- General decline in three Major Christian denominations: catholic,
Anglican, uniting church (81.2% 1947 > 56.9% 2001) - Decrease in total Christians: 88% 1947 > 68% 2001) - Increase in traditions other than Christianity: Buddhism, Islam, Hinduism are the fastest growing traditions in Australia (eg. Buddhism: <1% 1947 1.9% 2001) - Citizens are becoming increasingly involved in religion to seek answers, whilst others are acknowledging no religion (secularism) and prefer to focus on features of spirituality (eg. 0.3% 1947 >15.5% 2001) - More people identify with religion, rather than attend (eg. 5% of Anglicans attend church weekly) - Churches have a greater proportion of those 50+ (overall church attendance increases with age) - Increase in no religion stated in census indicates increased levels of acceptance of secularism in Australia and that people are turning away from religion and other spiritual resources. General reasons for this decrease in the National Council Life Survey 1998 = 42% church is boring or unfulfilling, 35% disagree with the churchs beliefs or believe there is no need to go to church. These reasons, overall, support the concept of individuality and following ones personal ideas rather than those of a group or organisation - QUOTE: In a secularising world, art has replaced religion as a touchstone of our reverence and devotion -Alain de Botton
The current religious landscape Christianity as a major religious tradition: - White Australia Policy from the Immigration Act 1901 effectively kept out religious traditions other than Christianity until 1973 - significant decline in the number of Christians regularly attending religious services, especially in the Anglican, Uniting Church and Presbyterian denominations, can be attributed to the aging population, the lack of migrant intake and the general dissatisfaction with some aspects of the church (sexual assaults) - Roman Catholics are continuing to increase numerically, though not at the rate of the population because of its younger membership and substantial migrant intake. - significant increases in the Pentecostal (eg. Hillsong) figures can be attributed to factors such as the lively nature of its worship, its emphasis on contemporary music, the strong sense of community and spiritual support it provides, the charismatic leaders which lead the congregation and the clear cut answers it provides for times of uncertainty. These churches have a strong emphasis on the gifts of the Holy Spirit (speaking in tongues, healing, prophecy etc). - QUOTE: Within the covers of the Bible are the answers for all the problems men face - Ronald Reagan
Immigration - Definition: the action of coming to live permanently in a foreign country - Changed Australia from being mono-cultural, mono-faith to multi- cultural, multi-faith (increasing diversity) - Christianity is no longer divided among ethnic lines (eg. Asian decent not always Buddhist and English decent not always Christian) - Overseas wars and persecution have led to waves of immigration from affected areas (eg. after the Vietnam war, between 1976 and 1981, there were 2059 Vietnamese boat arrivals) - After WWII, the government actively sought immigration in the belief that the nations security and economic prosperity was dependent upon a significant increase in the Australian population. Therefore, the government assisted passage to migrants (enticement) Since 1945, almost 5.5 million people have come to Australia from 170 countries (Trevor Batrouney). It really has been the defining characteristic of Australian society (Jock Collins) - After the ending of the White Australian policy in 1973, migration developed from a larger range of countries bringing a wider range of religions - Examples: Buddhists = Vietnam, Laos, Malaysia Muslims =Iran, Iraq Catholics = Italy, Malta Orthodox Christians = Greece, Eastern Europe - People across Australia are today celebrating the multi-cultural diversity of the country that attracts people from all over the world to work and live down under (Ray Clancy).
