A conference taking place in July will explore the Preamble to the Uniting Church’s constitution, which covers the place held by First Peoples.
Rev. Dr Chris Budden is one of the conference organisers. He told Insights that the conference aimed to honour the church’s commitment to relationships between First and Second Peoples.
“The Uniting church has a deep commitment to relationships between First and Second Peoples,” Rev. Dr Budden said.
“And yet there have been times since the establishment of Congress when the church did not deliver on that commitment; self-determination was limited, and voices were not heard.”
“One reason for that failure was the theological assumption that the church alone knows God (in Christ), and First Peoples have nothing to offer in terms of knowledge of God or the shape of life in this land. First Peoples were asked to leave their culture at the door when they entered the church.”
“The Preamble is an attempt to change that story: to honour the prior existence of First Peoples, to acknowledge the presence of God prior to 1788, to honour the claim that God was not only here but known for up to 60,000 years longer than Christians have known God.”
“The ongoing challenge for the UCA is whether it can learn from First Peoples about God in this country. How does that knowledge impact on mission and Christian life? How does the church repent of its too close alignment with colonial occupation and theft of land, and forge a new future?”
“That is why the Preamble matters. It invites us to think about God in this place, and what this means for being church. So far, we have largely refused that gracious invitation, and we are a poorer church for that. This conference seeks to re-activate that conversation.”
Twenty twenty four marks the 30thAnniversary of the Covenant and the 15th Anniversary of the Preamble.
The Preamble to the Uniting Church Constitution centres creation and land, suggesting a broader sense of the economy of God.
It stresses a trinitarian understanding of God and honours the centrality of Christ yet affirms other knowledge about God and the significance of the relationship between First and Second Peoples. It was adopted by the 2009 Assembly Meeting.
‘The Preamble, 15 Years On’ will be a multiple site event, with gatherings in Adelaide and Perth at theological colleges, linked by Zoom. Individuals can also register to join online via Zoom.
The Sydney leg of ‘The Preamble, 15 Years On’ takes place at the Centre for Ministry from 8 to 9 July from 9:30am to 5pm. Registration is free and available here.
