churches, representing various denominations and social contexts, will serve as a valuable case study for expanding Origins to additional churches in 2026 and beyond.
A movement is beginning to take shape among churches.
Season of Origins Design Project Participating Churches
Origins is proposed in Undoing Conquest.
A practical theology solution to help churches heal from centuries of colonial violence and harm.
Accounts of violence in the Bible, like the story of Joshua's Conquest, have perpetuated a violent Christian imagination and have been used to theologically rationalize colonialism and genocides across the globe. It is essential for many churches today to take responsibility for healing both past and present harms if we aspire to build a more just future. Other churches need to heal from the harm inflicted upon them.
Repair is needed.
The book Undoing Conquest, written by public and practical theologian Dr. Kate Common, suggests tangible a way forward for churches to collaborate in facilitating decolonial healing work through a new justice-centered liturgical season named the Season of Origins.