The story of Nanticoke, Pennsylvania from 1747 to 2006 is at the same time a look into the economic, political, and social aspects of America. From the birth of the American Industrial Revolution in the eighteenth century, Nanticoke played an important role in the economic health of the country. Profits from capital investment brought great wealth to the elite of the Wyoming Valley and financiers in New York and Philadelphia. The use of immigrant labor to maintain labor costs would presage corporate use of other groups. With the change in technology and the movement of capital elsewhere, Nanticoke faced the trauma of economic hardship and the need to address the human and social cost of the loss of coal mining. The actions taken by the local leadership failed to meet the challenge. Confronting the harsh reality of possible further decline, the community of Nanticoke must take action upon a plan that holds out a possibility of stopping the hemorrhage of its decline, and perhaps even begin a recovery. The people of Nanticoke and their problems are now one being repeated elsewhere in America. The questions raised by what happened in Nanticoke lie at the core of the economic, political, and social questions facing the United States today. Corporate responsibility, quality of life, immigration, and effective urban planning are just some of the issues that Nanticoke's story poses for the rest of America.

The purpose of this research is to assess and address issues of contextualization and reconciliation as they pertain to Christianization and cultural preservation within the three Nanticoke-Lenape American Indian tribal communities remaining in the states of New Jersey and Delaware in the United States. The study seeks to provide insight into the challenges for ministry within the socio-cultural and political context of the tribal communities, particularly in regard to meaningful healing and reconciliation over the lingering effects of colonization, in a manner that promotes integral, holistic, contextualized Christian ministry. To achieve this, the study investigates the historical backdrop of the tribal communities, including European contact, colonization, missions, assimilation and cultural survival. Past and present tribal lifeways, beliefs, and practices are evaluated through documented historical sources and contemporary accounts. The research highlights the histories and current ministries of the principal historic tribal congregations, and their role in the spiritual, cultural, and political survival of the tribes. It also assesses possible approaches for effective, mission oriented, compassionate engagement as a matter of faithful contextualization and social justice. It should be noted that within this work the terms “American Indian,” “Native American,” “Indigenous American,” “Aboriginal American,” and “First Nations People” are all used to describe the indigenous people of America. These terms should not be confused with the term “Indian American,” which describes an American citizen whose ancestors can be traced to the nation of India on the continent of Asia. / PhD (Missiology), North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2015

The purpose of this research is to assess and address issues of contextualization and reconciliation as they pertain to Christianization and cultural preservation within the three Nanticoke-Lenape American Indian tribal communities remaining in the states of New Jersey and Delaware in the United States. The study seeks to provide insight into the challenges for ministry within the socio-cultural and political context of the tribal communities, particularly in regard to meaningful healing and reconciliation over the lingering effects of colonization, in a manner that promotes integral, holistic, contextualized Christian ministry. To achieve this, the study investigates the historical backdrop of the tribal communities, including European contact, colonization, missions, assimilation and cultural survival. Past and present tribal lifeways, beliefs, and practices are evaluated through documented historical sources and contemporary accounts. The research highlights the histories and current ministries of the principal historic tribal congregations, and their role in the spiritual, cultural, and political survival of the tribes. It also assesses possible approaches for effective, mission oriented, compassionate engagement as a matter of faithful contextualization and social justice. It should be noted that within this work the terms “American Indian,” “Native American,” “Indigenous American,” “Aboriginal American,” and “First Nations People” are all used to describe the indigenous people of America. These terms should not be confused with the term “Indian American,” which describes an American citizen whose ancestors can be traced to the nation of India on the continent of Asia. / PhD (Missiology), North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2015