i hope this doesn't break any board rules, but it's for educational purposes
and it doesn't break the copyright act (10% or a chapter photocopied, etc) for educational purposes.
but i digress,
i'll type this up for you rahul, so bare with me.
excel studies of religion, page 35.
2.7 christianity and aboriginal spirituality today
although there are some exceptions, notably amongst fundamentalist groups, most christian churches in australia today no longer maintain that traditional aboriginal beliefs and practices are wholly incompatible with the christian faith. aware that the forms of their own belief and practice are products of their particular cultural heritage, they have attempted to interpret aboriginal spirituality as an alternative expression of common religious consciousness.
... it goes on, but this is what you're looking for:
in recent times, mainstream christian churches (and other religious groups) have responsed to that call and have been active in promoting 'reconciliation' between indigenous and non-indigenous australia, both within their congregations and at a political level. religious leaders have argued that non-aboriginal australians have a moral duty to recognise, and work to address, injustices suffered by indigenous australians. in 1998, as part of a national 'sorry day' a number of church leaders offered public apologies to those aboriginal australians who suffered as a result of government and church policies of removing aboriginal children from their families.
reconciliation has also been seen as important at a spiritual level. some christian theologians have argued that non-aboriginal christians in australia may enrich their own spirituality by drawing lessons from their indigenous brothers and sisters. they point to what they see as the non-materialistic simplicity of aboriginal culture, to the strong sense of community, to the close and respectful relationship between aboriginal people and their environment, to aboriginal religious practices of deep contemplation and to the creative expression of spirituality amongst aboriginal people in ART, MUSIC and DANCE.
in a society of diverse religious traditions and one where many are turning away from the major religions (and perhaps toward a more earthbound spiritualism), some argue that learning from indigenous people offers the best hope of an authentic australian spirituality.
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sorry if i've got any typos, i was trying to type them out fairly quickly for you. i hope it helps, although i don't think i really answered your question in detail?
