Australia’s Religious Landscape Post 1945

We stand up in a postmodern adult male in the sense that no single(a) religion, corpse or ideology has any convincing margin call to be the one function of truth. We be yet to grasp the full humankind that Australia is a pluralistic, multicultural, multi- ghostlike society in which among concourse of different traditions and with indigenous people is a requirement of companionable cohesion. In a global world our discipline identities in no way preclude our responsibilities for the well-being of all(prenominal) beneficence and the one earth we shargon. Dr Gerard Hall SMDr Gerard Hall says we now live in a postmodern world where no single religion, system or ideology layabout convincingly claim the one voice of truth. Australia has been long dominated by the Christian faith with the 1911 enumerate reporting 96% of Australians subscribing to any denomination of Christianity. This large percentage of Christians can be attributed to the White Australia policy. However, th e 2011 census revealed a decrease of Christians with only 61% aligning themselves with the faith, half of the overseas-born universe of discourse to a fault reporting a Christian denomination.Non-Christians tie-ins and those reporting no religion have plusd radically since the persist census. The do of people reporting No phantasmal belief increased from 15% of the population in 2001 to 22% in 2011. This is most prevalent among younger Australians with 28% of people aged 15-34 reporting they had no religious affiliation. There atomic number 18 over 59 religious traditions present in Australia today. Globalisation has influenced the yield of eastern religions and new age fads in Australian society.Migration has led to an increase in the number of religious adherents in non-Christian faiths such as Buddhism, Sikhism, Taoism and Hinduism. Hinduism has heavy(p) exponentially since 1911 at 189%, followed by Islam at 69%, and Buddhism at 48%. Atheism or citizens who have no re vealed any religious affiliation has risen due to scientific advancement, rise of secularism, immigration and births. Along with this in that location is renewed interest in and awareness of natural spirituality.Due to the pluralistic, multicultural, multi-religious society of Australia, multi-faith negotiation is important for the cohesion and harmony of Australian society. Sometimes tensions between religious traditions or against a particular religion result in force play or discrimination. To elaborate this point, ignorant and prejudiced media portrayals of Muslims have encouraged anti-Islamic attitudes and stereotypes condescension the peaceable religious teachings of the Koran. Dr Ameer Ali (President of Australian Federation of Islamic Councils) recognise that religious dialogue was essential to understand each different.Similarly, Archbishop George Pell believes that interfaith dialogue must be established to maintain authoritatively peaceful dealingships before potential hostilities have a chance to escalate. In 1964, pontiff Paul VI recognised the need for interfaith communication, stating that We do non wish to turn a blind eye to the spiritual and deterrent example values of the various non-Christian religions, for we desire to join with them in promoting and defending usual ideals in the spheres of religious liberty, human brotherhood, education, culture, social welfare, and civic order.Dialogue is possible in all these great projects, which are our concern as much as theirs and we will not fail to offer opportunities for discussion in the consequence of such an offer being favourably received in genuine, everyday respect. We readily accept the principle of stressing what we all have in ordinary rather than what divides us. This provides a good and fruitful basis for our dialogue, and we are fain to engage upon it with a will. Multi-faith dialogue assists in keeping peace and social unity in society, especially with organisati ons such as the NSW Council of Christians and Jews who recognise their common heritage in order to promote understanding and combat anti-Semitism. They arise activities that include an annual Passover demonstration directed to non-Jewish audiences, panel discussions and seminars on current subjects of interest, multi-denominational evenings for poetry and music, Holocaust education and an annual Christian commemorative service of process for the Holocaust held in the crypt of St Marys Roman Catholic Cathedral.Along with interfaith dialogue between Christians and Jews, the NSW Council of Christians and Jews also seek to broaden the interfaith relations with Islam in particular. Some past interfaith activities in Australia include the 2001 Anzac twenty-four hour period service at St. Marys Cathedral for Buddhist Monks and Christian Ministers, Centenary of Federation celebrations in Melbourne, Prayer services at Martin habitation by the Muslim-Christian Council for peace in Indones ia, Prayer services for September 11, Asiatic Boxing Day Tsunami and Bali bombings.As Dr Gerard Hall says, in the current global world, our national identities in no way preclude our responsibilities for the well-being of all humanity and the one earth we share. This parameter is illustrated by a number of international councils, one being the homo Conference on Religion and Peace an international council founded by the Buddhist Nichiko Niwano in 1970 that organises bi-annual Heads of Faith Meetings that are attended by the leaders of the Catholic, Protestant, Muslim, Hindu, Buddhist, Jewish and Bahai faiths.The meetings conducted