HSC Stage 6 2 Unit - Studies of Religion

Religion and Belief Systems in Australia post-1945

Contemporary Aboriginal Spiritualities

1. Aboriginal spirituality as determined by the Dreaming

Discuss how Aboriginal spirituality is determined by the Dreaming

kinship
ceremonial life
obligations to the land and people

The Dreaming is the foundation of Aboriginal spirituality, providing a basis upon which kinship
systems, traditions, rituals and ceremonies are built.

Kinship is a complex system of belonging and responsibility within a clan based on familial
and totem relations that govern daily Aboriginal life by determining clan issues. The dreaming
has in itself prescribed the peoples kinship ties and permeates throughout the system by:

assigning responsibilities to transmit knowledge of the dreaming from elders to

younger generations
providing the basis on which aboriginal society is structured on; maintained since the
beginning of the Dreaming
defining spiritual and temporal identity to the aboriginal people
Kinship is also expressed through Totems which identify ones kinship line and
provide the individual with a direct link to sacred matters.

Ceremonial life:
The complex and spiritual core of the Dreaming and Dreaming stories for each group is
recognised and revered in ceremonial life, encompassing performance of rituals at sacred sites,
the drawing of sacred symbols and corroborees.

Rituals heighten the presence of the Dreamings:

Link the present world to the Dreamtime

Art is used to communicate the dreaming:

By providing maps of the land; clans, sacred sites, waterholes etc.
Used to pass on sacred knowledge

Stories describe the Aboriginal law and lifestyle:

Describe how ancestral beings move through land creating nature
Provide foundation for Aboriginal existence by explaining creation and sharing how
dreaming shapes daily life
Used as a form of oral history

Totems represent individual as they existed in the dreaming:

Form of animal, plant or natural phenomena
Links individual and ancestor spirit
Totems carry ceremonial responsibilities (balance rights)

Obligations to land and a people:

Land is of great importance because:
Aboriginals believe that people were created from the earth which has existed since
the beginning of time and that it is therefore the sacred motherland, My Country

Cynthia Chan 2008

HSC Stage 6 2 Unit - Studies of Religion

Dreaming is inextricably connected to the land because:

The land is the context of the Dreaming stories, a constant around which their
spiritual world revolved.
Land provides the foundation for Aboriginal beliefs, traditions, rituals and laws

Ancestral beings dwell in the land and therefore:

The people have a responsibility to keep and respect the land
E.g. If travelling, the aboriginal people must be careful not to enter the sacred
spaces of other clans. This shows the interconnection that exists between
obligation to the land and a people.
E.g. The people of West Arnhem Land, in the NT, believe that the MiMi rock
pictures were painted by The MiMi Spirits thousands of years ago. This allows
them to understand the relationship they have with the Dreaming, their country
and their ancestor spirits. These relationships determine responsibilities
between people.

Cynthia Chan 2008

HSC Stage 6 2 Unit - Studies of Religion

2. Issues for Aboriginal spiritualities in relation to:

- The effect of dispossession
- The Land Rights movement

Discuss the continuing effect of dispossession on Aboriginal spiritualities in relation to:

Separation from the land
Separation from kinship groups
The Stolen Generations

Separation from the land:

Interfered with rituals and ceremonies which followed Dreaming tracks (paths that
follow the Spirit Ancestors as they created the landscape) that provided the people with
a physical connection to the Dreaming. Out of context the ritual/ceremony is
meaningless and the people become misplaced spiritually and psychologically with no
home and no stable base of life.
The land is the context of the Dreaming stories, a constant around which their spiritual
world revolved. Removal from this land would then be likely to cause a severe
disruption to the normal pattern and processes for handling traditions
Physical presence in the country was important to the people in keeping the lore
(stories, songs, dances, art, customs) alive and passing it on. The lore is related
land were their shared personal property, perhaps the most important permanent
and tangible constant in their nomadic life.

Separation from kinship groups:

Kinship groups are vital in the aboriginal culture in that they tie clans and families
together, allocating roles and responsibilities within a community.
Separation from kinship groups, working systems, then meant that the aboriginal
society lost its point of fixture and every personal affiliation became lamed.
The complex interrelationship of social status, personal identity and health must be
borne constantly in mind. When the kinship system is destroyed it members inevitably
suffer from psychological distress such as withdrawal and depression where the
individual has suffered a loss of identify this extends to the breaking up of communities
and a spirit of solidarity.

