Commitment to Indigenous Peoples

Pilgrim Theological College acknowledges that:

• Indigenous peoples are the traditional owners and have been custodians of this land for thousands of years; in particular the Wurundjeri people are the traditional owners of the land on which the College is located.
• European settlement has had a destructive and lasting effect on the lives and cultures of the Indigenous peoples.
• It is of fundamental importance to this country that there be effective reconciliation between Indigenous and non-Indigenous peoples.

We affirm that we are committed to the Christian gospel, which declares that, in Jesus Christ, God has acted to reconcile the world and to unite people across all cultures. We are called and committed therefore to uphold the gospel of reconciliation and justice in our relationships with Indigenous peoples.

We undertake to consider ways in which we can:

• Support the public process of reconciliation and the claims of Indigenous peoples for justice in Australian society.
• Promote the study of the life, traditions and cultures of Indigenous peoples.
• Promote a deep understanding of the history of Australia since 1788, recognising the experience of Indigenous peoples and how they perceive this history.
• Encourage the growth of Indigenous ways of being church, welcoming the contributions which such a Christianity may make to the Australian church.
• Foster relations and encourage collaboration between the College and centres of Indigenous theological studies.
• Seek to offer support for Indigenous students to study theology, including the provision of scholarships.
• Make public acknowledgment, on certain appropriate occasions, of the traditional ownership of the land by Indigenous peoples.

We undertake to review and monitor this statement of commitment and its implementation on an annual basis.