Religion

Contemporary Aboriginal Spiritualities

Religious Expression in Australia-1945 to the Present

Outline the changing patterns of religious adherence from 1945 to the present using census data.
Changing Patterns of Religious Adherence :5 Major Trends
DECLINE OF MAJOR CHRISTIAN DENOMINATION
- 1947 81.2% Christian
- 2001 56.9% Christian
AGE STRUCTURE
- Christians have greater proportion of over 50’s and less under 40’s than society at large
- 82% of Australians 65+ identify as Christians. 60% of 18-24 year olds.
- Largest group of Buddhist affiliates 35-44. Similar for Hindu and Muslim.
- 18-24 most likely to state no religion with 20 %.

INCREASE IN THOSE IDENTIFYING WITH A TRADITION OTHER THAN CHRISTANITY
- From 1996- 2001 Buddhism increased by 79% Hindu 42% Islam 40% and Judaism by 5%
- Due to immigration Christianity still dominant in Immigrants .
- From 1996- 2001 Half a Million new arrivals to Australia, 9% Buddhist, 9% Islam 5% Hindu 1% Judaism.
INCREASE IN THOSE IDENTIFYING WITH ORTHODOX RELIGIOUS TRADITION
- Up by 7% from 497 000 from 1996- 2001
- Due to Southern Eastern European Immigration.

EMERGENCE OF CATHOLICISM AS THE MAJOR CHRISTIAN RELIGION
- 1947 39% Anglican 21% Catholic 27% Other Christian
- 2001 21% Catholic, 21% Anglican.
Account for present religious landscape in Australia with relation to:
CHRISTIANITY AS A MAJOR RELIGIOUS TRADITION * White Australian Policy ensured that almost all immigrants were Christian * 1962 constitution passed that gave the Church of England in Australia to have no ties with Britain and is free to determine all matters of faith, worship and discipline. In 1982 changed its name to Anglican Church of Australia * Christian still make up majority of immigrants, from Britain, NZ and Europe * 1975-1984 total of 90000 refugees from Vietnam, Most Christian * Anglican Church no longer holds the greatest proportion of Christian adherents, now taken by Roman Catholic Church 25.8 % in 2006 * Catholicism was established as the major religious tradition due to European settlement 18th/19th Century. * Over 30 ethnic groups constitute the Catholic Church in Australia today. * Catholic Church holds the largest number of adherents of all denominations in the Australian Religious landscape. * Uniting Church is the third largest Christian Denomination in Australia * Australian society in 1947 was predominately Christian 87.3% * Roman Catholicism has risen in number of adherents since 1947, from 20.9% to 26.6% * Immigration has had a significant influence on catholic adherents, include catholic communities in Europe
IMMIGRATION
* Post war (1950s) migrants included Italian Catholics and Orthodox Christians. * Immigration not only increased some religions but brought new ones in. * 1950’s saw the Vietnamese bring Buddhism * Refugees from Lebanon, Turkey, Indonesia and Bosnia brought Islam. * Refugees from India, Sir Lanka and Fiji bought Hinduism * Jewish Migration after the WWII brought Judaism * In the Major Christian Denominations have carterd for Marinate, Melkite in Catholic Community.
DENOMINATIONAL SWITCHING * Protestant/ Anglican Denomination people are very prepared to switch denominations. * Past generation people were loyal to the denomination they were born in. * Seen amongst 20-39 year olds. * 1980 Pentecostalism was the fast growing Christian denomination in Australia due to denominational switching. * People focus on their personal needs that suit their lives rather than the needs of the community. * 2006 Census showed that Anglican dropped and Pentecostal identification increased because Anglicans choosing Pentecostal services because of their style. * People are more independent, choosing for themselves instead of following what they were raised in. * 1991 Church Life Survey showed 29% of people had switched in the last 5 years.
THE RISE OF THE NEW AGE RELIGIONS. * Counterculture movement of the 1960s opened the new way for the New Age Movement.
- Had a return to earth philosophy. With new religions more concerned with the world, peace and other humans rather than higher beings and doctrines. ( New Religious Beliefs and Cosmologies) * Concerned with body and objects – Sometimes crystal, flowers ( Reducing stress, becoming happy rather than living in servitude of God) * New Age spirituality is multifaceted, drawing on Eastern Meditation, altered states of consciousness, reincarnation , spiritualism. * People have desire to understand of oneself and the universe. * Reasons for growth:- Christianity was seen as failing to provide spiritual or ethical guidance - Growing emphasis on an individualistic lifestyle - People seek spiritual insight * Rejection of traditional religion authority E.g. Channelling Meditation.
SECULARISM
* Belief that religion should not interfere with or be integrated into public affairs of society. * Number of people in Australia who are not religious is growing. * Statistics from the National Church Survey show that
- 67% say Church is boring
- 35% disagree with Church Beliefs
- 31% prefer to do other things. * Leads to reduce attendance in Church * Since 1945 the number of people with no religion has increased by approximately 18% * Australia is becoming less religious society and is replacing traditional religions with other world views. * Increased no religion can be seen as an indicator of levels of acceptance of secularization * Religious perspectives been abandoned in favour of a more non-religious response to life questions.
Describe the impact of Christian Ecumenical Movements in Australia
ECUMENISM:Movement among Christian Churches to promote restoration of unity among all Christians
- Seeks to overcome difference with the ultimate aim of unity.
- Non Denominational: Ignores differences
- Interdenominational: Working together on common goals.
THE NATIONAL COUNCIL OF CHURCHES( NCCA)
History
* Began with Australian Council of Churches which in 1994 gave way to the National Council of Churches in Australia * NCCA is its 19 member Churches in their commitment each to others and all to the world. Work in collaboration with state ecumenical councils around Australia. * Associate council of World Council Churches, a member of Christian Conference of Asia and a partner of other national ecumenical bodies throughout the world. * Originally NCCA was for unity amongst Australian Anglican and Protestant Churches only:
- 1960’s: Eastern and oriental Orthodox Catholic joined
- 1994: After Vatican II opened Roman Catholic joined.
How They Work * NSW Sector of NCCA has 4 key aims
- Two that each address social justice and maintain the spirit of Ecumenism through advocacy. * NCCA is committed to the involvement of youth ecumenically in all of our programs and activities. * Largest Commission of NCCA is Christians World Service, which trades as Act for Peace, it operate as an NGO in the overseas aid sector on behalf of member Churches * NCCA works through a number of Commissions, Networks and Programs. These constitute the departments of the NCCA and order its work plan.

Impact of NCCA * Helped create a positive relationship throughout many Eastern and Western churches which continue to last today through dialogue and practical cooperation to avoid conflict and tension between Christian Denominations. * Works through a number of commissions networks including “ Christian World Services” * Christian world services ( CWS) is responsible for international program such as “ Make poverty History” and “ National Program on Refugees and displaced people” * NCCA sponsorsNational Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Ecumenical Commission (NATSIEC)
- Aims to support indigenous issues
- Reconciliation education whilst helping sustain Aboriginal spirituality.

NSW ECUMENICAL COUNCIL * Established to be the instrument through which churches seek to be faithful to their ecumenical calling and commitment * Began in 1982 although had origins in 1946 as part of the development of the ACC and NCCA * The NSW Ecumenical Council is one of seven State/Territory councils of churches, all of which are affiliated with the National Council of Churches in Australia. * Affiliated with NCCA * Sponsors a variety of social and charitable churches like the Christmas bowl * Shared Values
- Dignity of Human person
- Security of human life
- Core for these in need. * Together they make up the network of the churches' ecumenical instruments in this country, and through them the churches are linked to the wider ecumenical movement, nationally, regionally and internationally. * Encourages pursuit of social justice and operates many charity events * Allows the involved churches to focus on the tasks they perceive as Christian duties rather than competing against one another whilst seeking the same end.
Evaluate the importance of interfaith dialogue in multifaith Australia.
Interfaith Dialogue: Formal discussion aimed towards developing greater mutual understanding between different religious traditions. * Evidence of the development of interfaith dialogue and cooperation was the Interfaith appeal for peace to stand against religious violence in Indonesia. The NCCA and the Australian Federation of Islamic councils jointly initiated the event. * Developments in Australia’s religious community point to a strongly developing sense of interfaith dialogue and religious harmony. * Holding of the 5th world assembly of the World Conference on Religion and Peace in Melbourne was a turning point in interreligious Australia. They are still a significant force in leading world interfaith dialogue. * Other independent interfaith associations have emerged in Australia such as World Council on Religion and Peace ( WCRP).
National Level * Uniting Church established working groups on relations with Muslim and Jewish communities * Catholic Church has a Committee for Ecumenical and Interfaith relations. * Council of Christians and Jews has continued to expand and has developed a strong national structure * Commission for Dialogue with Living Faith and Community Relations of NCCA has become more focus.

