Statement from the (former) School of Indigenous Studies, University of Divinity

23 July 2024

On Thursday of last week the staff of our School were informed by the Vice-Chancellor, Professor James McLaren, that the School had been disestablished by decision of the University Council.

The School was officially launched in December, 2021, and since then has sought to give body and expression to the first measure of the University’s strategic plan, to ‘deliver academic pathways, cultural competency and a global platform for the benefit of Indigenous peoples and communities’.

The mission of the School, as approved by the University Council, has been to ‘encourage the development of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander theologies and ministries, and to decolonise the euro-centric version of Christianity that remain dominant in this country’.

We are proud of what we have achieved for our people over these past two and a half years. In that time we have:

• Developed three tertiary units in Indigenous theologies and contributed to the development of a fourth, enabling over fifty students to learn about Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander knowledges.
• Written five books focussing on Aboriginal ways of reading Scripture and doing theology.
• Written ten book chapters focussing on Aboriginal history, decolonisation and theology.
• Contributed ten articles to peer-reviewed journals.
• Contributed twelve articles to newspapers, magazines or news websites.
• Raised the profile of the School through interviews about our work on ABC Radio National, the Drum, Q & A and multiple other media outlets, podcasters and newspapers.
• Given twenty-one keynote addresses at national and global academic conferences.
• Organised and hosted the first ever Australian academic conference focussing on Indigenous theologies which was a resounding success with tickets sold out (over two hundred people in person and over one hundred people online). This conference showcased Indigenous theologians, theologies and broke the stereotype of a homogenous view of Indigenous theology.
• Given countless talks and cultural educational seminars to church, community and professional groups.
• Facilitated the establishment of the National Indigenous Ecumenical Network, including securing funding for the next five years.
• Helped the University to develop more Indigenous-friendly policy settings.

The staff of the School remain committed to the advancement of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander academic research and theology.

We wish to express our deep gratitude to donors who supported the School. Since 2018, when the Indigenous Theologies Fund was established in the University, we have raised over $1,000,000 which enabled the School to achieve all of the above. We could not have done this without you.

Finally we pay tribute to our committee members and staff, and all university staff (both current and former) who have walked alongside us. We thank, in particular, the former Vice-Chancellor, Professor Peter Sherlock, for his vision and hard work.

Kind regards

Professor Dr Anne Pattel-Gray
Rev Canon Dr Garry Deverell
Mr Desmond Rogers
Ms Jenita King

School of Indigenous Studies

The School’s mission is to encourage the development of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander theologies and ministries, and to decolonise the eurocentric versions of Christianity that remain dominant in this country.

divinity.edu.au/university/school-of-indigenous-studies/