Religion and Belief Systems in Australia Post 1945 Flashcards
What is aboriginal dreaming?
The spiritual aspect of Aboriginal religion that encapsulates both the spiritual and physical dimensions, giving meaning to all aspect of life.
What is kinship?
A sense of belonging and responsibility between blood relatives.
What are totems?
They have a connection to ancestral beings through a metaphysical connection of dreaming kinship.
What is ceremonial life?
Important link between Aboriginal people, the land and identity.
What is interconnectedness?
Ceremonies that represent the present, passing on, maintaining beliefs and practices.
What are obligations to the land and people?
Aboriginal spirituality that is inextricably connected to the land.
What are balanced rites?
Rituals on the land that are connected to sacred sites where Dreaming occurs.
what is kanyini?
The spirit and being connected to things.
What does kanyini involve?
The land, dancing, ceremonies, hunting and raising children.
What is the metaphysical connection of dreaming kinship?
It is determined by totems of the ancestral beings.
Name 2 examples of ceremonies:
- Smoking ceremony
2. Initiation
Name 2 examples of ceremonial rites:
- Personal connection
2. Spiritual connection
SEPARATION FROM THE LAND
What did the loss of land lead too?
Leads to the burden of not being able to fulfil ritual responsibilities.
E.g. not being able to partake in smoking ceremonies as they cannot take place without the land.
SEPARATION FROM THE LAND
What happened in 1788?
Establishment of Terra Nullius saw no recognition of Aboriginal land ownership and marked the beginnings of systematic removal of tribes from their Dreaming stories
SEPARATION FROM THE LAND
What happened in 1820-1850?
Governments and churches established missions and reserves. This resulted in a rapid loss of culture due to objection of Aboriginal spirituality.
What did the separation of kinship groups do?
Destroyed kinship and identity of Aboriginal people and thousands of years of tradition and culture.
SEPARATION FROM KINSHIP GROUPS
What happened in 1838?
Policy of protection saw dispossession of Aboriginal people on mass, forcibly placing them on missions and reserves.
SEPARATION FROM KINSHIP GROUPS
What happened in 1901?
Policy of Assimilation saw further pressure to remove Aboriginal people from full blood, destroying kinship ties.
What is the stolen generation?
The children of Australian Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander descent who were removed from their families by the Australian federal and state government agencies and church missions
THE STOLEN GENERATION
What happened in the late 1800’s-1970’s?
Forced separation of Indigenous children from their families was government policy.
E.g. bring them home report resulted in apologies such as National sorry day later on.
Data from AUS Bureau of Statistics:
Aboriginal life expectancy is 20 years below Australian average.
What is the land rights movement?
A religious political movement that seeks to secure the inherent rights of Aboriginal people to their land.
What is the Native Title?
Term given by the High Court under the Indigenous Property Rights, handed down from the Mabo decision of 1992.
What did the High Court do?
The High Court ruled that native title exists where Indigenous people have maintained continuous traditional connection with the land.
NATIVE TITLE + MABO CASE
What happened in 1933?
Parliament passed the Native Title Act
What is the Wik case?
The continuation of the fight for Native Title
WIK CASE
What happened in 1996?
High court allowed for Native Title to co-exist with Pastoral leases, however the Pastoralist’s rights would prevail.
WIK CASE
What happened in 1998?
Native Title Amendment Act eliminated the Right of Native Title claimants to negotiate with the government for land owned by government.
Analyse the importance of the dreaming for the land rights movement
Without the land, The Dreaming cannot be communicated because the stories of the ancestor spirits spring from the land.
What is a census?
Profiles the Australian population demographically.
These numbers show how religion is changing in Australia.
Which religious affiliations are increasing in the 2011 - 2016 census?
Islam
Hinduism
Sikhism
Non-Religions
Which religious affiliations are decreasing in the 2011 - 2016 census?
