The church is built on stolen land

Indigenous leader Neville Naden wants to help Australians deal with the aftermath of colonisation

“I have an issue with reconciliation.”

Neville Naden is the Indigenous Ministry Officer for the Bush Church Aid Society and he doesn’t mince words.

He also doesn’t indulge in a perspective that might deliver temporary and flawed gain. Neville’s strong view on reconciliation between white and indigenous Australians is a reaction to the concept itself. How can these people groups be reconciled, when they’ve never had a good relationship to start with?

“How do we as the church respond?” – Neville Naden

According to Neville, this issue is an essential one for the Australian church to address because many churches received land taken from the aboriginal population. Neville asks: “How do we as the church respond … as people who are supposed to represent a holy and righteous God?”

Neville explains what he believes to be the best way forward, in the video above.