Religion in Pre-1945 Australia Flashcards
Indigenous Australians followed belief systems ____ years prior to European settlement.
Over 40 000
First known contact between Indigenous Australians and people from an outside country.
Muslim fishermen and traders from Indonesia
Which Christian denominations did European settlement bring?
- Church of England (Anglican)
- Catholic
When did Jewish people come to Australia?
- 1788 aboard 1st fleet
- Refugees after WW1
When did Buddhists come to Australia, and why?
- 1848 - Chinese miners came for the gold rush
- Immigrated from Southeast Asia after Vietnam war
When did Muslims and Hindus come to Australia?
19th century to work, but most did not stay in Australia.
What did the end of WW1 and changes to the White Australia Policy bring?
- Flow of migrants from other countries
- Diversification of religious affiliation
Where did Orthodox Christians come to Australia from?
- Greece
- Middle East
When did the first fleet arrive?
1788
Which church were the English convicts associated with?
Church of England (Anglican)
Which church were the Irish convicts associated with?
Roman Catholic
Who was the first chaplain to the colony of New South Wales?
Rev Richard Johnson, Minister of the Church of England
Which political and religious rivalry affected the life of the colony?
English and Irish
How were unruly colony inhabitants kept under control?
Harsh punishments
What were the instructions received by Governor Philip?
‘Ensure appropriate observance of religion’ in the colony
What was the requirement in the colony regarding religious services?
All people, regardless of beliefs, must attend Church of England service.
Why did the mandatory Church of England service attendance cause resentment?
- Many of the English were not in the habit of attending church
- Irish forced to worship a church that was not their own
The reputation of Christian churches was associated with…
Oppressive government of the colony
Church of England Ministers also acted as…
Magistrates, who judged the crimes of the colony
Second chaplain to the colony
Rev Samuel Marsden
What was Rev Samuel Marsden known as?
the ‘flogging parson’
When was the first church in Australia built?
1792
What now stands where the first church of Australia once was?
St. Philip’s Monument, Sydney
Who built the first school in Australia?
Rev Richard Johnson
Who taught at Australia’s first school?
Isabella Rosson and her husband William Richardson.
Who was taught at Australia’s first school?
Children of Corps, settlers and convicts
Which church worked with and had the most influence over the government?
Church of England
The Catholic Church was considered ……….. and its members were often .. ……. with English authorities
troublesome, in dispute
When was Catholicism permitted to operate formally?
1820
Provide 2 examples of Protestant church communites in Australia
Methodist, Presbyterian
Which section of the Australian Constitution safeguarded religious freedom?
Section 116
What did section 116 of the constitution separate?
Religion and state
Sectarianism
Rivalry or division along religious lines
What can sectarianism lead to?
Discrimination, persecution & violence
Why was there rivalry between the Church of England and Catholics in England and Ireland?
- English occupation of Ireland
- Protestant reformation
What were Irish catholics called by English authorities?
Scum
What was an anti-catholic requirement of job positions?
‘Catholics need not apply’
Why did Christian groups seek to assist the disadvantaged?
Central part of Christian ethos
Who founded the Order of St. Joseph?
- Sr Mary Mackillop
- Fr Julian Tenison
Which religious order was founded by Sr Mary Mackillop?
Order of St. Joseph
When was the Order of St. Joseph founded?
1866
When was the Public Instruction Act for education introduced?
1880
When did Mother Esther establish the first Church of England religious order for poor women?
1888
Which religious order was established in 1888 by Mother Esther?
The first Church of England order for poor women.
Who founded the Bush Brotherhoods, and when?
Bishop Nathaniel Dawes in 1897
What did the Bush Brotherhood do?
Preachers travelled on horseback to provide ministry for outback communities.
What did the Australian Inland Mission develop, and when?
- Flying Doctor Service
- School of the Air
- 1920s
Which denomination did the Australian Inland Mission belong to?
Presbyterian
Who arrived in Australia in 1838 and was concerned for migrant welfare?
Caroline Chisholm
What did Caroline Chisholm do?
- Lobbied for the needs of migrants with the Christian clergy and the government
- Established the Female Immigrants Home
When did Caroline Chisholm return to England, and for what purpose?
- 1846
- Assisted over 10 000 people in migrating to Australia safely
What title did Caroline Chisholm earn?
The Immigrant’s Friend
When was the Great Depression?
1930s
What became apparent to church groups during the Great Depression?
Changes were required in state provision of social welfare.
What did Christian churches lobby the government for during the Great Depression?
Introduction of employment benefits, known as ‘dole’
Why did Christian denominatins recognise rural communities as disadvantaged?
They lacked access to services available in urban centres
Who founded the Flying Doctor Service and School of the Air in the 1920s?
Rev John Flynn
Which 3 key pieces of legislation were put in place regarding education, and when?
- Schools Estates Corporation Charter - 1825
- Church Act - 1836
- Public Instruction Act - 1880
When was the Schools Estates Corporation Charter introduced?
1825
When was the Church Act introduced?
1836
When was the Public Instruction Act introduced?
1880
What did the Schools Estates Corporation Charter provide?
Resources, funding and 1/7 of colonial land grants reserved exclusively for Church of England schools
How was the Schools Estates Corporation Charter received?
Not well received by non-COE religious groups:
* No provision for the education of their children
* Further enforced sectarian divide
Who introduced the Church Act?
Governor Burke
What did the Church Act provide?
- ‘Pound for a pound’ subsidy for all religious schools
- Government equaled every pound raised
What was the deception of the Church Act?
Appeared to equally assist schools of all denominations, but actually reinforced Church of England dominance.
What was the effect of the Church Act on:
* The Church of England
* The Catholics
- Church of England gained greatest benefit
- Catholics managed to take advantage of provisions despite circumstances
Presbyterian opinion on the Church Act
Presbyterians opposed the Church Act.
Methodist opinion on the Church Act
Pleased by the Church Act, but were opposed to Catholics receiving funding.
How did the Church Act contribute to the urban/rural divide?
Rural churches suffered as they were less able to raise funds.
Who introduced the Public Instruction Act?
Premier Henry Parkes
The Public Instruction Act brought an abrupt end to ……. for …………. schools.
Funding
Church/denominational
Education provided under the Public Instruction Act was …., ………., and ……..
Free, compulsory and secular.
The Public Instruction Act brought the beginning of ……. ……… in Australia.
Public education
What was the effect of the Public Instruction Act on Catholic schools?
- Struggled to maintain education system - did not have same resources as CoE.
- Only survived due to dedicated religious orders.
What was the effect of the Public Instruction Act on Church of England adherents?
- CoE continued some schools where parents were able to pay
- Most belonging to CoE suppported public system instead
What was the effect of the Public Instruction Act on the Presbyterian denomination?
- Presbyterians supported public instruction
- Believed religion & government should be separate
Contribution of Catholic schools to post-war Australian society
- Many migrated to Australia
- Catholic schools enabled children to rapidly & successfully integrate into society
Public Morality
Attempts made by conservative Christian denominations to enforce certain moral values through law/legislation.
Sabbatarianism
Doctrine of Christians who believed in observation of Sunday as the Christian Sabbath.
What was the effect of unsuccessful attempts at social control by the Church?
Contributed to society’s ambivalent attitude towards religion.
What were the requirements put in place by Sabbatarianism?
- Compulsory attendance of CoE services for all convicts
- Abolition of recreational activities, servile & commercial labour on sundays.
Effect of Sabbatarianism
Met with resistance from both English & Irish convicts.
