In his response to the Voice referendum result, Archbishop Kanishka Raffel says there should be renewed effort towards Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander ministry.
"The people of Australia have now spoken on the Voice to Parliament,” the Archbishop said in a statement. "Whatever your reaction to the outcome, it is timely to remember what the Sydney Anglican Indigenous Peoples Ministry Committee affirmed this year – it is God’s voice that is sovereign over all peoples and lands.
"The conversation around the referendum highlights the need for reconciliation with the Indigenous people of this land and should spur us on to the true work of reconciliation through Jesus. Our ministries of care and education for and by Indigenous people, through Anglicare and our schools, are an important part of this.”
Archbishop Raffel says he was encouraged by the address of Indigenous brothers and sisters to the recent Synod.
"I recall the words of the Rev Michael Duckett who challenged us to spend as much time as we have spent talking about the Voice, talking about the spread of the gospel among First Nations people. ‘Put your efforts and your prayers,’ he said, ‘into the spread of the gospel among my people here so the Sydney Diocese can showcase to the world what it means to be reconciled to the First Nations peoples through Christ Jesus’.”
Archbishop Raffel described that as "a wonderful and humbling vision!”
"To know and love the Indigenous people of this land. To direct our prayers and our efforts into helping to raise up the next generation of ministry leaders. To pray for First Nations people, young and old, to know the Lord."
