RELIGION IN AUSTRALIA
POST 1945
HOW IS IT ASSESSED?
10 Multiple Choice questions (10 marks)
1 x Short Answer Question (5 marks)
TOTAL = 15 MARKS
SYLLABUS OUTCOMES
Contemporary Aboriginal Spiritualities
Discuss how Aboriginal spirituality is determined by the Dreaming
• kinship
• ceremonial life
• obligations to land and people
discuss the continuing effect of dispossession on Aboriginal spiritualities in
relation to:
• separation from the land
• separation from kinship groups
• the Stolen Generations
Outline the importance of the following for the Land Rights movement:
• Native Title
• Mabo
• Wik
Analyse the importance of the Dreaming for the Land Rights movement
SYLLABUS OUTCOMES
Religious Expression in Australia – 1945 to present
Outline the changing patterns of adherence from 1945 to present using
census data
Account for the present religious landscape in Australia in relation to:
• Christianity as the major religious tradition
• immigration
• denominational switching
• rise of New Age religions
• secularism
Describe the impact of Christian ecumenical movements in Australia
• The National Council of Churches
• NSW Ecumenical Council
Evaluate the importance of interfaith dialogue in multi-faith Australia
Examine the relationship between Aboriginal spiritualities and religious
traditions in the process of Reconciliation
ABORIGINAL SPIRITUALITY 1
Discuss how Aboriginal spirituality is determined by the Dreaming
• kinship
• ceremonial life
• obligations to land and people
ABORIGINAL SPIRITUALITY 1
KINSHIP
• Kinship refers to the interconnectedness of the people
and environment
• “Family” is understood differently than our contemporary,
Western society
• Each member of the clan played an important role and part
in the daily living
• Kinship systems determine these roles, as well as rules
for marriage and other relationships
• Dreaming determines these relationships
ABORIGINAL SPIRITUALITY 1
CEREMONIAL LIFE
• Ritual and artistic expression of the Dreaming
• Through these, the Dreaming is understood and lived
• Include: dance, ceremonies, music, paintings, initiation
(and other) rites
ABORIGINAL SPIRITUALITY 1
OBLIGATIONS TO LAND AND PEOPLE
• The Dreaming is inextricably connected to the land
• Cannot separate their religion from their very specific land
• Symbiotic relationship between the people and the land
ABORIGINAL SPIRITUALITY 2
discuss the continuing effect of dispossession on Aboriginal
spiritualities in relation to:
• separation from the land
• separation from kinship groups
• the Stolen Generations
ABORIGINAL SPIRITUALITY 2
CONSIDER:
• Various government policies systemically contributed to
the destruction of Aboriginal spirituality
• “Half-cast” children were taken from their families as part
of the Stolen Generation. Missions were set up, run by
government and church organisations. Children in these
missions were not allowed to speak their language, and
were assimilated into “White” culture
• Aboriginal people were only given citizenship and voting
rights mid-20th Century
• Many First Nations people today are still living with the
direct effect of some of these policies
ABORIGINAL SPIRITUALITY 2
CONSIDER:
• With this much disruption and systemic oppression,
Aboriginal spirituality (language, culture, knowledge) has
been almost entirely wiped out
• With dispossession came the destruction of the kinship
system, resulting in the loss of almost all information.
Remember, theirs was predominantly an oral tradition
ABORIGINAL SPIRITUALITY 3
Outline the importance of the following for the Land Rights
movement:
• Native Title
• Mabo
• Wik
ABORIGINAL SPIRITUALITY 3
Land Rights Movement
•
The movement towards official recognition of ownership of
land by our First Nations people
•
Dates back to mid 1900s
Mabo (1992)
•
High Court decision which ruled:
• Terra Nullius was incorrect
• Aboriginal people can make claim to land in some cases
Native Title Act (1993)
•
Already established types of land ownership included
Freehold Title (privately owned) and Crown Land
(government owned).
