Religious Landscape Religious Dialogue RELIGION AND BELIEF SYSTEMS IN AUSTRALIA POST-1945

General terms/main features of State reasons for Characteristics/Features Judgment based on criteria/value of

1. The NSW Ecumenical Council aims: a.To identify and stress the beliefs that religious traditions have in common. b.To identify and stress the beliefs that Christian denominations have in common. c.To promote the merging of religious traditions. d.To promote the merging of Christian denominations. “Building better relations between people from different religious is one of the biggest challenges facing today’s world” 3. This statement assumes the importance of: a.Conversion b.Denominational switching c.Ecumenical movements d.Interfaith dialogue 4. Examples of ways in which this challenge can be met include: a.Establishing broader forums to address the issue of increasing religious diversity. b.Establishing a forum to address the issue of increasing peace and harmony among the diverse population c.A variety of seminars, conferences and workshops d.A variety of workshops, protest movements and seminars. 7. The changing patterns of religious adherence in Australian society since the end of the Second World War can be attributed to many factors. One of the greatest impacts on the religious adherence is the effect of: a.Birth and death rates b.Denominational switching c.Immigration d.Secularisation TRIAL QUESTIONS

OUTLINE CHANGING PATTERNS OF RELIGIOUS ADHERENCE FROM 1945 TO THE PRESENT USING CENSUS DATA

Christianity as the major religious tradition  European settlers brought to Australia their traditional Christian churches.  By allowing in only people from certain European countries the 'White Australia' Policy (enshrined in the Immigration Restriction Act of 1901) effectively also kept out religious traditions other than Christianity. Factors contributing to the decline of Christianity  Decline in most Christian groups as a percentage of the population is due to increasing secularisation, dissatisfaction with traditional religious movements, aging membership, and a lack of migrant intake.  New and emerging forms of religious practice are often not acknowledged in statistics on church attendance. This means that the plethora of small informal groupings and individual spiritual pursuits are not acknowledged as religious practice. 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

Reasons for the increase in the Catholic figures  Catholicism has continued to increase both numerically and proportionally (from 20.9% in 1947 to 26.6% in 2001) making it the largest religious group in Australia.  Catholicism has been insulated from the effect of the decline in religious affiliation because of its substantial migrant intake and slightly higher birth rate, loyalty. Reasons for the increase in the Pentecostal figures  The Pentecostal figures continue to show an increase both numerically and as a percentage of the population.  One possible reason for this slow down is the so called "revolving door syndrome" which recognises that large numbers of Pentecostals remain with the church for a relatively short period of time, often between eighteen months and two years.  In 2000 Pentecostal leaders congregated together to form the Australian Christian Churches. These leaders then encouraged their members to write in Australian Christian Churches rather than Pentecostal in the 2001 census. 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

Immigration: The most significant reason for the increase in the diversity of the religious character in Australia is immigration. The large number of immigrants since the Second World War can be attributed to various factors.  The Australian government actively sought immigration in the belief the nation's security and economic prosperity was dependent upon a significant increase to its population.  The decline of the 'White Australia' policy meant that the migration of people from a greater variety of ethnic groups became easier.  Fourthly, overseas wars and persecution have led to waves of immigration from affected areas - e.g. Vietnam (1970s); Lebanon (1980s); Afghanistan, Bosnia and Herzegovina (1990s). Immigration has changed Australia into a multifaith society  Immigration has greatly increased the number of people affiliated with religious traditions other than Christianity. 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

Impact of immigration on Christian membership in Australia  Many migrants from Eastern Europe have brought their Orthodox denomination of Christianity to Australia. Effect on the Catholic Denomination  The increase in the number of Catholics in Australia in the post World War Two period is largely the result of immigration from Mediterranean countries (especially Italy and Malta) as well as some from Eastern Europe (Poland and the Ukraine).  Eastern Catholics (Maronite, Melkite and Ukrainian rite Catholics) have also immigrated. There is a significant population of Maronite Catholics who have mostly come from Lebanon in the Middle East.  These successive waves of immigration have significantly altered the ethnic mix of Catholicism. 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

Denominational Switching The transfer of followers from one Christian denomination to another. This phenomenon is far more common in Protestant denominations than in Catholic or Orthodox groups.  Protestants, especially younger ones, 'shop around' and look for the 'right' congregation in which to get involved. Characteristics of Pentecostalism  Pentecostalism is an evangelical and charismatic strand of the Christian tradition and place a strong emphasis on the gifts of the Holy Spirit such as 'speaking in tongues', prophecy and faith healing.  The 1996 census showed an increase of 60% in the Pentecostal figures over the past 10 years.  Many people leave Pentecostalism after about two years - indicating that for many it is exciting and involving in the short term but unfulfilling in the long run. This phenomenon is known as the 'revolving door syndrome'. 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

Rise of the New Age Religions The term "new age" should be understood as a kind of umbrella term to cover a range of spiritual beliefs and practices aiming to foster individual fulfillment in the form of personal happiness, health and meaning in life. New age religions can be followed as an alternative to, or in conjunction with, other more traditional religious practices. Characteristics of new age religion  Are individualistic and search oriented rather than focused on an established tradition that has an established community, official doctrine and structures of authority.  New age religions often seek wisdom in ancient and Eastern traditions, such as Buddhism, Hinduism and Sufism, but only accept the teachings that suit them rather than the whole integrated worldview.  Many new age religions generally favour a creation centred spirituality - the belief that the transcendent is found through the natural world. 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