The Stolen Generation:

Aboriginal children were forcibly removed from homes by government officials to be placed in
missions or reserves such as the Cootamundra Girls Home between the 1900 and 1970s as
well as being adopted or fostered into white families if the children were half caste.

Separation from elders: no generation to pass knowledge, language and traditions to.
This results in a loss of identity and self esteem the Aboriginal culture deteriorated
Kinship ties were broken resulting in a loss of identity where the young indigenous
generation is lost in-between two opposing cultures in a struggle to find balance (see
above)

Protection Policy:
Removal of Aboriginal children from their families under the pretence that they were
living in an uncivilised environment followed by placement into missions and
reserves

Assimilation Policy:
1951: Forced integration of Aboriginal peoples into white society through
abandonment of their traditional beliefs and practices.

Cynthia Chan 2008

HSC Stage 6 2 Unit - Studies of Religion

Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission (1996):

Issued the Bringing them home report which told of the horrific conditions
Aboriginal children were forced to face

Outline the importance of the following for the Land Rights movement:
Native Title
Mabo
Wik

The Land Rights Movement and the Dreaming:

A series of government decisions in response to land claims which explored the right
of Aboriginal peoples who had maintained continual contact with their traditional
lands for hundreds of years before settlement
Both a religious and political movement
Aimed to secure the inherent rights of Aboriginal peoples to their land so that their
religious and cultural integrity is preserved.

Native Title:
Native Title is the communal or individual rights or interests of Aboriginals in relation to
traditional land and water

(1993): The Native Title Act validated the existence of non-Indigenous interest in land
such as freehold leases and other grants and licenses. It accepted that Indigenous
peoples who had continuing interest in the land had rights to the land. Where both
Indigenous and non-Indigenous people had interest in the land, the Act provided an
appropriate forum for dealing with this.
Allowed Aboriginal people claim ownership of traditional land under Native Title
with proof such as
In order to claim Native Title, must meet 2 prerequisites
1. Land must not be owned by anyone else
- This included governments and individuals
2. Aboriginal people must show a traditional and ongoing connection with the land
since 1788
- This was very hard to prove without legal papers and contracts
Very small portion and percentage of Australian land is owned by Aboriginal people
through Native Title because:
Most land is already owned by other people or institutions
Insufficient proof could be provided

Mabo:
This case was initiated by five indigenous plaintiffs, led by Eddie Mabo, from the Murray
Islands in the Torres Strait the Meriam People suing for land claims.

June (1992), High Court of Australia ruled in favour of Eddie Mabo: Aboriginal and
Torres Strait Islanders had a continuous link with the land and continued to practice
laws and customs associated with the land before British colonization.
Overthrew the legal fiction terra nullius, acknowledging that Australia was occupied by
Aboriginal people in 1788 when British settlement took place.
Claimed ownership of land under the Native Title Act which existed since 1788,
Mabo raised awareness of its existence and this was a step to the passing of the Native
Title Act 1993

Cynthia Chan 2008

HSC Stage 6 2 Unit - Studies of Religion

Wik:
The Wik case concerned land that was subject to pastoral leases.

(1996) The High Court of Australia decided that native title rights could co-exist with
the rights of pastoralists. But when pastoralists and Aboriginal rights were in conflict,
the pastoralists rights would prevail.

Analyse the importance of the Dreaming for the Land Rights movement
Land is at the heart of the Dreaming and all relationships within Aboriginal communities are
determined through relationships with the land.