Denominational switching - Definition: phenomena of swapping between denominations or groups of the same religious tradition - The vast majority of people affiliated with religious groups in Australia were born into that religion. - The most common denominational switching group is Pentecostals, which often go through what is known as 'revolving door syndrome'. Many leave again after about 2 years. - People no longer remain in a particular denomination simply because their parents/grandparents belonged to it or because they share the same ethnic background with other church members - With the contemporary ethos of individualism, people focus on their personal needs rather than the needs of their traditional communities
Rise of New Age religions - Definition: refers to a range of alternative religious groups that people are attracted to (a spiritual movement but without any organisational restrictions or dogmas) - New age religions increased by 71% between 1996-2006 - 25% of new age practitioners believe in a concept of god which differs from mainstream religious thought - Census figures show a considerable level of dissatisfaction with traditional religious groups (eg. sexual assaults) and a strong and growing longing for a spiritual dimension to life, and individual fulfillment in the form of personal happiness, health and meaning in life - Some practices claim to be a supernatural means of curing sickness, predicting the future or gaining personal wealth - Examples: Numerology: belief that certain numbers and patterns of numbers hold the key to understanding human existence Astrology: reading of the stars in conjunction with the time of birth to predict individual traits and anticipate future events (horoscope) Yoga and tai chi: gentle exercise, meditation and relaxation which is believed to lead to a healthier more peaceful life - QUOTE: For me, yoga is not just a workout its about working on yourself - Mary Glover
Secularism - Definition: the belief that religion should not interfere with or be integrated into the public affairs of a society (belief that human ethics and the universe should be understood without reference to religion or the supernatural, and that religion should not interfere with the political running of the state) - Major reasons for secularism include: increasing pluralism (diversity of beliefs and cultures), individualism, materialism (spirituality ignored in favour of possessions, looks, power, fame), disillusionment with mainstream religions and skepticism towards the supernatural - This trend is evident in the significant increase in the number of people responding "No religion" in the census (eg. 0.3% 1947 > 15.5% 2001) and is particularly pronounced in younger generations - Increasing secularism figures reveal that it has become increasingly acceptable in contemporary Australian society to have no religious affiliation - QUOTE: There is no evidence for a god and no need for a god. We can live happy, moral, productive lives without such belief, and we can do it better - Dan Barker
Ecumenical movements within Christianity - Definition: the movement towards religious unity amongst Christian denominations. - Increasing ecumenisms and interfaith dialogue amongst religious traditions illustrate Australias desire to engage with each other and the world (Cooperation on social/political issues and in times of crisis or tragedy) - It provides opportunities for Christian adherents, faced with growing globalisation and changes in social values and attitudes, to discuss issues of peace and injustice, increase understanding and work together to effect social change in a way that is perceived to be more relevant and contemporary - These movements assist adherents to move beyond simply living out their own particular beliefs and combine with others of like but different viewpoints to work towards the betterment of society in general - Examples: 1977: Formation of the Uniting Church through merging three existing Churches (Methodist, Presbyterian, Congregational) 1969: Formation of Anglican Roman Catholic International Commission (ARCIC), which has held discussions on Baptism, Eucharist, Ministry, Authority and Mary Christian denominations cooperate on social justice issues and during times of crisis (eg. 2004 Boxing Day Tsunami in Indonesia) National Council of Churches in Australia (NCCA): formed in 1994. Aims to deepen the relationship of member churches in order to express more visibly the unity willed by Christ and encourage Christian churches to work, pray and grow together. It comprises of 19 member churches 1982: NSW Ecumenical council was formed. Comprised of 16 churches throughout NSW and ACT and encourages ecumenical movements through education, reflection, initiatives and addressing social justice issues
Interfaith dialogue - Definition: a movement aimed towards promoting understanding between different religious traditions (has become increasingly important due to increased diversity in Australia) - Encourages a respect of the diversity of beliefs and allows different religions to come to a better understanding and appreciation of the uniqueness of each other. Also works towards breaking down the stereotypes and prejudice towards religions (eg. Muslims) and emphasizing the importance of faith overall to the community (eg. secularists) - Example: A fundamental element throughout all world religions is the dignity of the human person and the sanctity of human life Religious groups provided support through inter-faith memorials in response to tragedies such as the Boxing Day Tsunami and the Bali Bombings. Cooperation on social justice issues such as indigenous rights, opposition to GST, unemployment, poverty, land mines, nuclear testing and asylum seekers. 1997: Columbian Centre for Christian-Muslim relations aims to address misconceptions and stereotypes, foster relationships and increase understanding
Ecumenical movements and interfaith dialogue both provide opportunities for faith to be more transparent to the non-religious sector of Australian society (secularists)
Aboriginal spiritualties - Aboriginal spiritualties are largely misunderstood and underestimated within the wider Australian community due to its complexity. However, aboriginals are an important connection with Australias past and the cultural heritage of the land - Aboriginal people believe they are related to the natural world and this relationship provides advantages of survival and life and imposes the responsibilities of preservation and education - In the substance of the land, aboriginal people see all evidence of the Dreaming Creation process, that is, the creation and their connection to the land (eg. the rainbow serpent is a large snake-like figure which left a track on the earth and is associated with watercourses.) Dreaming stories also contain a wealth of information including how to hunt and gather food and how to make tools, thus, the stories of their ancestors and the creation of the land. - Aboriginal artwork, songs, dances and ceremonies are all placed within the context of the natural environment and use natural objects obtained from the earth - Aboriginals inherit ceremonial and territorial rights and responsibilities (men and women business) through their kinship system (relationships which are biological eg. Yothu Yindi: meaning mother and child - and non-biological) and totems. Through kinship, they also learn the basic social interactions between various tribes (ie. obligations, rights and appropriate forms of behaviour and interaction with others) - LRT: ceremonies still performed today in inland parts of Australia, such as near Uluru in the Northern Territory, include rites of passage which inform all of the new status of the individual (eg. initiations and funerals)
QUOTES: - Those who lose dreaming are lost - Aboriginal Proverb - Aboriginal people are a steady beating heart at the centre of our Australian spiritual identity - Caroline Jones - It is a long road we have come and it's a long road we can go. We have to walk together and talk together. If you never listen to me, I will never listen to you. I will not follow you. Walk side by side and let's get there - Conrad Ratara - If Australia is The Lucky Country, the Aborigines must be the unluckiest people in the world - Frank Hardy
The continuing effect of dispossession on Aboriginal spiritualities - Some of the negative consequences of dispossession are observable in society and include: lower life expectancy, higher infant mortality, overrepresentation in prison, educational disadvantages, higher unemployment rates and higher drug and alcohol abuse - The loss of land amounts to a loss of identity and belonging to life as a result of not being able to fulfil ritual responsibilities (totemic) and, therefore, feeling as though they have no purpose - The loss of language has made it impossible to pass on beliefs in an authentic way - The protection policies saw large number of children separated from their families. Often they were relocated considerable distances from their traditional lands. This separation of families has destroyed the kinship system and has led to a loss of identity, a loss of their place / spirituality in life, as well as a loss of purpose to ones daily actions since through kinship ATSIs are taught what is accepted or taboo within their spirituality (eg. The Stolen Generations - The term Stolen Generation refers to the Aboriginal children who were removed from their homes between 1900 and 1972 by the Government and church missionaries in an attempt to assimilate these children into European society.) - The breaking up of families and removal from traditional lands had enormous detrimental impacts on the maintenance of traditional beliefs.
