Reflections on the theological culture of the Uniting Church

Introduction Since 1985, the Uniting Church in Australia (UCA) has used three key terms for its self-understanding and identification as a culturally and linguistically diverse church. These are multicultural, cross-cultural, and intercultural. But these terms tend to be more descriptive rather than they are theological. An added confusion lies in whether these terms are applied…

A theological culture of belonging in the Uniting Church in Australia can and should be cultivated considering our prescribed identity as a multicultural church. In 1985, the fourth Assembly declared we are a multicultural Church acknowledging “the fact that the Uniting Church unites not only three former denominations, but also Christians of many cultures and…

I like the Act2 working definition of theological culture: “The theological culture of the Uniting Church is that network of practices, institutions and texts which resource, sustain and extend the Uniting Church’s particular conversations, doctrinal decisions and prophetic speech about God, Christ and the world.” The definition blends general ideas about culture with hints about…

This reflection has emerged from a recent conversation with a family member, a long-term Uniting Church member. The context was a collaborative discussion to choose the music for a worship service. It became a dialogue about theology and the importance of the words we sing. As we struggled with choosing appropriate songs that complemented the…

Over the years I have had a strong interest in the theological culture of the Uniting Church. What it means and how it is practised. The church aspires to unity, compassion, and love, based on the central teachings of Jesus and the Hebrew and Christian Scriptures. We say we love God, we say we follow…

This paper attempts to clarify what we mean by ‘theological culture’ and offers some suggestions for understanding the decline of the Uniting Church and hopeful options for our future. In the papers for Act2 there are a number of different ways to think about “the theological culture of the Uniting Church in Australia”. However, the…

There is not one theological culture in the Uniting Church. There are theological cultures. So, any reflection on the theological cultures of the Uniting Church can only ever capture a partial view. It is just like standing outside one of our church buildings. What you will see is dependent on where you stand. That said,…

I appreciate the invitation to share some thoughts about ‘libraries in the Uniting Church in Australia (UCA) as enablers of learning, networks and communities that help us strengthen our commitment to scholarly inquiry and an informed faith’. The Act2 Project has identified three elements that impact on the ‘theological culture’ of the UCA: ‘practices, institutions…

“When it comes to church property there are two kinds of white people: those who hold on at all costs, even when it clearly doesn’t makes sense; and those who want to sell it all and live off the money.”“This conversation is very difficult for us [Pasifika], because these buildings are sacred. Back in Samoa…

Section 6 of the Assembly’s Report Act2: In Response to God’s Call is named ‘Options for Workstream 3: Governance and Resourcing’ and begins with the following quotation from the Uniting Church in Australia (UCA) Basis of Union, Paragraph 13: “…will order its life in response to God’s call to enter more fully into mission.” This…