The declaration of terra nullius made by the white settlers denied foundational
principles of the Aboriginal belief systems
Aboriginal spirituality is founded on the peoples inextricable connection to the
land. They are part of the land and the land is part of their being
Daily life, Rituals and Ceremonies reflect and revolve around the land and are
dependent upon it to be whole, without it these practices cannot be observed

Cynthia Chan 2008

HSC Stage 6 2 Unit - Studies of Religion

Religious expression in Australia 1945 to the present

3. The religious landscape from 1945 to the present in relation to:

Changing patterns of religious adherence
The current religious landscape

Outline changing patterns of religious adherence from 1945 to the present using census
data

Christianity:
Church of England (Anglican) decreased from 39% of population in 1947 to 18% in
2006
Catholicism has risen from 20% in 1947 to 25% in 2006
Christianity has decreased, yet remains most popular religion in Australia (64%
Christian)
Traditional Churches (Presbyterian, Congregational, Methodist) experienced
downturn losing 15% since 1996
Newer Pentecostal Church had 25% increase since 1996 but also the largest numbers
of switchers in and out of the faith
Baptist, Catholic, Orthodox Churches had significant increases of up to 8% since
1996

Other Religions:
Other Religions increased from 0.5% of population in 1947 to 5.6% in 2006
Large, rapid growth in other mainstream religions
Buddhism (2.1%)
Hinduism (0.7%)
Islam (1.7%)
Judaism (0.4%)
Hinduism grew fastest, closely followed by Buddhism and Islam and lastly, Judaism
Traditional Aboriginal religion decreased losing 30% of practitioners between 1996 and
2001

No religion:
In 1947, 0.3% of the population identified themselves as having no religion, lasting
until 1971 when it rose to 6.7% suddenly
Today, 26% of population identify themselves as having no religion
Not stated/ inadequately described 11.1% in 1947 stayed nearly the same at 11.7%
in 1996, and today, 11.2% despite population doubling since 1947

Account for the present religious landscape in Australia in relation to:

Christianity as the major religious tradition
Immigration
Denominational switching
Rise of New Age religions
Secularism

Christianity as the Major Religion:

Still main religion in Australia (63% of population) due to historical factors
First fleet arrival brought majority of Anglican settlers as well as
Presbyterians and Methodists. Only 10% were Catholic
Post first fleet settlers were predominately Anglican making population
almost exclusively Christian

Cynthia Chan 2008

HSC Stage 6 2 Unit - Studies of Religion

Immigration Restriction Act (1901) allowed European immigrants only,

bringing majority of Christian adherents ensuring the demographic stay the
same for at least 50 years

Effects of Migration:
After WW1, further migration from Europe encouraged saw more Christian adherents
After WW2, other European nations encouraged to migrate to Australia (i.e. Greece)
brought other Christian denominations to Australia such as Eastern Orthodox (i.e.
Greek Orthodox)
With the relaxation of the White Australia policy in the 1950s and its abolition in
1973, Australia has seen increasing diversity of faiths, however most remain British
and therefore Christian

Institutionalisation of Christianity:
Institutionalisation of Christianity within Australia has made it the predominant
religion in Australia
Early settlers were Christian and it was these people who enforced law and
government which is based upon Christian ideals
Public holidays are based around Christian calendar, Easter and Christmas
Church schools and universities have increased
Christian Charitable foundations such as St Vincent de Paul have had significant
impact
Wide range of Christian books, magazines, websites further promoting Christianity
throughout Australia

Significant Trends:
Christianity decreased due to introduction of other mainstream religions due to
migration
Large, traditional Christian churches such as Anglican and Uniting have lost large
members due to ageing population and low birth rate, switching and movement to no
religion
Smaller, traditional Christian churches such as Pentecost and Baptist are steadily
increasing
Catholic remains steady due to immigration
Eastern Orthodox members are rising due to immigration and it is these Churches
which have a young profile

Immigration:
Post-War Immigration:
Number of people fleeing destroyed countries and immigrating to Australia after
WW2 changed the Christian face of Australia
Assisted Passage Scheme implemented to encourage British migration to Australia to
increase population, and was then spread to other Eastern European countries
Increased Roman Catholics and Eastern Orthodox
More communities, churches, schools and other social fixtures had to be built
for the increase of new religious adherents
AfterWW2, Jewish population began to increase evident that the Jewish population in
Australia was very small before WW2, consisting of Jews only from the first fleet
Hungarian revolution, expulsion of Jews from Egypt in the Suez conflict and
South African apartheid saw rise in Jewish
17% of Jewish population arrived after 1980

1970s and Vietnam War:

