RELIGION AND BELIEF SYSTEMS IN AUSTRALIA POST-1945 Flashcards
DREAMING
the spiritual aspects of Aboriginal religion that encapsulates both the spiritual and physical dimensions, giving meaning to all aspects of life.
The dreaming can be defined by
Kinship
Ceremonial life
Obligations to land and people
kinship
a highly sophisticated network of relationships that provide a sense of belonging and responsibility within the tribes
• Creates a connection with ancestor spirits, the land, the dreaming and determines tribe and family relationships
• Provides the framework of living defined by the dreaming
kanyini
the metaphysical connection of Dreaming kinship
Land, dancing, ceremonies, hunting parties, raising children
Totems: ancestral beings
Bob Randall – “the completeness of the oneness”
Belief, spirituality, land and family make up Kanyini, it his purpose, without it he is nothing.
CEREMONIAL LIFE
where the dreaming is expressed. Ceremonial life re-enacts the stories of the dreaming
• Ceremonial life is an important link between aboriginal people, land and identity and is also important for maintaining and passing on information.
• All ceremonies:
1. Acknowledge a creation event
2. Show the metaphysical presence of the dreaming world in the real world
• Examples: male initiation, birth and death ceremony, female initiation, balance rites
Roles of ceremonial life
- Rites of Passage (initiation rites, balance rites)
- Passing on Social Information
- Personal Connections
- Spiritual Connections
OBLIGATIONS TO LAND AND PEOPLE
inextricable connection
• The land is inextricably linked to spirituality because:
Land is the physical medium (resting place for ASB)
Rituals are connected to sacred sites (balance rites)
Land is the meeting point (where tribes derive identity and relationships)
Summarised effects of dispossession:
- Loss of language, land and culture (spirituality)
- Loss of identity (violation of kinship ties)
- Unable to connect to ancestral beings; loss of spirituality
- Loss of kin, which can lead to lower self-esteem or self-worth as they have no rights, roles of responsibilities to others
- The dreaming can’t be taught, it is something that is felt and experienced by, being in one’s own country and being surrounded by one skin
census data related to dispossession
- Life expectancy: Males 67 (Aus. avg 77), Female 72 (Aus. avg 86)
- Incarcerated: 20% of prison population, over represented in jail
- Unemployment: 20%
- Mental health: 5x national average drug induced mental disorders, 2x national average in schizophrenia, 2x national average in suicide
- Homeless: 9%
effects of dispossession
- separation from the land
- separation from kinship groups
- the stolen generation
separation from the land
• Dispossession: the action of depriving someone of land, property, or other possession
Withdrawal, denial, removal, deprivation, deficit
• Loss of land = loss of spiritual identity and personhood
• Can’t fulfil ritual responsibilities, leads to loss of purpose
E.G. smoking ceremonies, balance rites, initiation ceremonies
• Complete destruction of all elements: ceremonial life, kinship, family connections, relationships, totemic responsibilities
• 1788 – settlement and establishment of terra nullius
Marked the start of the removal of tribes from Dreaming stories/totems found in the land
• 1820-1850 – governments and churches established missions and reserves
Imposed Christianity, European culture and lifestyle
Aimed to destroy culture, language, identity and lore
separation from kinship groups
• Lost the opportunity to express their religion in traditional song and dances
• Separation made it impossible for Aboriginals to preserve their own language
• Removal from the land destroyed kinship groups and thousands of years of traditional custom and culture
• The sense of “not belonging” has been a major consequence of separation
• 1838 – Policy of Protection placed Aboriginal people on missions and reserves
Deliberate attempt to destroy spirituality
Destruction of kinship, gender roles, culture, language etc
Forced placement on map
• 1901 – Policy of Assimilation removed mixed Aboriginal people from Kinship groups
Those assimilated were not permitted to visit others
Detrimental to all-encompassing nature of Aboriginal spirituality
• Family links and information have been destroyed, making it extremely hard to prove ownership of land (Native Title)
the stolen generations
• As many as 100 000 children were removed in a deliberate attempt to remove their Aboriginal identity
• The Bringing them Home report revealed loss of heritage, culture, language, land and community
E.G. Article 7a – calls for National Sorry Day to be held annually
• Aboriginal life expectancy is 20 years below the Australian average (ABS)
• The trauma from being forcibly removed from their lives may result in mental illness/substance abuse
• Known as “cultural genocide” and “rape of the soul”
• The separation of children from their families was described in the ‘Bringing them Home’ report as ‘tantamount to a continuing cultural and spiritual genocide and as the major factor in producing the emotional and mental health problems that have affected Aboriginal health.
