Category: louis riel

Louis Riel’s Philosophical Theology – Introductory Note

The following is the initial footnote that begins Riel’s fragmentary philosophical theology.

Martel, Gilles, ed. The Collected Writings of Louis Riel / Les Ecrits Complets de Louis Riel. Vol. 2.  Edmonton, AB: The University of Alberta Press, 1985.

Footnote #1, page 387.

On peut penser, à bon droit, que cette synthèse philosophico-théologique était destinée à faire partie du Massinachican. Malheureusement de nombreuses pages en sont perdues et il est impossible de reconstituer avec certitude la plan de cette synthèse; c’est pourquoi nous avons opté pour une présentation thématique des pages éparses de ce document. L’ordre des textes qui suivent est destiné à faciliter la lecture, mais ne prétend aucunement reconstituer l’ordre voulu par Riel.

Ces pages ont dû être rédigées au Montana, entre 1881 et 1884. Sur plusieurs pages de ce manuscrit, les paragraphes sont numérotés, mais malheureusement il manque les numéros 1 à 31; de plus, lorsqu’on possède plusieurs variantes d’un même paragraphe, elles ne portent pas le même numéro; enfin, il existe des paragraphes différents qui, eux, portent le même numéro. Il y a donc plusieurs séries de numéros et on ne peut se fier à ces numéros pour reconstituer avec certitude l’ordre général du texte.

Dans ces pages, Riel utilise surtout le terme “essence” et plus rarement le terme “monade” pour désigner les éléments constituants de tout réalité. En Dieu, ces essences sont toutes actives, alors qu’en l’homme se trouve un mélange d’essences actives et passives. Durant son séjour en prison en 1885, Riel reprendra sa réflexion sur les “essences” ou “monades” (voir les textes 3-179 et 3-180).

One might think, correctly, that this philosophical theology was intended to be part of Massinachican [this is the Cree word for ‘book’ which is referred to by Riel in other writings but no such ‘book’ remains or exists]. Unfortunately many pages are lost and it is impossible to reconstruct with certainty the plan of the synthesis; so we opted for a thematic presentation of the scattered pages of this document. The order of the following texts is intended to facilitate reading, but does not claim to restore the order intended by Riel.

These pages were written in Montana, between 1881 and 1884.  On several of the pages of the manuscript, the paragraphs are numbered, but unfortunately they lack the numbers 1 to 31; also, when you possess several variants of the same paragraph, they do not bear the same number, and finally, there are several paragraphs which, themselves, bear the same number. So there are several sets of numbers and we can not rely on these numbers to reconstruct with certainty the general text.

In these pages, Riel primarily uses the term “essence” and more rarely the term “monad” to describe the component parts of all reality.  In God, these essences are all active, whereas man is a mixture of active and passive essences. During his stay in prison in 1885, Riel will resume his reflection on “essences” and “monads” (see texts 3-179 and 3-180).

Introduction to Louis Riel and His Philosophical Theology

[Update: For those who may be interested in following this I have included a link to these posts in the ‘Translation Projects’ tab.]

Louis Riel was a Metis Canadian born in 1884 near Winnipeg Manitoba, Canada.  He was the leader of two resistance movements that attempted to preserve Metis rights in the face of the expanding Canadian government in the East.  I do not pretend to be a Riel expert nor do I consider myself particularly knowledgeable of the political context for the expansion of Canada.  However, I do know the following;

Louis Riel is a controversial figure.  He has been described as a hero, revolutionary, lunatic, self-proclaimed messiah and traitor.  Louis Riel was a deeply religious man.  Louis Riel attempted to promote an alternative politics in the face of the monopolizing government and Hudson’s Bay Trading Company.  In the process he established a provisional government in Manitoba in opposition to the Canadian government in the East.  Riel continued this pursuit in the face of extreme resistance.  Riel received capital punishment for his actions.  Riel is part of my local history.

This scant information has provided enough motivation to seek out his writings to find if there are any explicitly theological tracts.  In his Collected Works I have come across a short section that includes fragments he called a ‘philosophical theology’ in French.  So far as I know these are untranslated.

While there is a book on Riel as a religious man, Louis ‘David’ Riel: Prophet of the New World, there is no substantial study of his theology in relation to his politics in English.  There is one work in French that I hope to eventually give some attention.  This is Gilles Martel’s, Le messianisme de Louis Riel.

My intention is to slowly offer his Système philosophico-théologique in translation (it is only 12 pages of fragments).  I have no idea what this pursuit might offer but it seems helpful to at least render more of Riel’s French writing into English.  It also seems helpful to look over these writings (in addition to his occasional writing relevant to his theology) with a more thoroughgoing theological attention than has been given.