by the World Conference on Religion and Peace provide an opportunity for religious world leaders to exchange ideas and information and establish a workings alliance between these religious traditions. The promotion of understanding and the education of interfaith co-operation assists in pursuing social justice issues, for example, primaeval reconcili ation and rights. satisfaction is the process whereby indigenous and Torres head Islander peoples and non-Aboriginal and Torres passing game Islander peoples light upon towards the future with a relationship based upon mutual recognition, understanding and respect.For this to obtain in that location must be acknowledgement of past mistakes such as land dispossession and the stolen generation in order to earn amends, such as restoring Native Title. Reconciliation is a long process which began with the 1967 referendum self-aggrandizing ATSI people the right to vote and the Commonwealth government the authority to make laws in the interest of ATSI people. Additionally, most churches have helped facilitate this reconciliation.The NCCA (National Council of church buildinges Australia) acknowledge that some(prenominal) of its member churches played a role in culmination of the stolen generations and issued a public statement on the Bringing Them Home report do recommendations i n support of Reconciliation. The Week of Prayer for Reconciliation began in 1993 with the closing of providing an interfaith week of prayer encompassing all faiths with the common address of reconciliation. It is to devote time to prayer, thought and reflection on the soul of a nation and the relationship between autochthonous and non-Indigenous Australians.Attempts at reconciliation by various religious denominations have helped to bring out acceptance of the synchronizing of Christian and Aboriginal religious traditions as an example many Aboriginal clergy incorporate Indigenous symbols and rituals from their own culture to express Christian concepts such as using Indigenous coconut milk instead of drink and damper or yam instead of bread, Christian stories are practically retold with an Indigenous slant (instead of fire, they talk about fire sticks), red ochre is use instead of ashes/oil on the forehead and prayers are told in Indigenous languages.Many Christian churches in corporate Aboriginal Ministries and Aboriginal Spirituality into services, especially Protestant churches though many people feel that incorporating Aboriginal beliefs into Christianity degrades both. Critics claim that Self-determination is now replaced with Main-Streaming. Practical Reconciliation is now the term used rather than a real acknowledgement of past wrongs.The Catholic church service has also made many positive overtures towards Reconciliation starting with pope John Paul IIs visit to Alice Springs in 1986 who say that there is the need for just and proper settlement that lies unachieved in Australia pontiff Benedicts recent address to Australia encouraged ongoing assist for Reconciliation. In 1998 the Catholic church joined with other churches to issues a statement called Towards Reconciliation in Australian Society Reconciliation and Aboriginal Australians.They also pressured for more assistance for the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders due to the ongoing ps ychological trauma of the Protection and Assimilation policies. National Reconciliation Week is a week of Catholic initiatives promoting reconciliation with emphasis on Aboriginal health. separate Christian churches involved in Reconciliation include the Anglican church who expressed its support for Reconciliation during 1998. It also provides funding to National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Ecumenical Commission (NATSIEC) that assists in rebuilding Indigenous communities.Angli simple machinee Australia and the Anglican Board of Missionaries formed the Anglican Reconciliation Working free radical which provides accommodation, health care, family support for Indigenous communities and helps fund training of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders. The Ecumenical movement marriage Church formed a Uniting Aboriginal and Islander Christian Congress in Townsville that works with Indigenous people to promote compensation and healing for past wrongs. The Uniting Church National Assembly has also made a formal alibi for its part in the harmful policies in the past and a fealty to a better future.Christian leaders and leaders from other religious faiths joined in rejecting the Howard Governments attempts to weaken the Wik legislation. Their conviction no motion assisted in changing opinions and rallying support for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander rights. Interfaith dialogue especially between Dreaming and Christianity illustrate the importance of multi-faith communication. There are, however, limitations of interfaith dialogue as critics believe there are important differences between faiths that cannot be overlooked.There is also controversy that religions are trying to change and distort their religious beliefs to attempt to reconcile with other religions. Despite the criticisms of interfaith dialogue it still plays an essential role in Australian society to maintain peace and social cohesion. 1 . The grandness of Inter-faith Cooperation availa ble from http//www. buddhistinformation. com/importance_of_inter_faith_cooperation. htm 2 . Pope John Paul IIs public statement at Alice Springs, 1986 available from http//www. austlii. edu. au/au/orgs/car/docrec/relevant/docbook/p7. htm