Sor religious expression 1945 in australia PDF

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1 Religious expression in Australia – 1945 to the present

Syllabus Point 5.1 – Contemporary Aboriginal Spiritualities Outline changing patterns of religious adherence from 1945 to the present using census data

Changing Patterns of Religious Adherence From 1945  5 Major Trends  Decline of Major Christian denominations o 1947 81.2% Christian. o 2001 56.9% Christian  Age Structure o Churches have greater proportion of over 50’s and less under 40’s than society at large o 82% of Australians 65+ identify as Christian. 60% of 18-24 year olds o Largest group of Buddhist affiliates 35-44. Similar for Hindu and Muslim o 18-24 most likely to state no religion. 20%  Increase in those identifying with a tradition other than Christianity o From 1996 to 2001 Buddhism increased by 79%, Hindu 42%, Islam by 40% and Judaism by 5% o Due to Immigration. Christianity still dominant in Immigrants but others more so than in population at large o From 1996 to 2001 Half a Million new arrivals to Australia. 9% Buddhist. 9% Islam. 5% Hindu. 1% Judaism.  Increase in those identifying with the Orthodox Religious Traditions o Due to South Eastern European Immigration o Up by 7% from 497,000 from 1996 to 2001  Emergence of Catholicism as the major Christian religion o In 1947 39% Anglican, 21% Catholic, 27% Other Christian o In 2001 27% catholic, 21% Anglican o Mainly from influx of Italian immigration in 50’s and 60’s 

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Increase in religious pluralism – difference branches of Christianity Protestant religions are declining – proportion of Catholics to protestants increased steadily after WW2. Area from which migrants came to Australia greatly expanded after the war, which helped increase the number of Orthodox religions. Significant number of Pentecostals by the end of the 1980s. Increasing religious diversity - Buddhism, Sikhism, Taoism and Hinduism due to migration. Also an increased interest in New Age spirituality and a growing acceptability of people who declare no religion – secularism. Resurgence in interest in and awareness of Indigenous spirituality. Migration, increase patterns of disbelief, the formation of the Uniting Church in 1977, conversions, denominational switching, and aging population all have an impact on the patterns of religious adherence in Australia. 1

Christianity: – Church of England (Anglican) decreased from 39% of population in 1947 to 18% in 2006 – Catholicism has risen from 20% in 1947 to 25% in 2006 – Christianity has decreased, yet remains most popular religion in Australia (64% Christian) – Traditional Churches (Presbyterian, Congregational, Methodist) experienced downturn losing 15% since 1996 – Newer Pentecostal Church had 25% increase since 1996 but also the largest numbers of switchers in and out of the faith – Baptist, Catholic, Orthodox Churches had significant increases of up to 8% since 1996 Other Religions: – Other Religions increased from 0.5% of population in 1947 to 5.6% in 2006 – Large, rapid growth in other mainstream religions  Buddhism (2.1%)  Hinduism (0.7%)  Islam (1.7%)  Judaism (0.4%) – Hinduism grew fastest, closely followed by Buddhism and Islam and lastly, Judaism – Traditional Aboriginal religion decreased losing 30% of practitioners between 1996 and 2001 No religion: – In 1947, 0.3% of the population identified themselves as having no religion, lasting until 1971 when it rose to 6.7% suddenly – Today, 26% of population identify themselves as having no religion – ‘Not stated/ inadequately described’ 11.1% in 1947 stayed nearly the same at 11.7% in 1996, and today, 11.2% despite population doubling since 1947 

Syllabus Point 6.1 – Religious expression in Australia – 1945 to the present Account for the present religious landscape in Australia in relation to: Christianity as the major religious tradition Christianity as the Major Religious Tradition       

Still main religion in Australia (63% of population) due to historical factors First fleet arrival brought majority of Anglican settlers as well as Presbyterians and Methodists. Only 10% were Catholic Post first fleet settlers were predominately Anglican making population almost exclusively Christian Immigration Restriction Act (1901) allowed European immigrants only, bringing majority of Christian adherents ensuring the demographic stay the same for at least 50 years White Australia Policy ensured that almost all immigrants were Christian By the time Aboriginals were included in the Census, most were already Christian. Rapid increase in population during gold rushes – British Isles.