NATIVE TITLE:
Native title is the designation given to the common law doctrine of Aboriginal title in Australia, which is the recognition by Australian law that Indigenous Australians have rights and interests to their land that derive from their traditional laws and customs
Land rights movement
A religious-political movement to secure the rights of aboriginal people to their land and ensure their religious, spiritual and cultural integrity is prescribed (connection to the dreaming)
• Land rights are of critical importance in relation to Aboriginal spirituality because the dreaming is inextricably connected and linked to the land.
recent NT claims
Gulf of Carpentaria
Western Bundjalung People
MABO CASE
• 1991 High Court: Merian people continued to have traditional right to possess and live on most lands of mer.
Set a precedent for land rights
Rejected terra nullius
Native title exists where continuous connection to the land has been maintained
• Native Title Act 1993: Native title is the traditional rights and interests of Indigenous people (statute)
However, cannot prevail over freehold title (farmers) – WIK
WIK DECISION
• Argued that pastoral leases did not extinguish Native Title rights
• 1996 High Court: native title could co-exist with pastoral leases, however the pastoralist rights prevail
• Native Title Amendment Act 1998: right to negotiate for government owned land
Negotiation replaced by right to be consulted only
10-point plan
analyse the importance of the Dreaming for the Land Rights movement
- The dreaming defines the connection between the aboriginal people and the land
- The aboriginal people had occupied the land continually for 40,000 years
- All aspects of aboriginal life are rooted in the dreaming stories – the ASB
- Thus, the land lies at the heart of aboriginal spirituality
- The identity of every aboriginal person is inextricably linked to the land
- The land is the medium where the dreaming occurs
CENSUS DATA
allows us to draw conclusions about how religion is changing in Australia
• Profiles the Australian population demographically, including recording the populations religious affirmations
RELIGIOUS GROWTH
Mainly seen outside of Christianity, especially in religions where high rates of immigration boost populations
islam growth
2011 – 2.2% 2016 – 2.6%
- 0.4% growth in 5 years, however Islam is still a very small percentage of the overall population
hindu growth
2011 – 1.3% 2016 – 1.9%
- Fastest growing population (0.6%)
sikhism growth
2011 – 0.3% 2016 – 0.5%
RELIGIOUS DECLINE:
- Strongly affected Christianity with reduced numbers across all denominations
- Judaism and Buddhism have declined slightly
judaism decline
2011 – 0.5% 2016 – 0.4%
- Consistent and tiny drop
- 0.4% in 1947
Buddhism decline
2011 – 2.5% 2016 – 2.4%
- Consistent
- 1972-2011 massive growth, numbers have now levelled
christianity decline
2011 – 61.1% 2016 – 52%
- Anglicanism: 2011 – 17.1% 2016 – 13.3%
- Catholicism: 2011 – 25.3% 2016 – 22.6%
NO RELIGION
- Rising population
- 2011 – 22.3% 2016 – 30.1%
- Growth in non-religious school of thought, e.g. meditation
religious landscape: Christianity as the major religious tradition
• Mainly due to British immigration
Massive change since 1945 with diverse denominations
• Ageing members, secularisation increasing
IMMIGRATION
• 1945: assisted migration from Britain brought Christianity to Australia
Numbers were too few, the government agreed to take war refugees, affected Christian denominations
• 1945-60: approximately 30000 Jews arrived from Europe, joining an established community here
• 1973: Drastic moves to restrict racial diversity
“white Australia policy” abolished, replaced by a policy of multiculturalism
Changed the Anglo Celtic religious background to a diversified and pluralistic one
• 1975: Asian immigration brought multiculturalism and eastern religions to Australian
Escalated after Vietnam war (120000 refugees from Indochina)
• 1980s: increase in the total Muslim population in Australia, ongoing
DENOMINATIONAL SWITCHING
• When people move from one denomination of Christianity to another
• National church survey accounts for this
• Pentecostals: young people more committed to a congregation, rather than a denomination
Pentecostals benefit most from this, in 5 years attendance has grown by 16%
• Traditional church numbers to other denominations:
Lutherans, uniting church, presbyterian, Anglican lose the most
Catholic switching is very low
• Only within Christianity
• People switch to seek to address needs and if not met go elsewhere
RISE OF NEW AGE RELIGIONS:
• Alternate spiritualities aiming to foster personal happiness, health and meaning in life
• Traditional religions failing to resonate with modern people
Especially Christianity with its negativity towards the body, sexuality and women
• Growing since 1970s, includes: feng shui, tarot cards, astrology, meditation, scientology, philosophy
Australian example: mind body spirit festival
• Disenchanted with traditional religion
• No religion census data
SECULARISM
• The principle that sees that religion should not interfere with or be integrated into the public affairs of society
• Promotes the idea that society would be better off without forced religion
Allows pluralism, individualism, materialism, scepticism, disillusionment with traditional religion
• Use census data to support: increase in “no religions” on census figures
ECUMENISM
- The movement for dialogue and mutual understanding between Christian churches (only CHRISTIAN, not IFD)
- Ecumenism is a philosophical approach in the life of the church related to bringing the branches of the church back to a single community of faith or ‘body of Christ’.