Reasons for the popularity of new age religion  Individualistic and liberal in the sense that it is the type of spirituality in which a person can pick and choose which beliefs and practices to follow and hence tailor a 'religion' to suit their individual preferences.  Many people supplement traditional religion with aspects of new age spiritualities.  It can be said that the new age movement developed as a reaction against what some perceived as the failure of Christianity and the failure of secular humanism to provide spiritual and ethical guidance in the contemporary world. Various forms of new age religion  Numerology,  Astrology  Yoga and tai chi,  Feng shui  Transcendental meditation 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

Secularism The belief that religion should not interfere with or be integrated into the public affairs of a society.  Secularisation is the process of a society becoming more secular, i.e. less religious. Secularisation can be seen in the diminishing relevance of religious values Significant increase in the number of people writing "No religion”  The most telling evidence of this trend of secularisation is the significant increase in the number of people responding "No Religion" in the census. In 1947 there were only 0.3% of the population that stated they followed "No Religion". This increased significantly to 16.1% in 1996, but has dropped slightly to 15.5% in  The increases in the number of people responded "No Religion" should be read along with the decreasing proportions of Australians claiming religious affiliation and the decline in church attendance. 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

Reasons for rise in secularism  Increasing individualism means that people do not look to traditional communities for meaning in their lives  Increasing materialism means that spirituality is often ignored in favour of possessions, power, looks and fame;  Increasing disillusionment with traditional religions for hypocrisy, abuse of power and/or irrelevance means that religions have lost moral authority and respect;  Increasing scepticism towards the supernatural due to scientific progress that means that there are more atheists and agnostics in society. Secularisation of society indicates that more and more people are comfortable to live their lives without reference to religion or God. 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

National Council of Churches - NCCA  The National Council of Churches in Australia (NCCA) is an ecumenical body that aims to deepen the relationship of member churches "in order to express more visibly the unity willed by Christ" and strengthen the cause of Christian unity in Australia by leading different denominations to work, pray and grow together.  The ecumenical movement in Australia was initially an Anglican and Protestant affair with the Australian Council of Churches formed after World War II.  It comprises of 17 member Christian churches that dialogue and collaborate in a range of ways.  The NCCA also provides resources for the annual Week of Prayer for Christian Unity, supports the National Aboriginal & Torres Strait Islander Ecumenical Commission, has a Youth Network, a Social Justice Network, and a Gender Commission to promote inclusivity within member churches. DESCRIBE THE IMPACT OF CHRISTIAN ECUMENICAL MOVEMENTS IN AUSTRALIA: THE NATIONAL COUNCIL OF CHURCHES- NSW ECUMENICAL COUNCIL - UNITING CHURCH AUSTRALIA

NSW Ecumenical Council  The NSW Ecumenical Council, which was formed in 1982, consists of 16 churches throughout NSW and the Australian Capital Territory. The NSW Ecumenical Council is one of seven state/territory ecumenical councils in Australia, and all of which are affiliated to the National Council of Churches.  The NSW Ecumenical Council seeks to unite the different denominations by providing a platform for different churches to address social justice issues, for example by setting up the House of Welcome to assist refugees. DESCRIBE THE IMPACT OF CHRISTIAN ECUMENICAL MOVEMENTS IN AUSTRALIA: THE NATIONAL COUNCIL OF CHURCHES- NSW ECUMENICAL COUNCIL - UNITING CHURCH AUSTRALIA

Uniting Church Australia  The Uniting Church is the 3rd largest Christian denomination in Australia and is the only notable religious denomination of Australian origin. It was founded in 1977 through a merger of all Methodists, 65% of Presbyterians and 95% of Congregationalists.  The Basis of Union, the foundational document for the Uniting Church, states that the reason for this merger is their "seeking to bear witness to that unity which is both Christ's gift and will for the Church."  The Uniting Church's commitment to love of God and neighbour has sometimes drawn it into controversial situations. It has long taken a role in the political arena, encouraging moral, social and ethical integrity. The Uniting Church has been at the forefront of Aboriginal rights issues including the Native Title debate and reconciliation. DESCRIBE THE IMPACT OF CHRISTIAN ECUMENICAL MOVEMENTS IN AUSTRALIA: THE NATIONAL COUNCIL OF CHURCHES- NSW ECUMENICAL COUNCIL - UNITING CHURCH AUSTRALIA

Interfaith dialogue: Cooperation between different religious traditions as all share a religious world view  Dialogue begins when people meet each other  Dialogue depends upon mutual understanding and trust  Dialogue makes it possible to share in service to the community When "making a judgement", that means to:  Define ‘Interfaith’ dialogue  Explain your argument/case.  State reasons for your argument/case.  Provide examples of your argument/case Examples:  The Australian National Dialogue of Christians, Muslims and Jews which commenced in  Multifaith prayer vigil held at Strathfield Plaza on 15th September 2001 after the terrorist attacks on the USA. Muslims, Hindus, Buddhists, Tamil Catholics, Anglo Catholics, Anglicans, Korean Christians and Pentecostals groups took part. EVALUATE THE IMPORTANCE OF INTERFAITH DIALOGUE IN MULTIFAITH AUSTRALIA

Understanding differences is important to the goal of peace. By sharing ideas, attitudes and experiences they grow in knowledge and understanding of others who share our society. It is the aim of interfaith dialogue to: 1.Create an understanding of good will and a sense of community between the people of different faiths by addressing community issues together as a community. 2.Learn about each other and their faith traditions in a spirit of exploration and discovery by encouraging activities and projects of community. 3.To share this knowledge and learn understanding with others by communication 4.To work together to achieve common goals and to support each other in difficult times by increasing knowledge and awareness of the issues facing each faith community and individuals.  Fulfilling these objectives can only improve the quality of life in our community. Lack of an attempt will continue to spread distrust and animosity bred through ignorance. EVALUATE THE IMPORTANCE OF INTERFAITH DIALOGUE IN MULTIFAITH AUSTRALIA