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1n 1947 Australia agreed to accept displaced persons from Europe – 17000 by 1951 – majority Christian. 1975 – 1984 a total of 90000 refugees from Vietnam. Most Christian.

Effects of Migration:  After WW1, further migration from Europe encouraged saw more Christian adherents  After WW2, other European nations encouraged to migrate to Australia (i.e. Greece) brought other Christian denominations to Australia such as Eastern Orthodox (i.e. Greek Orthodox)  With the relaxation of the White Australia policy in the 1950’s and its abolition in 1973, Australia has seen increasing diversity of faiths, however most remain British and therefore Christian Institutionalisation of Christianity:  Institutionalization of Christianity within Australia has made it the predominant religion in Australia  Early settlers were Christian and it was these people who enforced law and government which is based upon Christian ideals  Public holidays are based around Christian calendar, Easter and Christmas  Church schools and universities have increased  Christian Charitable foundations such as St Vincent de Paul have had significant impact  Wide range of Christian books, magazines, websites further promoting Christianity throughout Australia Significant Trends:  Christianity decreased due to introduction of other mainstream religions due to migration  Large, traditional Christian churches such as Anglican and Uniting have lost large members due to ageing population and low birth rate, switching and movement to ‘no religion’  Smaller, traditional Christian churches such as Pentecost and Baptist are steadily increasing  Catholic remains steady due to immigration  Eastern Orthodox members are rising due to immigration and it is these Churches which have a ‘young’ profile

Syllabus Point 6.2 – Religious expression in Australia – 1945 to the present Account for the present religious landscape in Australia in relation to: Immigration

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Immigration Except for Israel, Australia has received more immigration in proportion to its existing population than any other country. Initially majority of immigrants were European Christians – White Australia Policy. Post War immigration changed this – Assisted immigration Scheme. Cold War and Vietnam meant there were more refugee groups needing a safe haven; need for labour in Australia was still great. Immigration not only increased some religions, but brought new ones in.

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In major Christian Denominations many ethnicities have been catered for E.g. Maronite and Melkite in Catholic community. Jewish schools, halal meat shops and mosques etc. There are now fourteen Orthodox denominations in Australia.

Post-War Immigration:  Number of people fleeing destroyed countries and immigrating to Australia after WW2 changed the Christian face of Australia  Assisted Passage Scheme implemented to encourage British migration to Australia to increase population, and was then spread to other Eastern European countries  Increased Roman Catholics and Eastern Orthodox  More communities, churches, schools and other social fixtures had to be built for the increase of new religious adherents  AfterWW2, Jewish population began to increase evident that the Jewish population in Australia was very small before WW2, consisting of Jews only from the first fleet  Hungarian revolution, expulsion of Jews from Egypt in the Suez conflict and South African apartheid saw rise in Jewish populations  17% of Jewish population arrived after 1980 1970s and Vietnam War:  Prior to the 1970s, the main religious adherents were Christian  Abolition of White Australia policy in 1973 saw Australia become a multicultural society who accepted many different religious adherents  Vietnam War displaced more than 2 million Indo-Chinese people, 120000 came to Australia for refuge  Large increase in Buddhism and Hinduism (Vietnam, Cambodia, Malaysia, Thailand)  Increase in Roman Catholics Changes to Immigration Laws:  Prior to Immigration Restriction Act (1901), there had been a mere 4300 Hindu’s living in Australia, 1996 there were 148000 Hindu adherents  Abolition of White Australia Policy saw a rise in multiculturalism within Australia and a wider acceptance of other religious traditions Islam in Australia:  Islam first introduced to Australia in 1882 when thousand of camel drivers from Afghanistan, Pakistan and the Middle East came to Australia to work on telegraph lines and railways  Immigration Restriction Act did not allow them to become citizens  First major influx of Muslims arrived with Turkish Cypriot Muslims fleeing WW2 refugee camps  Significant members started to arrive with Lebanese Muslims fleeing civil war  In 2006, the fastest growing source of refugees was from Sudan  Iraq war has seen an increase in refugees from Afghanistan and Iraq  Diverse religion, expanding from 60 different countries of both Sunni and Shi’a  72% of Muslims under the age of 35, 2% over the age of 60  Much higher birth rates than general population and over 1/3 were born in Australia so religion is expected to rise. Syllabus Point 6.3 – Religious expression in Australia – 1945 to the present

