The Basis at 50 – The Document and Ministry Practices: Reflections and Responses
Late in 2021 almost 70 people from across the national UCA gathered online for a day conference hosted by Pilgrim Theological College in the Synod of Victoria and Tasmania to reflect and engage with the Uniting Church in Australia’s Basis of Union. The event coincided with the 50th anniversary of the final form of the Basis of Union being published and put forward for consideration and decision by Presbyterian, Methodist and Congregational Churches.
Several of the conference papers are being compiled into an edited volume, but the day also included exciting panel discussions in which members of the Uniting Church offered thoughts on connections and provocations found between the Basis and their ministry practice. Some members of those panels have agreed to share their edited reflections as a gift for the church.
The intention in sharing these reflections is not only to preserve their longevity and increase their audience. To that end, after the initial posting of the conference reflections, several responses will be rolled out. These responses are looking for threads, themes, questions, and possibilities weaving between, hiding amidst, and hoping across several of the initial reflections.
Yet, they too are offered without the intention of providing a full stop. Rather they look to provide further openings for future responses and creative engagements with the initial reflections (if you feel so inclined as to develop a response to what begins to develop on this site, please do reach out!).
The first reflection to be published comes from Rev Dr Sally Douglas. In the weeks to come, four more shorter reflections from the conference will be published together, with the responses to follow after that.
This first reflection can be read here:
Basis@50 Rev Dr Sally Douglas – Uniting Church Australia
Future publications of reflections can be found here when they become available.
The Basis at 50 Reflections and Responses – Uniting Church Australia
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