Prior to the 1970s, the main religious adherents were Christian

Cynthia Chan 2008

HSC Stage 6 2 Unit - Studies of Religion

Abolition of White Australia policy in 1973 saw Australia become a multicultural

society who accepted many different religious adherents
Vietnam War displaced more than 2 million Indo-Chinese people, 120000 came to
Australia for refuge
Large increase in Buddhism and Hinduism (Vietnam, Cambodia, Malaysia,
Thailand)
Increase in Roman Catholics

Changes to Immigration Laws:

Prior to Immigration Restriction Act (1901), there had been a mere 4300 Hindus
living in Australia, 1996 there were 148000 Hindu adherents
Abolition of White Australia Policy saw a rise in multiculturalism within Australia
and a wider acceptance of other religious traditions

Islam in Australia:
Islam first introduced to Australia in 1882 when thousand of camel drivers from
Afghanistan, Pakistan and the Middle East came to Australia to work on telegraph
lines and railways
Immigration Restriction Act did not allow them to become citizens
First major influx of Muslims arrived with Turkish Cypriot Muslims fleeing WW2
refugee camps
Significant members started to arrive with Lebanese Muslims fleeing civil war
In 2006, the fastest growing source of refugees was from Sudan
Iraq war has seen an increase in refugees from Afghanistan and Iraq
Diverse religion, expanding from 60 different countries of both Sunni and Shia
72% of Muslims under the age of 35, 2% over the age of 60
Much higher birth rates than general population and over 1/3 were born in Australia
so religion is expected to rise

Denominational Switching:
Switching from one sector / denominate of a particular Church to another to suit
lifestyle and feel comfortable and well catered for
Contrasts to historic patterns where families remained with the one denomination for
many generations
Significance of lifetime loyalty to one particular church diminished due to growing
individualism within lives
Increased proliferation of finding meaning in life to cater for different tastes and
individualistic lifestyle

Christian Church Denominational Switching:

Past two decades has seen dramatic swing away from liberal churches to the more
conservative
Pentecostal Church grew by 42% from 1986-1991
Pentecostal Church grew by 25% from 1996-2006
- Only a small percentage of those numbers were from people with no
church background
Pentecostal Church has grown in popularity because:
People switching here to relive older and more traditional religions
Pentecost allows for bored devotees to become excited about religion
again

Who switches and why?

People under the age of 40 switch as they are less likely to view a lifetime of loyalty
to a church as important, whereas people over 60 do

Cynthia Chan 2008

HSC Stage 6 2 Unit - Studies of Religion

Christians are more likely to switch denominations than any other religious faith as
they move to explore and seek stronger Christian faiths, rejecting light God
churches
Trends show a sway to more conservative churches throughout the Western
world due to sense of exclusivity that these churches provide greater demands
on members and stronger commitment required e.g. Pentecostal church
Switch to conservative churches can also be explained by the fact that God is
presented as being closely involved in human life as well as having more
dynamic services on offer
Conservative churches aggressively evangelistic with successful conversion
methods
Conservative churches have also lost many members out of the Christian faith all
together, with Pentecostal churches losing the greatest amount

Family breakdown and Denominational switching:

Children of divorced parents 64% more likely to cease identifying with family faith
than those with non-divorced parents
Following patterns found:
Catholics are 2 times more likely to switch to a moderate Protestant
denomination and 2.5 times more likely to switch to a conservative Protestant
denomination
Protestants are twice as likely to switch to Catholicism
- Overall, due to the seeking of a stronger religious community

New Age Religion:

Differ from traditional churches as they lack any single unifying creed or doctrine
No Holy text, no central organisation, no formal leadership
Fastest growing religious faiths in 2001 census, increasing by 140% since 1996

History:
New Age practices became popular from 1960s to 1970s as a reaction to the failure
of Christianity and Secular Humanism to provide spiritual and ethical guidance for
the future
Roots of new Age practices traceable in many religious origins including Hinduism,
Wicca, Neopagan tradition
Movement began in England where many of the above religious origins were
well established and quickly became international

