When Professor Ben Myers wrote The Apostles’ Creed: For All God’s Children, illustrated by Natasha Kennedy, his aim was to make the central beliefs of the Christian faith accessible to young readers. He never imagined that the book would one day help Indigenous children to learn about the gospel in their own language. Translators with the Bible Society have now produced a Pitjantjatjara translation of the book, and Allan Quak from the Bible Society came to AC’s Brisbane campus to present Ben with a copy.
The translation is being used in Indigenous communities both as a literacy resource and as a way of helping children learn about the Christian faith in Pitjantjatjara. It builds on the Bible Society’s longstanding work alongside Pitjantjatjara speakers to translate scripture and develop Christian resources that can be read, taught and shared in language.
For Ben, the new edition represents an unexpected extension of the book’s original purpose. Written as a concise and friendly introduction to the Christian faith, the book brings theological scholarship into a form accessible to children and families. Its translation into Pitjantjatjara shows how theological writing can take on new life beyond its original setting, enabling Christian teaching to be explored within a distinct cultural community.
The project also reflects the broader value of producing scholarship for audiences beyond the academy. Through collaboration among authors, illustrators, translators and Indigenous language communities, theological ideas can become resources that serve communities in practical and enduring ways.