•
New type of land ownership: Native Title
ABORIGINAL SPIRITUALITY 3
Wik (1996)
• High Court decision which ruled:
• Native Title could be claimed on Crown land which was
privately LEASED
• HOWEVER, should there be a conflict, and the tribunal
unable to resolve it or reach a compromise, the lease
holder’s rights outweighed the Native Title Claim
• Some other conditions
ABORIGINAL SPIRITUALITY 4
Analyse the importance of the Dreaming for the Land Rights
movement
REMEMBER
• The Dreaming is inextricably connected to the land
• The stories, artworks and history refer to specific parts of
the land and its features
• Without this land, the connection with the Dreaming is
severed
RELIGIOUS LANDSCAPE 1
Outline the changing patterns of adherence from 1945 to present
using census data
Religious Affiliation
1851
1901
1933
1947
1966
1976
1981
1986
1991
1996
2001
2006
2011
Anglican
52.6
39.7
38.7
39
33.5
27.7
26.1
23.9
23.9
22.0
20.7
18.7
17.1
2.0
1.6
1.5
1.4
1.3
1.3
1.7
1.7
1.6
1.6
1.6
22.7
19.6
20.9
26.3
25.7
26.0
26.1
27.3
27.0
26.6
25.8
25.3
0.6
0.9
0.9
0.9
0.6
0.6
0.6
0.5
0.4
0.3
0.3
?
0.3
0.4
0.4
0.4
0.5
0.4
0.4
?
1.3
1.5
1.4
1.3
1.3
1.2
Baptist
Catholic
26.2
Churches of Christ
Jehovah's Witness
Lutheran
Methodist
5.6
2.0
0.9
0.9
1.6
1.4
1.4
13.4
10.3
11.5
9.7
7.3
3.4
0.2
0.2
2.2
2.7
3.0
2.7
2.8
2.8
2.8
2.9
2.6
0.3
0.5
0.7
0.9
1.0
0.6
1.11
1.1
Orthodox
Pentecostal
Presbyterian
10.3
Salvation Army
11.3
10.8
9.8
9.0
6.6
4.4
3.6
4.3
3.8
3.4
3.0
2.8
0.8
0.5
0.6
0.5
0.5
0.5
0.5
0.4
0.4
0.4
0.3
?
4.9
7.6
8.2
7.5
6.7
5.7
5.0
Uniting Church
Other Christian
% TOTAL CHRISTIAN
3.9
1.3
1.9
2.0
2.4
4.0
3.2
4.6
2.0
1.9
1.9
1.7
?
98.6
94.2
85.4
87.3
87.5
78.4
75.9
73.3
73.9
69.5
69.8
63.9
61.1
0.2
0.5
0.8
1.1
1.9
2.11
2.5
0.1
0.3
0.4
0.5
0.8
1.3
Buddhist
Hindu
Muslim
Jewish
0.5
0.4
0.3
0.4
0.5
0.3
0.5
0.7
0.9
1.1
1.5
1.7
2.2
0.4
0.4
0.4
0.4
0.4
0.4
0.5
0.5
0.5
0.8
4.8
5.6
7.2
Other Non-Christian
% TOTAL NON-CHRISTIAN
0.5
0.4
0.4
0.4
0.5
0.7
1.5
2.1
2.9
3.8
Inadequately described
0.5
0.3
0.2
0.3
0.4
0.5
0.4
0.3
0.3
No Religion
0.5
0.2
0.3
0.8
8.3
10.8
12.7
12.9
16.5
15.5
18.7
22.3
Not Stated
1.5
12.8
10.8
10
11.8
10.9
11.9
10.2
8.7
11.7
11.2
9.4
% NO REL. /NOT STATED
2.5
13.8
11.3
11.1
20.5
22.2
25.0
23.4
25.5
27.2
29.9
31.7
TOTAL (Millions)
3.8
7.6
11.6
13.5
15.6
16.9
17.75
18.8
19.9
21.5
RELIGIOUS LANDSCAPE 1
Things to consider:
• Overall drop in percentage of Christians
• Rise of secularism (“No Religion” and “Not Stated” increase)
and 1971 change on census
• Size of the other religion traditions (what is the 2nd largest?)
