Australian Centre for Christianity and Culture facts for kids
The Australian Centre for Christianity and Culture is a special place in Canberra, Australia's capital city. It was started in 1993. This centre helps different Christian churches talk and work together. It also helps Christians connect with people of other faiths. The Centre explores important topics like reconciliation in Australia. It also looks at how Christian faith fits into Australian culture.
The Centre is part of Charles Sturt University. This partnership began in 1998. It also works with United Theological College and St Mark's National Theological Centre.
History of the Site
The land where the Centre stands was originally Ngunnawal country. The Centre respects the Ngunnawal people as the first owners of this land. After European settlers arrived, the area became known as Rottenbury Hill. It was named after an early settler, George Rottenbury.
In 1912, the American architect Walter Burley Griffin designed the new city of Canberra. His plan included spots for national cathedrals or churches. Each main Christian group was to have its own site. The Church of England (now called the Anglican Church) chose Rattonbury Hill.
On May 8, 1927, the site was officially set aside. It was dedicated as a national cathedral site by Charles Riley, the Archbishop of Perth. The National Library of Australia has old photos of this event. The next day, the Duke of York opened the new national capital. Later that afternoon, a RAAF plane crashed on Rattonbury Hill. The pilot sadly died from his injuries.
The Australian Constitution says that all land in the capital must be leased. This means the church had to lease the land. The original leases required building work to start within two years. Lewis Radford, the Bishop of Goulburn, encouraged this. The Church held a competition to design a cathedral. Harold Crone won this competition.
Radford's successor, Ernest Burgmann, was less keen on a national cathedral. He started St Mark's Library on the site in 1957. This library is now St Mark's National Theological Centre. Burgmann later thought of the site as a "collegiate church." This is like a church with other buildings around it, similar to Westminster Abbey.
Not much progress happened for a long time. In 1981, Bishop Cecil Warren asked for a national "Great Church." He hoped it would be ready for Australia's 200th birthday in 1988. This idea was not well received. It was changed to just "a national project."
The site was finally developed after a new plan. This plan was led by Bishop George Browning. He worked with Governor-General William Deane and Indigenous leader Lowitja O'Donoghue.
The Centre
The Centre is on a small hill. It looks over Lake Burley Griffin on Kings Avenue. It is just south of the Parliamentary Triangle in central Canberra. The main office building, George Browning House, is next to St Mark's National Theological Centre.
At the top of the hill is a tall, modern steel cross. Below the cross, along a central line, is a special fire pit. Then there is a grassy amphitheatre area. This area will eventually be covered. After that is the main building with an auditorium and a chapel. Next to the chapel is the Great Bell, made in 1986.
The Pilgrim's Walk leads from the main building. It goes to the Pilgrim Poles, a labyrinth, and the Bible Garden. The Bible Garden has plants mentioned in the Bible. It was created with help from The Bible Garden Trust. It opened in 2008.
Structure
Board
The Centre has a Board that helps guide its work. This Board includes people from many different Christian groups in Australia. Board members help make important decisions for the Centre.
Current members include:
- Lawrie Willett AO (Chair)
- Roger Beale AO
- Mr Paul Bongiorno AM
- Ms Cheryl Cartwright
- The Honourable Dr Ken Crispin QC
- Mr Paul Dowler
- Father Peter L'Estrange SJ AO
- Rt Rev'd Professor Stephen Pickard (Executive Director)
- Most Rev Dr Christopher Prowse
- Justice Richard Refshauge
- Mr Clive Rodger
- Lieutenant General (Retd) John Sanderson AC, former Governor of Western Australia
- Mr Brendan Smyth
Some past Board members include:
- Margaret Reid, a former Senator and President of the Australian Senate. She was the first President of the Board.
- Mark Coleridge
- Lin Hatfield Dodds, Director of UnitingCare Australia
- Professor Ross Chambers, Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic), Charles Sturt University.
Executive Director
The Executive Director leads the Centre's daily operations.
- Rt Rev'd Professor Stephen Pickard has been the Executive Director since 2015.
- Rev Prof Dr James Haire was also an Executive Director. He is a Professor of Theology at Charles Sturt University. He was also President of the National Council of Churches in Australia.
The first Executive Director, starting in 1999, was Rev Dr David Millikan. He used to lead religious programs for the Australian Broadcasting Commission.
Secretariat
A small team called the Secretariat helps run the Centre every day. They handle the administration and support the Centre's activities.
See also
