The Queensland Presbyterians’ Gospel in Society Today (GiST) team has produced a well-researched paper on Acknowledgement of Country (AoC) for Christians. “Welcome and Acknowledgement of Country: help and guidance for Christians” is available at http://www.gist.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/GiST-paper-Welcome-Acknowledgment-Country-7th-July-22a.pdf
It steps through the issues of:
- Appropriateness and usefulness of using Welcomes and Acknowledgements in Presbyterian church services and related gatherings
- A theological framework that is helpful to equip Christians to reflect more generally in a gospel-centred way on the value and/or concerns relating to participation in Welcomes and Acknowledgments of Country in various other settings in broader society (i.e. government, schools, universities, etc.).
Written in an accessible manner the GiST report is a useful discussion paper for a wider range of churches, and leaves the question of whether to use either procedure (AoC or Welcome to Country) for the reader to decide.
A wide range of First Nations Christians and theologians from across the Australian churches were consulted in researching the paper.
The paper addresses topics often raised in discussing these procedures including
1. The Priority of Gospel Proclamation
2. Communicating the Gospel of Reconciliation
3. Adapting Acknowledgements of Country (and WTC) for Gospel Purposes + The Dangers of Syncretism and Relativism
4. The Place of Acknowledgements of Country in Church Gatherings
The Gospel: On the priority of the Gospel, the GiST team notes “The first consideration in evaluating whether or how we may use an Acknowledgement of Country in any given church or related context is how it may help or hinder our churches’ gospel witness and proclamation generally. Our world has one overwhelming problem – it is desperately lost in sin. Self-worship and all that flows from it dwells in the hearts of people from every culture. This is all too evident in the history of relations between white settlers and Indigenous people. Our present life is but a tiny island in the awful depths of eternity under the right judgement of our Creator. Therefore, our mission as God’s church in the world is to go into the world, humbly reaching out and making disciples of people from all nations by declaring the gospel of Jesus Christ.”
But they are aware that listening is also required. “We swim in a culture of secularism — a perspective on reality that is human-centred and has little place for God and his revelation. Nevertheless, through God’s common grace, many people working from a secularistic perspective can shed some light on the history and situation of our Indigenous neighbours and raise important concerns. We ought to listen carefully.”
Reconciliation: Reflecting on the gospel of reconciliation GisT says “When Christ’s church embodies gospel-shaped reconciliation in our earthly relationships, we point our unbelieving neighbours towards the ultimate offer of reconciliation available through our Saviour.”
Bishop Greg Anderson, of the Anglican Diocese of the Northern Territory, told GiST “of how it encourages Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people (including Christians) when ‘…receivers of stolen/conquered land acknowledg[e] the sin of stealing and murder that was corollaries of colonisation’. Anderson continues that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people are grateful when churches and Christians demonstrate respect and positive attitudes towards Aboriginal people – even if it is just a gesture, like saying an Acknowledgement.”
Christlikeness: While the Gist team see that reconciliation is an argument in favour of AoC, true Christlikeness would require much more. Indigenous pastor Grant Paulson an Indigenous Baptist pastor told Gist “You need to know what your purpose and mission is in the community: what is your audience? What’s the purpose of using such a greeting as an Acknowledgement? Are you just ticking a box to appease Indigenous sentiment without taking any real actions? Or is the purpose of using such a greeting relationship building? Is it about your relationship with God and with each other?”
Dangers of Syncretism and Relativism: Drawing on theologian Bruce Winter, GiST examines Paul’s speech in the Areopagus in Acts 17. GiST concludes “When engaging with Indigenous peoples “While we might begin by quoting non-Christian Indigenous sources, it is imperative we go on to reveal the true God with utmost clarity, communicating core gospel truth and a Christocentric worldview.”
GiST provides a detailed discussion of some of the dangers of syncretism, for example, the use of smoking ceremonies which may mean different things to different indigenous groups. GiST urges Carefully understanding the meaning of any AoC in the local context.
In Church: In the most “Presbyterian” part of their discussion, GiST discusses whether AoC should be used in church services, or reserved for other gatherings of Christians such as their General assemblies (church parliaments) or in schools.
The GiST report provides a good place to start for Christian thinking through the use of Acknowledgements of and Welcomes to country.
http://www.gist.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2022/07/GiST-paper-Welcome-Acknowledgment-Country-7th-July-22a.pdf