Glenn Loughrey
8 December 2025
With the signing into law of the first Treaty between First Peoples and the people of Victoria, we are living through a moment of profound cultural and spiritual significance.
Truth-telling, recognition of First Peoples, and a growing desire for a more just relationship between Indigenous and non-Indigenous peoples are shaping a new story for our state. Treaty is not a single event but an unfolding movement — a collective turning toward truth, Country, and a more honest way of living together.
For the Church, Treaty is both a challenge and an invitation. It asks us to reflect on who we have been, who we are now, and who we are called to become on this ancient land. It offers a chance to step more fully into a posture of humility, truth-seeking, and relational responsibility.
Read more: Historic treaty bill passes Victorian parliament
Victoria’s truth-telling processes, the strengthening of cultural authority, and community-led conversations have made visible both deep wounds and real possibilities. This is more than political reform — it is spiritual labour. It is the slow, courageous work of truth coming to light.
Truth is central to the Christian story. Yet, in this country, the Church has long struggled with the gap between its Gospel of love and the lived experiences of First Peoples. Too often, churches participated in the erosion of culture, family, language, and identity. They became entwined with the colonial project, and the consequences remain with us.
Treaty in Victoria calls the Church to return to truth, not as an idea, but as a way of being. It asks us to acknowledge our history honestly, to hear the truth spoken by First Peoples, and to let that truth unsettle us in ways that lead to renewal.
What Does This Moment Ask of the Church?
Now is a time for the Church to rediscover its prophetic voice — not one grounded in power, but in humility, courage, and relationship.
A call to deep listening – Aboriginal cultures practice dadirri: deep, quiet, attentive presence. This mirrors the contemplative traditions of Christianity. Deep listening requires patience, openness, and vulnerability. It invites us not to rush to solutions but to allow truth to work within us. A Church shaped by dadirri becomes more Christlike: slow to speak, quick to understand, embedded with compassion.
A call to stand with integrity – The Church cannot remain neutral in the face of injustice. The Gospel calls us to stand with the hurt, the silenced, and the displaced. Supporting justice for First Peoples through truth-telling, cultural empowerment, and structural change, is not political partisanship. It is faithfulness to Christ’s call to love.
A call to reimagine faith through Country – Country is more than land. It is spirit, story, relationship, and life. The six dimensions of Country, land, sky, water, story, people, and spirit, echo the interconnectedness at the heart of Christian theology. When we allow Country to teach us, our understanding of Creator, creation, and community expands. The Church in Victoria is being challenged to become grounded, wise, and responsive, allowing the wisdom of this land shape its faith.
A call to repentance and renewal – Repentance is not shame — it is transformation. It is the willingness to turn around and walk a different path. In this moment, the Church is invited not to defend its past but to grow from it, to relinquish old certainties, and to embody humility and hope. Renewal begins when we choose honesty over comfort and relationship over defensiveness.
Walking Forward
The changes unfolding in Victoria belong to all of us. The Church has a vital role—not as leader but as companion; not as authority but as learner; not as judge, but as reconciler.
Read more: Treaty calls for ‘truth’, ‘new beginnings’
This moment invites us to embody a faith that is honest, deep rooted and alive to the wisdom of Country. It calls us to walk with First Peoples in humility, partnership, and hope. It offers us the gift of celebration — the chance to mark together the slow, steady work of truth, justice, and renewal.
On this ancient Country, a new story is growing. Let us walk it together.
A Time for Celebration and Hope
Amid truth-telling and lament, there is also a rising desire to celebrate. Celebration is part of healing. Celebration strengthens relationship; it encourages us to look not only at what has been broken but also at what is enduring and full of life. It invites us to joyfully recognise the strength of culture and the possibility of a shared future.
An Invitation: Celebrate Together at John Cain Arena – 12 December
In this spirit of hope, you are warmly invited to a public celebration at John Cain Arena on 12 December. This gathering is not the centre of the story but a joyful expression of it — a moment for people of faith and goodwill to stand together, honour First Peoples, and celebrate the possibilities emerging for Victoria.
There will be story, song, art, reflection, and community. It will be a space of gratitude and commitment — a reminder that we are walking into a new chapter together.
The Venerable Canon Uncle Glenn Loughrey is Provincial Archdeacon for Reconciliation, First Nations Recognition and Treaty.
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