Variants of Transcendence in Central Australia

More about the book

The first part of the book examines the active and self-determined process of Aboriginal appropriation of Christianity, situating it within the global conversation of contemporary Christianity. Chapter One explores the earliest Aboriginal interpretation of Christianity through the figure of Moses Tjalkabota, comparing him to two indigenous leaders from Black Africa. Chapter Two revisits the missionary efforts among the Arrernte, highlighting the unexpected outcome of Black creolisation of the faith. The second part critiques Western scholarship's attempts to define “primal man” in Central Australia, revealing that scholars can exhibit a missionary zeal akin to evangelists. Chapter Three discusses the cognitive violence involved in addressing the contentious issue of the concept of God among Aborigines. Chapter Four illustrates how encounters in Central Australia can transform scholarship, exemplified by Theodore Strehlow, an anthropologist who embraced a dual religious identity as a member of the Arrernte people. Although the volume lacks a formal conclusion, it includes a final discussion on Aboriginal art. Ultimately, the universality and peaceful nature of Christianity stem not from its doctrines, but from its capacity to integrate primal religions like Aboriginal traditions. This ecumenical platform allows Black Christianity to enrich humanity and expands Christianity's repertoire, leading to new expressions of the sacred,