Culture and Christianity
God’s glory and nature can be expressed through indigenous cultures. My role is to guide educators in identifying God’s nature within Australian Aboriginal culture, and to create educational activities and programs that promote it within a spiritually-safe and culturally-safe context.
Reconciliation
As those who have been reconciled to God, we have been given the “ministry of reconciliation” (2 Corinthians 5:18). We engage in the process of mending what is broken between God and mankind and then reflect this within our human relationships.
Paul’s description in Ephesians shows us that hostility between groups can be abolished at the Cross. Biblical reconciliation is the action of reconciling groups “to God through the Cross, by which he put to death their hostility” (Ephesians 2:16).
On the Cross, Christ took upon himself the sinful nature of hatred, discord, selfish ambition, rage and jealousy (cf. Galatians 5:20). It is at the Cross where this sinful nature is exposed, confessed and forgiven, and where hostility is defeated.
The power to walk in forgiveness is given to any who would receive, where hostility is exchanged for the fruit of the Spirit: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control (Galatians 5:16-26).
Reconciliation therefore is part of God’s work to mend what sin has broken and to repair relationships, to “make all things new” (Revelation 21:5). In an educational context, when we learn from the God given knowledge and wisdoms of the first peoples, we can steward guardianship of the land, care for our cross cultural school communities and the mending of harmony between peoples, especially where brokenness and/or tensions exist.
As the facilitator, I lead participants in identifying the parts of God’s nature inside of Aboriginal culture and the redemptive messages within it. Through this discovery, I demonstrate how reconciliation can be promoted within the context of a classroom or a whole school community.
Aboriginal Cultural Standards Framework
An overview of the Aboriginal Cultural Standards Framework is provided. The Standards and the Continuum align with the Australian Professional Standards for Principals and Teachers. Staff will reflect on individual and whole-school behaviours, attitudes and practices with a view to progressing along the Framework Continuum.
Classroom Activities
Cultural topics to be explored include: Local key people, places of importance, connection of Aboriginal culture to the natural world, traditional and modern lifestyle, six seasons, indigenous art, Aboriginal history, traditional tools, and important annual dates such as Mabo Day, Reconciliation WA, NAIDOC and Sorry Day. Staff will be guided through an example lesson which will showcase one of these topics.
Whole School Integration
Staff will be guided through a multi-phased continuum of designing a strategic plan suited to their school.
Learning Through Song
A fun, guided session of song writing and singing that incorporates the six seasons.
