Statements from the Soul: The Moral Case for the Uluru Statement from the Heart

by Shireen Morris (editor), Damien Freeman (Editor), Russell Broadbent (Contributor)

A collection of passionate essays from religious leaders arguing for a First Nations Voice to be enshrined in the Australian Constitution
In this ground-breaking collection of essays, diverse religious leaders and thinkers come together to advocate for the Uluru Statement from the Heart. Contributors from Buddhist, Christian, Hindu, Jewish, Muslim and Sikh communities powerfully convey why a First Nations voice to parliament is necessary not only legally and politically, but also morally. Drawing on their unique spiritual beliefs, they argue that the Uluru Statement offers a profound opportunity to heal the wrongs of the past and ensure a better future for all Australians. A rallying cry of support across religious and political divisions, Statements from the Soul shows that the Uluru Statement goes to the heart of who we are as a country and is essential to reconciliation.
With a foreword by Noel Pearson and preface by Henry Pinskier. Contributors are Sabah Rind, Wesam Charkawi, Fiona Jose, Sardar Ajmer Singh Gill, Prakruthi Mysore Gururaj, Bhikkhu Sujato, Stan Grant, Antonios Kaldas, Ralph Genende, Russell Broadbent, Karina Okotel, Kanishka Raffel, Peter Comensoli, Anthony Ekpo, David Saperstein and Rowan Williams.

Genres: Nonfiction

240 pages, Paperback

Published February 20, 2023

About the author

Shireen Morris is a constitutional lawyer and senior lecturer at Macquarie University Law School. She is the author of Radical Heart: Three Stories Make Us One and co-editor of A Rightful Place: A Roadmap to Recognition and The Forgotten People.

Reviews

[Sara Trifkovic · Rating 5 out of 5]

I wasn’t expecting this book to be so informal in tone, but that actually became one of its strengths. It’s very accessible, yet surprisingly insightful. I was genuinely struck by the discussions around early trade between Makassar Muslim communities and Aboriginal peoples, and by how many different religious groups across Australia have come together to support the Voice of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. It connected histories and relationships I hadn’t really considered before, and that stayed with me after finishing.

[Judy · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is a compilation of essays written by people of faith. The first 13 are written by Australian writers, each presenting a religious perspective on the Uluru Statement from the Heart. Some are denominational leaders overtly representing the tradition in which they sit; others are faithful adherents writing from their own perspective (and some of these contain intimate family portraits, tracing forebears across generations).

I've given the book 3 stars because of the varying quality of these essays, but, having said that, there's some stand-outs; two of which are Stan Grant's, A truth that comes from Love, and Russell Broadbent's, A Divine Invitation. This last one took me by surprise; it's the one that most moved me. Russell Broadbent is a sitting federal MP and I don't think I've ever agreed with anything he's said, but his essay demonstrates that he's reflected deeply on the Uluru Statement from the Heart through the lens of his Christian faith - he's allowed the Statement to confront him and heard in it, resonances of the Christian scripture, and something of Word and Truth; "The First Peoples have shown deep mercy and a pure heart in writing the Statement, inviting all Australians to walk with them and share in this gift of great grace and truth."

The book concludes with 3 international responses to the Australian perspectives, all of which engage the broader topic of colonialism and the murky history of religious complicity-especially that of the Christian church-in past practices that have determined the fate of indigenous communities across the world.

A must read, especially for, but not limited to people of faith, in the run up to The Voice Referendum, which seeks to give an indigenous voice to the Australian Parliament.

[Janine · Rating 3 out of 5]

Although the Uluru Statement comes 'from the heart', it is not hard to sense its moral force. Religion does not have a monopoly on moral thinking, but this particular volume contains essays from people of faith, speaking about their moral response to the Uluru Statement and talking about the elements of their own faith that have brought them to that position.

And as we head towards this referendum, I guess that it reflects the deeply-regrettable intrusion of the culture wars into something that need not necessarily be partisan. These are generally voices from the conservative side of politics, but as it turns out the question has splintered on both conservative and progressive sides.

For me, the referendum is a moral question, and an appeal to the soul just as much to the heart and head. I can see what this book is doing by appealing to religious leaders, but other groups in society have their own moral response as well. I hope that we hear more of that too.

For my full review, please visit:
https://residentjudge.com/2023/04/19/...

[Jane Harvey · Rating 4 out of 5]

Time for all of us to do what is right and vote Yes in the Voice Referendum.

[Abi B]

A good book I wish more people had the readiness to read