Religious Expression in Australia Flashcards
What is the land rights movement?
A political + religious movement to ensure Aboriginal rights to their land - necessary after assimilation + stolen generations.
What is the connection between the Land Rights Movement and Aboriginal Spirituality?
Land created by the Ancestral beings is regarded as sacred trust + centre of worship.
What is the Native Title Act?
Recognised the existence of native title in Australian federal law.
Allowed them to live on the land, access the area for traditional purposes like ceremonies and visit sacred sites.
What was the Mabo decision?
Declared that Australia was never ‘terra nullius’ - allowed Aboriginal’s to own their land.
What is secularism?
Religion should not interfere with public affairs of a society - individualism.
Secularism data.
‘No religion’ - 7% in 1971 to 22.3% in 2011.
In 2014, 74% of marriages conducted by a civil celebrant - increase of 31%.
35% of disagree with the church’s beliefs.
Data on the current religious landscape
Christian adherents have decreased from 77% in 1981 to 61.1% in 2011.
2011, Catholicism (25%) and Anglicanism (17%) were the most dominant denominations being.
Increase in other religions - grew from 1.4% in 1981 to 7% in 2011.
Hinduism was the fastest growing religion, with a growth rate of 120%.
What is interfaith dialogue?
The cooperative discussion between different religions to achieve understanding and working together to achieve common goals.
The National Dialogue of Christians, Muslims and Jews
Largest interfaith initiative in Australia.
Purpose - provide opportunities to build understanding and clarify contentious issues within their faiths.
The Australian Council of Christians and Jews
Focus on the issues of anti-semitism through hosting annual Holocaust remembrance services and education seminars.
Interfaith dialogue: refugees.
NCCC aided East Timor after the Indonesian army massacred the population.
What are the reasons for growth in new age religions?
The disillusionment with the Government after the Vietnam War.
Questioning of traditional authority structures such as the Christian Church.
Growing emphasis of the autonomy of the individual to satisfy their needs.
New age religion stats.
Increase by 140% in the 5 years since 1996.
What are the practises and beliefs of new age religions?
Aura - an energy field surrounding individuals can reflect their mental and physical state.
Feng-shui - arranging space to achieve harmony; believed to improve the individual’s health.
Why did immigration increase?
After WWI, the Australian government was determined to expand Australia’s population in order to increase its labour force and economic growth - 3 million people arrived from 60 countries.