- Ecumenism stresses the common values and teachings that exist across the many churches and denominations making up the Christian world.
- Ecumenism is about: Praying, Working, Studying, Witnessing, Celebrating, Dreaming TOGETHER
NATIONAL COUNCIL OF CHURCHES OF AUSTRALIA (NCCA):
- Established 1994 with 19 member churches (inc. Anglican, catholic and uniting)
- Apply message of unity Christ willed.
- It is linked to the World Council of Churches as well as the various state ecumenical councils (NSWEC)
- The result of this cooperation is to create solutions to world problems and reduce differences between the member churches throughout the world.
- Undertakings include praying together as well as for each other, and exploring their Christian convictions & theology together
- NCCA has a considerable impact on ecumenism in Australia as it provides opportunities for Christian churches to promote their common faith and to address social and political issues together.
- 3 Objectives: To encourage and enable the member churches to develop their existing relationships, To encourage and enable the member churches in light of the Gospel to give prophetic leadership to each other and the community, To promote relationships
NCCA programs
NATSEIC: National Aboriginal and Torres strait islander ecumenical commission
- Helps churches understand implications of their past actions
- Supports aboriginal rights
Social Justice:
- International, e.g., Christmas bowl appeal sends assistance to 22 countries
- Facilitated by NSW Ecumenical council
NSW ECUMENICAL COUNCIL (NSWEC)
- Established 1982 with 16 member churches
- Local and international initiatives
- Its aims are to maintain the ‘unity of the Spirit’, to share a commitment to the Christian gospel and to proclaim it in unity, and to serve the world in ways implied by the gospel.
- Its churches believe that ecumenism is a positive expression of the commitment to seek communication & communion with each other
- Aims to further Christian unity by enabling member churches to address causes of division, and to pray and worship together.
- Strong social justice emphasis. E.g: it supports the NCCA Christmas Bowl Appeal and has campaigned strongly on behalf of indigenous people
NSWEC programs
House of Welcome:
- Supports and facilitates for asylum seekers without work rights or social security
- emergency accommodation to people released from detention centres when they have nowhere else to go
- assistance setting up bank accounts and obtaining tax file numbers
- finding employment and enrolling in English classes
- Legal and medical support
INTERFAITH DIALOGUE:
- Positive communication and cooperation between different religious traditions as all share a religious world view
- Communication between different religious traditions (not just Christianity)
- The different religious traditions find common ground, then use that common ground to improve and understand each other better, which in turn promotes a greater tolerance of each other.
- Dialogue helps avoid conflict due to differences in belief and promotes harmony and peace between religious traditions
- 1945: expansion due to cultural diversity from immigration
- Promotes understanding and communication
- Despite progress of interfaith movements, occasional resistance to other religions is still a reality of religiously diverse societies
- It is also not an attempt to unify religions but allows faiths to come to an appreciation of the uniqueness of each other, respecting diversity of beliefs in the process.
Australian Council of Christians and Jews
- Founded in 1991
- Aims to create dialogue and mutual understanding between Christianity and Judaism
- Runs programs, such as education of Christian teachers on how to deal with anti-Semitism in the New testament (saw a decrease in racism, religious intolerance and supremacy)
- E.g: holocaust education, holding seminars of current and relevant topics, Passover demonstration for non-Jewish audiences, the holding of an annual Christian commemorative service for the Holocaust held in the crypt of St. Mary’s cathedral.
Columban Centre for Christian-Muslim Relations
- Aim to break down stereotypes about Islam
- Promote religious harmony positive in face of secularisation
- Aim is to nurture relationships with the Muslim community, address misconceptions, lack of understanding and the stereotyping that can occur within Christian communities.
- Reaching out; building bridges; Networking; Cooperative projects; multi-faith activities; Teaching Seminars; Publishing papers; Adult education; Providing resources
The 2007 Victorian Bushfire Memorial Service
- Involved Aboriginal elder, Catholic archbishop, Anglican archbishop, Islamic Rabbi
- Presented interfaith as a means of universal comfort and reflection in the face of the tragedy at a national level
RECONCILIATION
a long and difficult process which requires the recognition if past wrong doings involved in the destruction of aboriginal spiritualities.
• Mostly caused by Christianity, but this isn’t the only tradition
• Universal social justice movement in Australia
NATSEIC (reconciliation)
- Works for acknowledgement of all Christian churches of their role in aboriginal dispossession
- Promotes indigenous rights
- Runs programs designed to empower indigenous women
POPE JOHN PAUL II
- Apologised for the role of Christian missions
- Urged government to implement basic health, employment and educational facilities
- Marked huge process on a global scale
Executive Council of the Australian Jewry:
• 2000: lobbied the government to implement recommendations of the bringing them home report
other reconciliation examples
Buddhist Peace Fellowship:
Australian Federation of Islamic Councils:
