1. Religion and Beliefs Systems in Australia post-1945

Question 1

What are the three ways which Aboriginal Spirituality is determined by the Dreaming? (Syllabus)

Answer 1

1. Kinship
2. Ceremonial Life
3. Obligations to land and people

Question 2

Define: kinship

Answer 2

System of relationships (between people and the environment) including rights and obligations which define individual role in the community. Reciprocal network of giving and receiving.

Question 3

Define: Skin Names

Answer 3

3rd level of kinship: method to prevent incest and shows person’s relations.

Question 4

Define: Totem

Answer 4

2nd level of kinship: links person with the universe and gives them a sense of identity. Four levels of totem: 1)Nation, 2)Clan, 3)Family Group, 4)Individual (given by the elders).

Question 5

Define: Moiety

Answer 5

1st level of kinship: division of tribe into two halves, with the aim of creating balance. Can only marry someone outside your moiety.

Question 6

Identify two different ceremonies in Aboriginal life and describe their ritual practices.

Answer 6

1. Initiation ceremony: transition form child to adulthood. Allows children to actively participate in the community. Female: begins after first period with a ritual bathings and is taught new responsibilities. Male: circumscision as symbol of death and rebirth.
2. Funerals: songs and ceremony to ensure spirit is carried to specific Ancestral Beings. Smoking of the coffin, family bring flowers.

Question 7

Explain how Indigenous Australians have obligations to land and people.

Answer 7

Aboriginal’s sense of ownership for the land means that they have a sense of responsibility to care for it.
Land is a repository of sacred activities.
Aboriginals have a responsibility to care for ritual estates, totems and others in kinship groups, as determined by the Dreaming.

Question 8

Define: Dreaming

Answer 8

A complex concept of fundamental importance to Aboriginal culture, embracing:
The creative era when the Spiritual Beings and Ancestral Beings roamed and instituted Aboriginal society
An eternal, timeless cycles of metaphysical and supernatural existence. It is an ever-present view of creation which can be engaged with through rituals and practices.

Question 9

What are the three continuing effects of dispossession on Aboriginal Spirituality?

Answer 9

Separation from the land
Separation from kinship groups
The Stolen Generation

Question 10

What was the British opinion of Aboriginals and what was the subsequent impact?

Answer 10

Believed that aboriginals were the inferior race and thus aboriginal attitudes towards the land were not considered.

Question 11

What was the impact of Christian missions on aboriginal culture?

Answer 11

Christian mission sort to evangelised to aboriginals which lead to a breakdown of aboriginal language and culture.

Question 12

Explain the impacts of a separation from land on aboriginal spirituality

Answer 12

The land and people have a deeply inextricable and symbolic relationship (due to belief in Dreaming) which is severed as Aboriginals are not able to conduct religious practices. They were restricted access to sacred sites and unable to draw from the spiritual power of the Dreaming.

Question 13

Describe the impacts of a separation from kinship group on Aboriginal Spirituality

Answer 13

Dispossession disturbed religious and cultural beliefs as practices involving kinship groups were not enacted. Severed kinship relationships caused Aboriginals to lose their sense of identity and belonging to the land and people.
Europeans did not understand the significance of the land to Aboriginal people.

Question 14

Briefly describe the era of the Stolen Generation

Answer 14

1901-1969: 100,000 mixed-race Indigenous children were forcibly removed from their families as part of an assimilation policy enforced by the Aboriginal Protection Board.

1990s: Australian Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission started the ‘Bringing Them Home’ Report.
1997: “BTHR” was published and Howard refused to apologise.
2007: Rudd makes public apology

Question 15

Describe the impact of the Stolen Generation, both then and now, on affected individuals.

Answer 15

Children were forced to abandon their Aboriginal heritage, resulting in a loss of identity, disconnection from family and heritage.
Presently, victims continue to experience a loss of culture, resulting in depression and a lower mortality rate.

Question 16

Identify the three Land Rights movements

Answer 16

Native Title (1993-1994, 1998)
Mabo (1992)
Wik (1996)

Question 17

Describe the importance of the Land Rights movements

Answer 17

Mabo (1992): found that Aboriginals existed in 1788 and thus identifying fiction of ‘Terra Nullius’. This meant that under common law, Australia recognised ongoing existence of customs.
Native Title (1993): enforced in 1994, gave Aboriginals right to negotiate access to land, whilst giving security to freehold title and business.
Wik (1996): claimed national title over Cape York Peninsula. Decision found that native title could coexist with other land rights.