Importance of land rights in relation to Aboriginal spirituality - Land rights are of critical importance in relation to Aboriginal spirituality, because the Dreaming is inextricably connected with the land. - The land is the resting place for ancestral spirit beings. - Each Aboriginal is connected with the land through their totem. - Specific areas have important spiritual meaning for particular groups of Aboriginal people - these are known as sacred sites. - There are special responsibilities attached to sacred sites such as ceremonies etc. - The identity of an Aboriginal person is inextricably linked to the land and hence the land is like a mother for the people.
Native Title - The beginnings of the modern land rights movement is usually attributed to the Wave Hill Mob who went on strike for better conditions on a Northern Territory cattle station at Wave Hill. - Eventually after a protracted dispute the Whitlam Federal Government passed the first land rights legislation in 1975. - Land rights legislation benefits a very small percentage of Aboriginal people. - Native title refers to communal or individual rights or interests of Aboriginal people or Torres Strait Islanders in relation to land or waters.
Mabo - In June 1992 the High Court of Australia ruled in favour of an action brought by Eddie Mabo on behalf of the Murray Island people. - The court ruled that Australia was indeed an occupied land at the time of British settlement and that the notion of terra nullius - "land belonging to no one" - was false in regard to the situation in Australia. - It further ruled that under certain circumstances a form of title known as "Native Title" existed under Australian law (but it could only be claimed on a very small percentage of Australian land.) - In order to claim Native Title it had to be proved that continuous links with the land had been maintained since before 1788 and that the Native Title had not been extinguished as with freehold title.
The Wik case and the Native Title Amendment Act (aka. 10 point plan) - In 1996 the High Court ruled in favour of the Wik people who claimed that Leasehold Title may not automatically extinguish Native Title - in certain circumstances Native Title and Leasehold Title could co-exist and that in areas of dispute the interests of the Leasehold Title holder would prevail. - In response to pressure from investors in rural Australia the Howard Federal Government prepared legislation to amend the Native Title Act and prevent any uncertainty. - The main feature of the legislation was to transfer from the Federal Government to the various State Governments the power to upgrade the title from Leasehold Title to Freehold Title thus extinguishing Native Title.
Relationship between aboriginal spiritualties and religious traditions in the process of reconciliation
- Many Christian groups strongly support reconciliation, and associated issues, for example: Welcoming the 1992 Mabo decision and making strong statements affirming the Mabo decision was just and going against the media and fear campaigns In 1998 churches adamantly opposed the Ten Point Plan which they saw as severe and an unjust reduction of ATSI rights to make Native Title claims 1997: Australians for Native Title and Reconciliation (ANTaR) was formed a prominent church based organisation advocating indigenous rights. - There is also interfaith support for the process of reconciliation - Example: Various Jewish groups also opposed the Ten Point Plan and every year they hold a week of prayer for reconciliation. Islamic and Buddhist groups have also made public statements supporting reconciliation, and associated issues (eg. native title, land rights, formal apology to stolen generation) - QUOTE: There should not be a blendingbut an integration which is done with great respect - David Tracey - QUOTE: We shouldnt deny it anymoreThe open truth will set us free - Bob Randall (stolen generations)
UNITED NATIONS EDUCATIONAL, SCIENTIFIC AND CULTURAL ORGANIZATION CONVENTION CONCERNING THE PROTECTION OF THE WORLD CULTURAL AND NATURAL HERITAGE WORLD HERITAGE COMMITTEE Twenty-Fourth Session