Listening to Country: An Indigenous Theology and Spirituality series

Listening to Country: An Indigenous Theology and Spirituality series

There is much wisdom, knowledge, and direction for living to be discovered in listening to country. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in these lands now called Australia know this and seek to live deeply connected to country and to share that knowing with others.

This 3-part series explores, breaks open some of that wisdom and knowing. It offers an invitation to walk with and learn from Aboriginal presenters who will share a variety of perspectives that come from their lived experience, their research and their integration of Christian theology with indigenous spirituality. As Garry Worete Deverell describes in his book Contemplating Country, ‘Such a transformation is necessary if Christianity is ever to leave behind its Eurocentric habits and truly arrive in the sovereign and unceded country of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander nations.’

Eremos partners with Pitt St Uniting Church, St James Institute in Sydney, and the Wellspring Community in collaboration with the School of Indigenous Studies at the University of Divinity to offer this series. We all have the opportunity to have our lives enriched and believe that this encounter is vital for our future as a country. 

We invite national participation and all sessions will be live online. Each event will also be in person at Pitt St Uniting Church in Sydney.

Session 2

Professor Dr Anne Pattel-Gray presenting, Aboriginal Spirituality and Connection to Country. 

Sunday 11 August 2024, 2 – 4 pm

Professor Anne Pattel-Gray was appointed Professor of Indigenous Studies and inaugural Head of the School of Indigenous Studies at the University of Divinity and commenced the role in August 2022. She is a descendant of the Bidjara / Kari Kari people of Queensland and a celebrated Aboriginal leader.

Throughout her career, she has exercised numerous leadership and consultancy roles in First Nations organisations and not-for-profit agencies and has an outstanding track record in ecumenism, especially through the World Council of Churches.

In 1995, Professor Pattel-Gray was the first Aboriginal person to be awarded a PhD at the University of Sydney, published as The Great White Flood: Racism in Australia. She has previously held Visiting Professorships at Gurukul Theological Seminary, Harvard University and Otago University.

Through her research, education and leadership Professor Pattel-Gray has been a critical and influential activist in seeking justice and equity for Indigenous peoples and in developing cultural frameworks and practices built on respect for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities.

This event will be live-streamed online. When booking your reply email will have the Zoom link. Please make a note of it. 

In addition to the presentation, the session includes reflection and dialogue as we explore together how the encounter with Indigenous cultural knowledge changes and challenges us to live and act differently as we participate in life in this land we call Australia. 

Cost: $15 or $10 if booked by 8th August.

Free for Eremos members, Pitt St UCA members, Wellspring members, St James Institute subscribers and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people

Afternoon tea will be part of the event. 

Also in this series:

Session 1 – Rev Dr Garry Worete Deverell: Christ as country: Aboriginal spirituality and Christianity in conversation 

Watch the video of this event here.

Session 3 – Nathan Tyson: Acknowledging Country: Way forward to reconciliation

Sunday 8 September 2024, 2 – 4 pm

All sessions are held at Pitt St Uniting Church, 264 Pitt St, Sydney and will be live-streamed

Background to ‘Raising our Tribal Voice for Justice: An Indigenous Theological Revolution‘

Rev Dr Josephine Inkpin, minister at Pitt St Uniting Church, and Kate Scholl, Eremos Council member, attended ‘Raising our Tribal Voice for Justice: An Indigenous Theological Revolution’ conference in February in Melbourne. Following this ground-breaking conference, they began conversations with the School of Indigenous Studies at the University of Divinity to offer a series on Indigenous Theology and Spirituality.

Held on the lands of the Wurundjeri and Bunurong people of the Kulin Nation, this four-day event brought Indigenous Church leaders and theologians together on a national platform. The core objective of the conference was to deepen understanding of First Nations’ spirituality, knowledge, country, ecology, and history, fostering individual and organisational transformation and restoration. It also provided a unique opportunity for non-Indigenous individuals to gain insight into the Indigenous spiritual perspective, equipping them to collaborate effectively with First Nations people and communities. 

Professor Anne Pattel-Gray, an internationally acclaimed theologian and proud Bidjara woman explains the purpose of the conference, ‘As Indigenous peoples, we are reclaiming our voice, recognising the pivotal role faith plays in this process. The conference amplifies Indigenous theological perspectives, compelling churches and Christian NGOs to mobilise followers in addressing injustices and systemic failings.’

The Eremos Council, Pitt St Uniting Church, the Wellspring Community in Australia, and St James Institute are excited about this opportunity to work in partnership and to learn, be challenged, and engage in dialogue about Indigenous Theology and Spirituality. 

For more details about the conference: Raising Our Tribal Voice for Justice Conference

And there was a Soul Search program about it: Soul Search: An Indigenous Theological Revolution

Our Sponsors

We thank Pitt St Uniting Church, St James Institute and Wellspring Community for sponsoring this event.

Event Details

Purchase Tickets (tickets link is top right)
Location: Pitt St Uniting Church and Online
264 Pitt St, Sydney, NSW, 2000
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Contact: Kate Scholl events@eremos.org.au