Indigenous Rights and Legacies of the Bible

Explore the intersection of the Bible and Colonial History

Joshua’s conquest of Canaan was often used in colonial history as a model for the genocide of Indigenous peoples, but in legal arguments since the sixteenth century, the Hebrew Bible also provided sanctions for the defence of Indigenous rights. This unit retraces such contradictory movements in modern colonial histories and describes the variety of outcomes in different contexts, with a focus on the Australian colonies. We will also explore the ways in which policies of assimilation in the twentieth century were often entwined with Christian theological motivations. The possibilities for decolonial understandings of Indigenous rights will be explored with special attention to renewed practices of biblical interpretation.

In the virtual classroom via Zoom.

Mondays 6-9pm

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Whitley College

Whitley College is a culturally diverse community of learners committed to practical expressions of God’s activity in the world. We wrestle together in spiritual formation through theological reflection, creative exploration and academic rigour.

Shaped by the Bible, and drawing on our Baptist heritage, we are responsive to the contemporary needs of church and society, affirming liberty of conscience in conversation with other traditions of religion and spirituality.

Our educational ethos unifies heart, thought and hands, giving priority to personal and social transformation.