Basic Beliefs:
Monism- all that exists is derived from single source of divine energy
Pantheism- all that exists is God; God found within self through entire universe
Reincarnation- after death, reborn to live a new life as a different human being
Karma- good or bad deeds we do throughout life accumulate to determine if we are
rewarded or punished in our next life
Aura- energy field surrounding the body which determines individuals state of mind
or physical health
Universal religion- God is perceived as the mountain which all religions seek to
reach, there are many different paths to reach Him
Age of Aquarius- notion that Earth moved into the planetary constellation of Aquarius
in the nineteenth century which caused the gradual ushering in of a new world order
which banishes war, disease, pollution, racism, poverty

Cynthia Chan 2008

HSC Stage 6 2 Unit - Studies of Religion

New Age practices:

Meditation, astrology, divination, holistic health (acupuncture, message), crystals,
channelling the dead, feng shui

Reasons for growth in popularity:

Disillusionment with Government by many after Vietnam War led to further

questioning of traditional authority structures such as the church
Christianity was seen as failing to provide spiritual or ethical guidance
Media began to release stories of Catholic church clergymen involved in sexual abuse
Growing emphasis of autonomy and individualistic lifestyle throughout society with
more obligation on fulfilling and satisfying the needs of self rather than the
community
People currently seeking spiritual insight as a reaction to the unsettled and turbulent
nature of the times we live in
New Age Religion itself says popularity is a result of the Age of Aquarius and the
coming of the utopian world

Secularism:
What is Secularism?
The stance of stating No religious affiliation or people who have inadequately
described or not stated their religious belief
Secularism is to be free from religion or spirituality
Secular systems are based on reason, fact and scientific analysis and therefore differ
from religious systems which are based on divine light and spirituality
Secularists believe policies and decisions made by governments should be completely
separate from religious influence which they believe has the right to jeopardise the
freedom and rights of citizens

Reasons for popularity:

Secularism is a key feature of democracy and therefore champions the notion of
freedom from religion
One theory suggests popularity has increased as ideals of seventeenth century
enlightenment are being reintroduced.
Belief in supernatural, spirituality or divine is best comprehended through
reason, science and logic
Another theory states that secularism has increased due to social changes that have
occurred post Vietnam War.
Led to questioning of many governments and related authorities including the
Church
Final theory states that traditional churches were beginning to be viewed by some as
part of an unholy trinity which only had self interest in mind

Secularism and Religious intolerance:

Disenchantment with traditional religious churches combined with changing
viewpoints on religion in recent decades has led to religious intolerance
Religious intolerance is viewed as having the power to lead to social
estrangement or at worst, Holy war
Influenced by the many wars throughout history which have been caused by the basis
of religion

Secularism and the individual:

1960s and 1970s saw nearly all Australians being affiliated with a religious
denomination and Sunday Church was seen as an integral component of life

Cynthia Chan 2008

HSC Stage 6 2 Unit - Studies of Religion

Today however, there is less emphasis on conforming and more emphasis of the
autonomy of the individual for freedom and rights
Increased freedom has seen increase in secularism
Religion now viewed as a personal and private decision

Humanist societies:
Milestone for secularism in Australia was the introduction of the Australian Humanist
Society in the 1960s followed by the formation of many Humanist groups throughout
Australia
Made great impact on secularism in Australia
Right to be married by civil celebrant rather than a church clergy became official
in 1973- today 50% of people married by civil celebrant
Steady decline in church attendance and clergy recruitment figures

Cynthia Chan 2008

HSC Stage 6 2 Unit - Studies of Religion

4. Religious dialogue in multi-faith Australia

Ecumenical movements within Christianity
Interfaith dialogue
The relationship between Aboriginal spiritualities and religious traditions in the
process of Reconciliation

Describe the impact of Christian ecumenical movements in Australia

The National Council of Churches
NSW Ecumenical Council

The National Council of Churches (NCCA):

Ecumenical organisation bringing together a number of Australian churches in dialogue
and practical cooperation
Began with Australian Committee for the World Council of Churches which developed
into Australian Council of Churches and then into NCCA in 1994
Originally, the movement was for Christian unity within Australia between Anglican
and Protestant churches only
1960s, Eastern and Oriental Orthodox churches joined
1994 after opening of Vatican II, Roman Catholic church joined
Today 15 different church variants apart of NCCA
More conservative, evangelical denominations such as Baptists and Pentecostal
churches have failed to join NCCA due to:
Reluctance to accept validity of ecumenical dialogue with churches possessing
doctrines at variance with their own