Account for the present religious landscape in Australia in relation to: Denominational switching Denominational Switching  Switching from one sector / denominate of a particular Church to another to suit lifestyle and feel comfortable and well catered for  Contrasts to historic patterns where families remained with the one denomination for many generations  Significance of lifetime loyalty to one particular church diminished due to growing individualism within lives  Increased proliferation of finding meaning in life to cater for different tastes and individualistic lifestyle  Within Protestant/Anglican denominations people are very prepared to switch denominations.  In 1980, Pentecostalism was the fastest growing Christian denomination in Australia. Much of its growth was from denominational switching.  People are being more independent; choosing for themselves instead of just following what they were raised with.  New religions offering aspects that suit people’s lives better.  Revivals and large scale missions carried throughout 1950s and 1960s.  1991 Church Life Survey showed that 29% of people surveyed had switched in the last 5 years  Catholicism has very high denominational loyalty. Mainly due to prevalence of Catholic Schools, ritual and tradition.  Pentecostal churches have greatest amount of Switchers both in and out. - National Church life survey Estimates that one third of Pentecostals switched or ceased going to church through the 1990’s Christian Church Denominational Switching: Past two decades has seen dramatic swing away from liberal churches to the more conservative  Pentecostal Church grew by 42% from 1986-1991  Pentecostal Church grew by 25% from 1996-2006 Only a small percentage of those numbers were from people with no church background Pentecostal Church has grown in popularity because:  People switching here to relive older and more traditional religions  Pentecost allows for bored devotees to become excited about religion again Who switches and why? – People under the age of 40 switch as they are less likely to view a lifetime of loyalty to a church as important, whereas people over 60 do – Christians are more likely to switch denominations than any other religious faith as they move to explore and seek stronger Christian faiths, rejecting light God churches  Trends show a sway to more conservative churches throughout the Western world due to sense of exclusivity that these churches provide greater demands on members and stronger commitment required e.g. Pentecostal church

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 Switch to conservative churches can also be explained by the fact that God is presented as being closely involved in human life as well as having more dynamic services on offer  Conservative churches aggressively evangelistic with successful conversion methods Conservative churches have also lost many members out of the Christian faith all together, with Pentecostal churches losing the greatest amount

Family breakdown and Denominational switching:  Children of divorced parents 64% more likely to cease identifying with family faith than those with non-divorced parents  Following patterns found:  Catholics are 2 times more likely to switch to a moderate Protestant denomination and 2.5 times more likely to switch to a conservative Protestant denomination  Protestants are twice as likely to switch to Catholicism Overall, due to the seeking of a stronger religious community

Syllabus Point 6.4 – Religious expression in Australia – 1945 to the present Account for the present religious landscape in Australia in relation to: Rise of New Age religions Rise of New Age Religions

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Emphasis on personal experience – people want personal fulfilment or enlightenment. Counterculture (hippies) of 1960s had a return to earth philosophy. New religions more concerned with the world, peace, and other humans rather than higher beings and doctrines. Often have rituals (Old or invented) Concerned with the body and objects - crystals etc – and reducing stress, becoming happy rather than living in servitude to God. Concern for ecology, equality – some people leave due to old religions being patriarchal

New Age Religion:  Differ from traditional churches as they lack any single unifying creed or doctrine  No Holy text, no central organization, no formal leadership  Fastest growing religious faiths in 2001 census, increasing by 140% since 1996 History:  New Age practices became popular from 1960’s to 1970’s as a reaction to the failure of Christianity and other belief systems to provide spiritual and ethical guidance for the future  Roots of new Age practices traceable in many religious origins including Hinduism, Wicca, Neopagan tradition  Movement began in England where many of the above religious origins were well established and quickly became international Basic Beliefs:

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Monism- all that exists is derived from single source of divine energy Pantheism- all that exists is God; God found within self through entire universe Reincarnation- after death, reborn to live a new life as a different human being Karma- good or bad deeds we do throughout life accumulate to determine if we are rewarded or punished in our next life Aura- energy field surrounding the body which determines individuals state of mind or physical health Universal religion- God is perceived as the ‘mountain’ which all religions seek to reach, there are many different paths to reach Him Age of Aquarius- notion that Earth moved into the planetary constellation of Aquarius in the nineteenth century which caused the gradual ushering in of a new world order which banishes war, disease, pollution, racism, poverty

New Age practices:  Meditation, astrology, divination, holistic health (acupuncture, message), crystals, channelling the dead, feng shui Reasons for growth in popularity:     

Disillusionment with Government by many after Vietnam War led to further questioning of traditional authority structures such as the church  Christianity was seen as failing to provide spiritual or ethical guidance Media began to release stories of Catholic church clergymen involved in sexual abuse Growing emphasis of autonomy and individualistic lifestyle throughout society with more obligation on fulfilling and satisfying the needs of self rather than the community People currently seeking spiritual insight as a reaction to the unsettled and turbulent nature of the times we live in New Age Religion itself says popularity is a result of the Age of Aquarius and the coming of the utopian world

Syllabus Point 6.5 – Religious expression in Australia – 1945 to the present Account for the present religious landscape in Australia in relation to: Secularism Secularism The stance of stating ‘No religious affiliation’ or people who have ‘inadequately described’ or ‘not stated’ their religious belief  Secularism is to be free from religion or spirituality  Secular systems are based on reason, fact and scientific analysis and therefore differ from religious systems which are based on divine light and spirituality  Secularists believe policies and decisions made by governments should be completely separate from religious influence which they believe has the right to jeopardise the freedom and rights of citizens

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Reasons for popularity:  Secularism is a key feature of democracy and therefore champions the notion of freedom from religion  One theory suggests popularity has increased as ideals of seventeenth century enlightenment are being reintroduced.

Belief in supernatural, spirituality or divine is best comprehended through reason, science and logic  Another theory states that secularism has increased due to social changes that have occurred post Vietnam War.  Led to questioning of many governments and related authorities including the Church  Final theory states that traditional churches were beginning to be viewed by some as part of an ‘unholy trinity’ which only had self interest in mind 

Secularism and Religious intolerance:  Disenchantment with traditional religious churches combined with changing viewpoints on religion in recent decades has led to religious intolerance  Religious intolerance is viewed as having the power to lead to social estrangement or at worst, Holy war  Influenced by the many wars throughout history which have been caused by the basis of religion Secularism and the individual:  1960s and 1970s saw nearly all Australians being affiliated with a religious denomination and Sunday Church was seen as an integral component of life  Today however, there is less emphasis on conforming and more emphasis of the autonomy of the individual for freedom and rights  Increased freedom has seen increase in secularism  Religion now viewed as a personal and private decision Humanist societies:  Milestone for secularism in Australia was the introduction of the Australian Humanist Society in the 1960s followed by the formation of many Humanist groups throughout Australia  Made great impact on secularism in Australia  Right to be married by civil celebrant rather than a church clergy became official in 1973- today 50% of people married by civil celebrant  Steady decline in church attendance and clergy recruitment figures

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. People stating ‘No Religion’ on the census rose from 7% in 1971 to 16% in 2001. An ANU survey showed 42% of respondents believed Religion was not at al important to them. Generation Y – Christianity 44% Eclectic 17% (two or more beliefs from different religions or practices) Humanist 31% (reject idea of god, some believe in a ‘higher being.’)

Syllabus Point 7.1 – Religious expression in Australia – 1945 to the present Describe the impact of Christian ecumenical movements in Australia: The National Council of Churches and NSW Ecumenical Council Ecumenism Definition       

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The National Council of Churches Began with Australian Committee for the World Council of Churches which developed into Australian Council of Churches and then into NCCA in 1994 Originally, the movement was for Christian unity within Australia between Anglican and Protestant churches only  1960s, Eastern and Orienta...