Elspeth Kernebone
7 August 2024
Dozens of people have expressed outrage at the University of Divinity’s decision to close its School of Indigenous Studies in an open letter directed to the institution’s leaders.
The letter says the decision “makes a mockery” of the university’s stated commitment to Indigenous theological education, and demonstrates deep disrespect to Indigenous theologians, elders and community members.
A University of Divinity representative said the institution remained committed to its strategic goals around Indigenous theology, but was seeking a sustainable model.
The university announced it was disestablishing the School of Indigenous Studies in budget adjustment advice issued on 17 July, less than three years it established the school.
Read more: ‘Set up to fail’ disappointment as university’s Indigenous school shut
Open letter initiator and SIS academic committee member Joanna Cruickshank said it was incredibly shortsighted to disestablish such a rare and highly productive institution as the School of Indigenous Studies.
Associate Professor Cruickshank said the school’s disestablishment in the same month as the closure of Indigenous college Wontulp-Bi-Buya was a sign of how completely unprepared churches were to engage meaningfully with the Indigenous people whose stolen lands they lived on and benefited from.
She said Indigenous theological education was a first principles issue, which churches should commit to regardless of whether it was profitable or convenient. She said the church had just gone staggeringly backwards, as every other Australian institution moved forward with steps to better understand Indigenous knowledge.
“The fact that [the School of Indigenous Studies] been shut down is something that absolutely should stop us in our tracks,” Associate Professor Cruickshank said.
“Every church in Australia is built on and benefiting from stolen Indigenous land. Every year millions of dollars of that land is sold to fund things that the churches think are important. If we wait for Indigenous theological education to be profitable [before funding it], we’re going to be waiting a long time.”
Read more: To decolonise, the church must first recognise Indigenous leaders’ capability
More than 60 people signed the letter, including many academics at secular universities around Australia. It is addressed to the University of Divinity’s vice chancellor, chancellor and council members.
The letter said the decision to renege its commitment to support the School of Indigenous Studies made it clear that for the university, Indigenous people, their knowledge, and the quest for justice in Australia, were not core business.
University of Divinity vice chancellor James McLaren said the institution was committed to its strategic goals around Indigenous theology, but needed to identify a sustainable model.
Professor McLaren said the School of Indigenous Studies was not able to achieve the funding targets that had been set.
He said the reflection now was that the school was unsustainable but its scope as an entity had grown since its establishment, when asked why the university started a School of Indigenous Studies if it was unsustainable.
He declined comment on why the university had let the School of Indigenous Studies grow if the growth was unsustainable.
Professor McLaren said the school had secured funding at its beginning, but as the school grew its aspirations grew, and it was not successful in seeking large scale grants.
“You have to monitor, you have to review, and that monitoring and that reviewing has indicated from the council’s perspective that [the School of Indigenous Studies] model is not viable, it’s not sustainable,” he said.
“The council remains committed to the principle, it remains committed to the strategy. What we now need to do is to identify a more appropriate model, that is sustainable.”
Read more: Indigenous spirituality gathering aims to help Christians echo truth and love
Professor McLaren said it would be inappropriate to speak on behalf of other people when asked what message closing the School of Indigenous Studies would send to Indigenous Christians.
Professor McLaren said the closure did not signal broader funding uncertainty for the University of Divinity.
He said the university was still working out the details of a new model to realise its principles around Indigenous theology, going back to colleges working in collaboration with connections they had with Indigenous communities.
Former School of Indigenous Studies head Professor Anne Pattel-Gray said the school’s growth had been approved by leadership of the University of Divinity.
Professor Pattel-Gray said she put funding proposals to the university, which made no progress, and was then told in June to raise $750,000 as soon as possible.
She said the school’s closure was brutal for Indigenous staff and students, with four staff members made redundant.
“We’re all traumatised. We’re still trying to overcome the trauma this has inflicted upon us. We’ve been thrown away like trash, humiliated, discredited,” Professor Pattel-Gray said.
“The message is ‘You’re not wanted, we don’t care about you, and you can continue to have inferior theological education, because that’s all we fund’.”
The full text of the open letter is available online.
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