Impact of NCCA:
Helped create positive relationships throughout many Eastern and Western churches
which continue to last today through dialogue and practical cooperation so there is no
conflict or tensions between Christian denominations
NCCA works through a number of commissions, networks and programs including the
Christian World Services (CWS) which is responsible for international programs such
as Make Poverty History and the National Program on Refugees and Displaced People
(NPRDP)
NPRDP helped to resettle and protect hundreds of refugees in horrific conditions
from countries such as Afghanistan, Iraq and East Timor
Assisted asylum seekers by creating Houses of Welcome, offering English
classes and free accommodation
NCCA sponsors National Aboriginal and Torres Straight Islander Ecumenical
Commission (NATSIEC)
Represents Indigenous Australians from Christian faiths
Aims to support indigenous issues, reconciliation and education whilst helping
sustain Aboriginal spirituality and theology

NCCA Special projects:

Jubilee campaign- debt justice for impoverished nations
Safe as Churches project- confronts reality of sexual abuse by clergy and church
workers
Decade to Overcome Violence (DOV)- developing interfaith relationships for faiths to
live in harmony together
NCCA is a founding member partner in Australian national dialogue between
Christians, Muslims and the Jewish
seeks to understand key concepts in each religion that have led to misunderstanding

Cynthia Chan 2008

HSC Stage 6 2 Unit - Studies of Religion

NSW Ecumenical Council:

Established in 1946 to be the instrument through which its member churches celebrate
and manifest their unity to understand each others faith
Affiliated with NCCA
Today possesses 16 member churches, but, like NCCA conservative churches have
refused to join
Sponsors a variety of social and charitable initiatives overlapped by the NCCA
E.g. the promotion of the Christmas bowl throughout NSW which helps to
support thousands of people in needing countries such as the Middle East,
Africa and Asia at Christmas time

Social Justice Program:

Through its social justice program, the NSW Ecumenical Council also seeks to address
issues of justice and equity for all people especially ATSI
Ministry and refugee Program helps asylum seekers, refugees, immigrants and
detainees.
Local Ecumenism Information Kit provided by the NSW Ecumenical Council contains
strategies and resources to guide people to work ecumenically

Evaluate the importance of interfaith dialogue in multifaith Australia

Interfaith Dialogue in Multi-faith Australia:

Australia is a multicultural society and whilst this is positive, it can lead to many
misunderstandings and clashes in belief, particularly throughout religious faiths
Australian Christians believe Jesus Christ is God and the Messiah, Australian
Jews believe Jesus Christ was a prophet and that calling him God is
blasphemous whilst Australian Muslims believe Jesus Christ was a minor
prophet
Clashes in belief have been the result of much blood shed, war and violence throughout
history

The role of Interfaith Dialogue:

It is when representatives from different religious traditions meet together peacefully to
talk and exchange information about their respective faiths and clear up
misunderstandings
Not about debate or attempts to proselytise
One example was the Australian National Dialogue of Christians, Muslims and Jews in
2003 by the NCCA
Purpose was to provide opportunities for faiths to build understandings and
harmony whilst clarifying issues

International Dialogue:
In December 2004, 14 countries with ten interfaith delegates met in Indonesia for the
purpose of friendly dialogue.
Was initiated by Foreign Minister, Alexander Downer who stated that religion may well
be the key to cracking the global tensions problem

Cebu Dialogue:
March 2006, delegates from 15 different countries met in the Philippines for Cebu
dialogue and concluded that:
Interfaith dialogue builds upon understanding, good will and relationships
Interfaith cooperation plays a central role in fostering peace and security
Interfaith dialogue is essential in de-linking religions from terror

Cynthia Chan 2008

HSC Stage 6 2 Unit - Studies of Religion

Made a call for religions to recognise pluralism, multiculturalism and peace and to
develop openness and respect for other faiths, traditions and cultures

Religious leaders:
Dr Ameer Ali (President of Australian Federation of Islamic Councils) stated that
interfaith dialogue was essential to understand each other
Archbishop George Pell made a point that interfaith dialogue is something that needs to
be done now while peaceful relationships are still possible before there is a clash

