The Abraham Trail

Description

Author Norman Habel wrote this book in response to an invitation of mentors, The Rainbow Spirit Elders, who wrote,

Abraham, the peacemaker, respected the peoples of the land. We ask the same. Abraham recognised the God of the land. We ask the same.
Abraham and the peoples of the land shared mutual blessings.
We ask the same.
Rainbow Spirit Theology, 1997, p. 85

In The Abraham Trail: Acknowledgement of the Land and Faith of Aboriginal Custodians, Habel follows Abraham through the legends of Genesis and beyond to understand, where possible, how he related to the indigenous Canaanites, their God and their land.

What Habel has expressed in The Abraham Trail provides a precedent for settlers who have dispossessed the land and discounted the faith of the Aboriginal Peoples where they settled. In the light of the Abraham precedent and subsequent colonial history, Habel argues that it is time to go beyond making another apology and make a formal acknowledgement that leads to a genuine treaty process.