First Nations theology will be central at a new Indigenous studies centre at the University of Divinity.
The Indigenous theology course will be taught by First Nations people. One of those teachers is trawloolway man Garry Deverell.
He told NITV News it s time for the establishment of theology courses based on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander perspectives. It s a re-reading of religion from our point of view, like we ve been re-reading Australian history and learning new ways of doing business, Dr Deverell said. Now we re doing that in churches, re-reading spirituality from an Indigenous perspective.
Dr Deverell will be joined by Naomi Wolfe, a trawloolway woman, in teaching the course, as well as First Nations academics from the US.
VIC Premier
First Nations people will be at the heart of theological training at a new Indigenous Studies Centre, funded by the Andrews Labor Government.
It will be housed at the heritage-listed monastery at the University of Divinity St Paschal’s precinct, which will undergo an $877,700 refurbishment.
The Indigenous Studies Centre is being developed in collaboration with Indigenous staff and, in an Australian first, will feature theology courses taught by Indigenous people using Indigenous perspectives and Indigenous teaching methods.
Students of all backgrounds can enrol in programs exploring theology from Aboriginal, Torres Strait Islander, and world Indigenous perspectives.
Trawloolway woman Naomi Wolfe is Academic Dean of the University of Divinity’s Indigenous Studies program and said the collaborative learning approach would break-down cultural stereotypes and barriers.
Speaking to Guardian Australia, some argue the historical guiding principles of Pentecostalism – its focus on personal salvation with a strong consumerist vibe – has not lent itself to conjuring a congregation of climate evangelists.
The Australian Religious Response to Climate Change has among its members organisations belonging to an array of faiths – from Catholics and Quakers to Buddhists and Muslims. Members have blockaded coalmining sites and campaigned hard for rapid cuts to greenhouse gas emissions.
“We have 41 member organisations,” says the ARRCC president and Catholic, Thea Ormerod. “None are Pentecostal. We have occasionally asked leaders in the Pentecostal tradition to sign on to our letters to government. They have declined the invitations.”
Written By: lprent - Date published: 1:26 pm, December 28th, 2020 - 43 comments
I realise that this would normally be our silly season, but it seems a bit macabre with the northern winter death toll. But nothing really excuses Chris Bishop for being a complete dickhead in barking for immediate offshore testing for travellers from the UK. It is pointless. The government are a bit more sensible. They’re instituting an extra test at our border.
Young authors may be self-censoring because they worry they will be trolled or cancelled , according to celebrated writer Sir Kazuo Ishiguro.
Sir Kazuo, who won the Nobel Prize in Literature in 2017, warned that a climate of fear was preventing some people from writing what they want.
He said they may be concerned that an anonymous lynch mob will turn up online and make their lives a misery .
He told the BBC: I very much fear for the younger generation of writers.
The 66-year-old said he was worried that less established authors were self-censoring by avoiding writing from certain viewpoints or including characters outside their immediate experiences.