Limitations of Interfaith Dialogue:

Belief that there is a point where important differences cannot be overlooked
Controversy that some people are trying to water-down and distort their religious
beliefs in a desperate attempt to reconcile between other religions
Many believe that a God cannot be revitalised to be right for all

Examine the relationship between Aboriginal spiritualities and religious traditions in the
process of Reconciliation

What is Reconciliation?
Reconciliation is the term given to the process whereby ATSI (Aboriginal and Torres
Strait Islander) people and non-ATSI people can move into the future with a new
relationship based on mutual recognition, understanding and respect
Mistakes of the past such as dispossession of land and the stolen generation must be
acknowledged and dealt with for harmony to exist
Reconciliation therefore encompasses issues such as Land Rights, Native Title as well
as initiatives designed to help psychological trauma of ATSI people thereby healing
ATSI spirituality
Reconciliation is a long process which began with the 1967 referendum allowing ATSI
people the right to vote and the Australian government the authority to make laws in
the interest of ATSI people
Most churches have helped facilitate reconciliation

Catholic Church and Reconciliation:

When Pope John Paul II visited Alice Springs in 1986, he stated there is the need for
just and proper settlement that lies unachieved in Australia
Since then, Catholic Church has made many positive moves toward
Reconciliation
1998, joined with other churches to issue a statement called Towards Reconciliation in
Australian Society- Reconciliation and Aboriginal Australians which argued for the
settlement of differences between ATSI and non-ATSI people
CARITAS Australia has called for more assistance to ATSI due to the ongoing
psychological trauma of the Protection and Assimilation Policies
Catholic Bishops Conference Australia established a commission concerned with
relations between the church and Aboriginal Communities
National Reconciliation Week sees a week of Catholic Initiatives promoting
reconciliation particularly regarding Aboriginal health
Pope Benedicts recent address to Australia, encouraging ongoing help for ATSI people

Anglican Church and Reconciliation:

Anglican Church expressed its support for Reconciliation at the 1998 General Synod
and encouraged a number of enterprises designed to facilitate the process
Provides funding to National Aboriginal and Torres Straight Islander Ecumenical
Commission (NATSIEC), giving a voice to ATSI people and helping rebuild ATSI
communities

Cynthia Chan 2008

HSC Stage 6 2 Unit - Studies of Religion

Anglicare Australia and the Anglican Board of Missionaries formed the Anglican
Reconciliation Working Group which provides accommodation, health care, family
support for ATSI communities
Steps have been taken to support training of ATSI people
National trust fund for ATSI Bishops has been established
Return of land to local ATSI communities at a diocesan level

Uniting Church and Reconciliation:

Uniting Aboriginal and Islander Christian Congress, Townsville works with ATSI
people to promote healing and reparation of past wrongs
Uniting Church National Assembly made formal apology to ATSI people to policies of
the past and made a pledge for a better future
Queensland Baptist Convention Annual Assembly, 1997 released a statement
encouraging reconciliation by acknowledging past wrongs

The NCCA and Reconciliation:

NCCA acknowledged that many of its member churches played a part in the stolen
generations
Issued a public statement on the Bringing Them Home report making
recommendations in support of Reconciliation

The Week of Prayer for Reconciliation:

Week of Prayer for Reconciliation began in 1993 with the express goal of providing
interfaith week of prayer, thought and reflection with the common goal of
reconciliation
Includes all faiths, including Islam, Buddhism and Hinduism
Is done to devote time to prayer, thought and reflection on the soul of a nation and the
relationship between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians

Christianity and Aboriginal Traditions:

Attempts at reconciliation by various religious traditions have helped to bring out
acceptance of syncretisation of Christian and Aboriginal religious ideas
E.g. Many Aboriginal clergy incorporate Indigenous symbols and rituals from
their own culture to express Christian concepts
Use Indigenous coconut milk instead of wine and damper or yam instead of
bread
Christian stories often retold with an Indigenous slant (instead of fire, they
talk about fire sticks)
Red ochre used instead of ashes/oil on forehead
Prayers able to be told in Indigenous languages

Cynthia Chan 2008