Judaism
Buddhism
Christianity > Catholicism > Anglicanism
THE CURRENT RELIGIOUS LANDSCAPE
What is Christianity as the major religious tradition?
Changes in the Christian denomination have occurred due to diverse migration patterns.
Where did most of immigration come from?
Most of immigration to Australia came from Britain in 1945.
What is denominational switching?
When people move from one denomination of Christianity to another
What is the rise of new age religions?
Range of alternate spiritualities aiming to foster personal happiness, health and meaning in life.
What is secularism?
The principle that sees that religion should not interfere with the public affairs of society.
What is Ecumenism?
The movement for dialogue and mutual understanding between Christian Churches.
When was The National Council of Churches Australia founded?
1994, consisting of 19 churches (Anglican, Catholic + Uniting).
What does NATSIEC (Program of The National council of churches Australia) do?
It helps churches understand implications of their past actions & supports Aboriginal rights.
When was the NSW Ecumenical council established?
1982, with 16 member churches.
What does the House of Welcome (program within the NSW Ecumenical council) do?
Provides support for asylum seekers without work rights or social security.
What is interfaith dialogue?
Communication between different religious traditions.
What is reconciliation?
A long / difficult process requiring the recognition of past wrongdoings involved in destruction of Aboriginal spiritualities.
What percentages were Hinduism in the 2011 and 2016 census?
- 3% = 2011
1. 9% = 2016
What percentages were Christianity in the 2011 and 2016 census?
61.1% = 2011 52% = 2016
What percentages were Non-religion in the 2011 and 2016 census?
- 3% = 2011
30. 1% = 2016
What happened in 1945?
After WWII, assisted migration from Britain brought Christianity into the country
This Affected and changed Christian denominations,
What happened in 1973?
‘White Australia’ Policy was abandoned and was replaced by a policy of ‘Multiculturalism’
What happened post 1975?
Spike in Muslim population
What is denominational switching?
When people move from one denomination of Christianity to another. E.g., Catholic to Orthodox.
What is an example of denominational switching?
National Church Survey: show that Pentecostals: studies show that young people are committed more to a congregation, rather than denominations
What is the rise of new age religions?
Range of alternate spiritualities aiming to foster personal happiness, health and meaning in life.
What is an example of new age religions?
Mind, Body and Spirit festival
What is secularism?
Promotes the idea that society is better off by not being controlled by religion due to increasing pluralism, individualism, materialism and scepticism
What is ecumenism?
The movement for dialogue and mutual understanding between Christian Churches. E.g. Catholic, Anglican
What is are 2 examples of ecumenism?
The National Council of Churches Australia:
NATSIEC (Program of council of churches) helps churches understand implications of their past actions & supports Aboriginal rights.
NSW Ecumenical Council:
House of Welcome (program within the council) support for asylum seekers without work rights or social security.
What is interfaith dialogue?
Communication between different religious traditions. (finding common ground by cooperation and communication)
What are 2 examples of interfaith dialogue?
Australian Council of Christian and Jews:
Runs programs E.G. education for Christian teachers on how to deal with Anti-Semitism (hatred of Jewish people).
Columban Centre for Christian-Muslim Relations:
Aims to break down negative comments and stereotypes about Islam.
What is the relationship between AB spiritualties and religious traditions in the process of reconciliation?
A long / difficult process requiring the recognition of past wrongdoings involved in destruction of Aboriginal spiritualities.
What was Christianity’s response to the AB spiritualities and process of reconciliation?
(NATSIEC) National Aboriginal and Torre Strait Islander Ecumenical Commission: The initiative promotes Indigenous rights and contribute to the Reconciliation movement through programs designed to empower Indigenous women.
What was religious traditions response to the AB spiritualities and process of reconciliation?
Executive Council of the Australian Jewry (Jewish Organisation):
2000: Lobbied the Australian Government to implement the recommendations put forward by the ‘Bringing Them Home Report’.
