Reverend Dr David Millikan, former head of religious programming with the ABC, founding director of the Zadok Centre, commentator and filmmaker has been appointed as the first Executive Director of the Australian Centre for Christianity and Culture.
The Governor General, Sir William Deane will launch plans for the centre and open a Visitor Pavilion and Project Office at a special function to be held on the Canberra site on 7 December.
The joint initiative of the Anglican Diocese of Canberra and Goulburn, and Charles Sturt University, with active participation of other denominations to emphasise its interdenominational character, the centre is planned as a new concept for ecumenical activity in Australia.
Millikan says that he looks to the centre as being a focal point for Christianity in the 21st century.
"This will be a religious centre for the nation. In part, the centre is about Christianity reinventing itself, about being able to look into our belief systems and worship as well as our creative endeavours.
"Traditionally the focal point for a Christian community has been the great cathedral or a monumental structure that becomes a repository for the community's images, ideas and history. We don't have that here in Australia so this centre will take on that role," Dr Millikan said.
The centre will be built on a prominent site adjacent to the parliamentary triangle, which was initially part of a grant to the Churches in the conception of Canberra.
Vice-Chancellor of Charles Sturt University, Professor Cliff Blake said this was a key project for a university that now has three major initiatives in the ACT.
"The University's presence in Canberra has a strong national focus with our involvement in St Mark's National Theological Centre, the new National Centre for Applied Philosophy and Public Ethics [one of 11 new special centres recently funded by the Australian Research Council] and now this Australian Centre for Christianity and Culture," Professor Blake said.
Planned as a resource for all Australians, the centre will be a focus for liturgical events, exhibitions, convocations and conferences in the next century.
Dr Millikan will take up his appointment with the centre in early December leaving his position as a Minister of the Uniting Church in Redfern, Sydney.
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