• Shifts in the numbers of particular Christian groups
RELIGIOUS LANDSCAPE 2
Account for the present religious landscape in Australia in relation
to:
•
•
•
•
•
Christianity as the major religious tradition
immigration
denominational switching
rise of New Age religions
secularism
RELIGIOUS LANDSCAPE 2
CHRISTIANITY AS THE MAJOR RELIGIOUS TRADITION
Things to consider:
• History of colonisation of Australia – British and Irish
Christians
• Lack of recording of Indigenous beliefs as a legitimate
religious tradition
• European settlement and immigration
• Catholic numbers rise – why?
RELIGIOUS LANDSCAPE 2
IMMIGRATION
Things to consider:
• Post WWII – 1945 onwards – European immigrants
• Conflicts in 20th century include:
• Vietnam War – (Catholic, Buddhist) 1960s
• Mid-East conflicts; Iraq (Muslim), Lebanon (Muslim, Orthodox
& Catholic) – 1970s-1990s
• Sudan – 1990s-2000s
• And many others
RELIGIOUS LANDSCAPE 2
DENOMINATIONAL SWITCHING
Things to consider
• Denomination Switching – between Christian churches only
• Increase in Catholic numbers – denominational ‘loyalty’
• Increase in Pentecostal – charismatic movement, popular
among younger Christians; “revolving door”
• Decrease in Anglican – less British immigrants
• Protestantism – Shifts between the various Protestant
denominations
RELIGIOUS LANDSCAPE 2
RISE OF NEW AGE RELIGIONS
Things to consider:
• Individualistic society
• Disillusionment with “traditional” religious practices, especially
Christianity
• General dissatisfaction with mainstream religions
• New Age includes: astrology, feng shui, transcendental
meditation, paganism, etc
RELIGIOUS LANDSCAPE 2
SECULARISM
Things to consider:
• Huge advances in scientific understanding of the universe in
the 20th century, continuing
• Increasing pluralism (diversity of beliefs and cultures) in
Australia
• Increasing sense of irrelevance of religion in today’s life
• “No Religion” increasing on census
RELIGIOUS LANDSCAPE 3
Describe the impact of Christian ecumenical movements in
Australia
• The National Council of Churches
• NSW Ecumenical Council
RELIGIOUS LANDSCAPE 3
ECUMENISM
Things to Consider:
• Ecumenism – movement towards unity amongst Christian
denominations
• NOT intended as an amalgamation of churches
• Include theological ‘agreements’ (beliefs)
• Include joint practical activities – making public statemtns on
issues such as war, public morality, and other matters of
social justice
• E.g. Uniting Church – Formed in 1977 – Joining of
Presbyterian, Methodist and Congregationalist
RELIGIOUS LANDSCAPE 3
National Council of Churches Australia
•
•
•
•
•
NCCA – formed after WWII
Currently comprised of 15 member churches
Aims to deepen relationships between member churches
Aims to work, pray and grow together
Initiatives include: Week of Prayer for Christian Unity
RELIGIOUS LANDSCAPE 3
NSW Ecumenical Council
•
•
•
•
Formed in 1982
16 churches throughout NSW and ACT
Affiliated with NCCA
Aims to promote ecumenism through four major types of
initiatives:
•
•
•
•
Theology
Local initiatives (grass roots level)
Social justice activities
Educational initiatives
RELIGIOUS LANDSCAPE 4
Evaluate the importance of interfaith dialogue in multi-faith
Australia
RELIGIOUS LANDSCAPE 4
Things to consider:
• Inter-faith dialogue: formal discussions aiming to
develop greater mutual understanding between
different religious traditions
• Initiatives include:
• NSW Council of Christians and Jews
• Columban Centre for Christian-Muslim Relations
• Important because of nature of Australia’s pluralistic
society, appreciation of diversity, breaking down of
stereotypes (e.g. Muslims after 9/11)
• Aim to build relationships between different
religions, to join together on issues of common
agreement, especially social justice
RECONCILIATION
Examine the relationship between Aboriginal spiritualities and
religious traditions in the process of Reconciliation
RECONCILIATION
Some examples:
• Christianity
• ANTaR: Australians for Native Title and Reconciliation
• Formal apology to Stolen Generation by Pope John
Paul II in 1998
• Judaism
• Week of prayer for Reconciliation is held every year
• Executive Council of the Australian Jewry urged the
Australian government to implement the
recommendations made by the National inquiry into the
separation of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander
Children and their Families