In reconciliation week we turn our attention to Colonial Australia and a new book out from John Harris, ‘Judging the Macquaries’ - with Peter Adam

The Black Lives Matter movement is bringing the characters of powerful people in colonial times into sharp focus, particularly their attitudes and actions towards slavery and indigenous peoples. 

Lachlan and Elizabeth Macquarie are among those being scrutinised and reassessed.

John Harris paints a more spiritually positive picture of Governor Lachlan Macquarie than had previously been understood.  His wife Elizabeth Macquarie was a clear evangelical.  Lachlan Macquarie’s Christian faith causes him to stand out in significant policy areas from the dominant views of the time: in his attitudes, behaviour and policies relating to both convicts and indigenous persons.

The picture of Macquarie is in sharp contrast to his chief antagonist Rev Samuel Marsden.  The book caused me to reassess the more positive view of Marsden that I argued in 2015.

The Former Principal of Ridley Theological College Melbourne Peter Adam is one of the foremost voices in this space in Australian Christianity and he is delighted with Harris’ new work

To order ‘Judging the Macquaries’ online

Dominic Steele’s 2015 address on Samuel Marsden

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