Why Interfaith Dialogue is important in Australia * Instead of disagreements, we are trying to work to find peace and harmony amongst Australia’s diverse population, which runs counter to the hatred and contempt that some believe motivates the international terrorism.

Examine the relationship between Aboriginal spiritualities and religious traditions in the process of Reconciliation.
Aboriginal theology offers a vast spectrum of styles, ranging from the ‘traditional’ (or non-Western) to the ‘ Aboriginal ( post-Western).
Western Christianity’s Impact of Aboriginal society * Churched preached the language of love, yet it enforced ‘mission policies’ based on hate, fear, violence and division. With the church and state working together. * Aboriginal expressions of God, Church, Faith and Life were assimilated into Western expressions. * Western theological deceit across Australia was the teaching of the Hamitic curse which condemned all ‘black skinned people’ to eternal inferiority to the whites. * Theology remains self-righteous, judgemental, oppressive and full of racism and sexism.
Nominal Theology * Many aboriginals were ‘preached at’, ‘baptised’ and ‘ converted’ to Christian religion- sometimes by force, violence and under duress. * Made to attend church services, sing hymns, go to Sunday school. If they didn’t their food rations would be cut, isolated from other members of their family or community or be punished. * This caused them to be ‘Nominal Christians’ as they had no other choice. * In time Aboriginals absorbed white European conservative theology. * Adherents of conservative theology reject their own Aboriginal identity, culture and language. They are most concerned with personal sin and salvation. They maintain a narrow worldview, believing that land rights and justice are all in heaven and fighting for these here now is wrong and sinful.
Liberal Theology * There is liberal tradition in Aboriginal theology, characterised by dependence –theological, ecclesiological, social, structural, economic on western churches structures and entitles. * Representatives of this tradition are loyal to their denominational allegiances.
Story Telling Theology * Embraces traditional cultural teaching and preserves a link between the Dreaming stories and the biblical scriptures. * Use as a form of teaching both to maintain the Aboriginal oral tradition and to bring Aboriginals a greater understanding of theology so they can make relevant to their lives. * Dreaming stories allow bringing to life the teachings of the gospel which can be sung and danced to life through traditional ceremonies.

Aboriginal theology * Is a radical movement in theology. Aims at creating an Indigenous theology, leaning heavily on the notion of biblical justice. * Emphasises liberation, prophetic obedience and action. * Divine grounding for contemporary faith and identity. * Keeps traditional practices such as ceremonies as potent reminders of important cosmic and temporal truth. * Holds the Dreaming as a timeless guide for achieve engagement. * 1975 Patrick Dodson became first ordained Aboriginal Roman Catholic priest, like Rev Don Brady and Rev Charles Harries he stands were to threatening for the church and left the priesthood and the church * Father Dave Passi a Torres strait Islander priest is a fully qualified and ordained priest of the Anglican Church of Australia and was one of the original plaintiff in the native title Mabo land rights case. * Aboriginal theology encompasses everything from the timeless oral tradition of Dreaming stories to the modern written tradition of biblical scholarship. * It preserves the ancient wisdom of Aboriginal culture and tradition and also reinterprets and reformulates more recent Western theological concepts.
What is Reconciliation? * Term given to the process whereby Aboriginal Torres Strait Islander (ATSI) people and non-ATSI can move into a future with a new relationship based on mutual recognition, understanding and respect * Dispossession of land, Stolen Generation must be acknowledged and dealt with for harmony to exist. * Encompasses issues such as Land Rights, Native Title as well as initiatives designed to help psychological trauma of ATSI, ( HEALING ATSI SPIRITUALITY) * Began in 1967 Referendum allowing ATSI people the right to vote and the Australian Government the authority to make laws in the interest of ATSI people.
Catholic Church and Reconciliation *
Other Notes * 1991 Federal Parliament voted to set up the Council for Aboriginal Reconciliation (ACR) * Reconciliation has support of all religious traditions. * Saturday 27th May- ACR presented report, Next day hundreds of thousands of people walked across bridges for reconciliation. * Christian leaders and leaders from other religious traditions united in rejecting the Howard Government’s attempts to weaken the Wik.