Question 18

Analyse the importance of the Dreaming for the Land Rights Movement

Answer 18

The Dreaming identifies and defines Aboriginal life, identity and spirit. It is through the land that Aboriginals are able to engage with the Dreaming and find fulfilment.
It is believed that Ancestor Spirits rest within the land (immanent).
Land Rights Movement grants Aboriginals opportunity to regain some of the lost culture and interact with ancestors and the Dreaming

Question 19

Identify 4 reasons for the changes in the religious landscape of Australia.

Answer 19

1. White Australia Policy (1901)
2. Post WWII: European immigration
3. 1977: formation of Uniting Church
4. Increased patterns of disbelief and secularism
5. Denominational switching
6. Charismatic movement: Pentecostalism

Question 20

Identify the change in census data of responders reporting ‘No Religion’

Answer 20

0.3% in 1947 - 30.1% in 2016

Question 21

Identify the changing statistics of responders that adhere to Christian denominations

Answer 21

Decrease Catholicism: 27% in 2011 - 22.6% in 2016
Decrease Anglicans: 21% in 2011 - 13.3% in 2016
Increase Pentecostals: 1% in 2011 - 1.1% in 2016 (20,000)

Question 22

Identify statistic of Islamic adherents in 2016

Answer 22

2.6%

Question 23

Identify statistics Jewish adherent in 2016

Answer 23

0.4%

Question 24

Identify the 5 major reason for the present religious landscape in Australia

Answer 24

1. Christianity as the major religious tradition
2. Immigration
3. Denominational switching
4. Rise of New Age Religions
5. Secularism

Question 25

Describe how Christianity as a major religious tradition has influenced the present religious landscape

Answer 25

Australia has a strong christian history due to the colonisation of Church of England in 1788. However, due to immigration and more religious ‘experimentation’, religious diversity has occurred.
Catholicism GREW from 1933-1991 due to increase immigrants post-war
Anglican and Uniting DECLINE
Pentecostal GROWTH since 1976

Question 26

Describe how immigration has influenced the present religious landscape

Answer 26

Post-1945 immigration of non-Anglo-Celtic cultures.
Immigration of Jewish adherents following WWII from Germany, Austria and Czech as survivors of Holocaust.
Increase of Hinduism since 1991

Question 27

Describe how denominational switching has influenced the present religious landscape

Answer 27

Refers to Christian adherents moving between variant traditions (denominations). NCLS (1991) recorded that 29% of responders has switched in previous 5 years.
Changing culture of adherents looking for personal spiritual fulfilment rather than denominational loyalty.
Australian Community Survey and NCLS revealed that people switch because they find church boring, want openness, don’t like conservative views.

Question 28

Describe how rise of New Age religions has influenced the present religious landscape

Answer 28

People pursue New Age religions to find freedom from dogmatic religious boundaries, allowing people to feel free to make their own choices.
Eg: Damanhur.
New Age religions often combine ‘truth’ from multiple religious sources (syncretism).

Question 29

Describe how secularism has influenced the present religious landscape

Answer 29

Secularism is the decision to seperate oneself from all religious influence. Increasing trend of an individualistic society which lacks social solidarity.

Question 30

Identify the three major example of multi-faith in Australia

Answer 30

Ecumenical movement
Interfaith dialogue
Relationship between Aboriginal Spiritualities and religious traditions in the process of reconciliation

Question 31

Describe the impact of Christian ecumenical movements in Australia

Answer 31

Christian denominations sought to breakdown barriers established by sectarianism
National Council of Churches (NCCA) 1994: fosters communication between churches and represents stance of Christianity as a whole.
NSW Ecumenical Council 1982: encourages pursuit of social justice and unity under Jesus
Formation of Uniting Church 1977 = ecumenism

Question 32

Assess the importance of interfaith dialogue in a multi-faith country

Answer 32

Interfaith dialogue refers to the conversation between hierarchies of different religious faiths in order to develop familiarity and understanding.
The Association of Studies of Religion is an example of interfaith dialogue as individuals from different religious traditions meet to promote education

Question 33

Examine the relationship between Aboriginal Spiritualities and religious traditions in the process of Reconciliation

Answer 33

Reconciliation refers to the acknowledgment by various groups in Australia of the great injustice done to Aboriginal, with the intention rectifying this.
Christian churches have acknowledged their role and have ordained Aboriginal clergy (Nuungalinya College in Darwin)
Federation of Islamic Councils and Buddhist Peace Centre are also involved in Reconciliation