InterfaithDialogue

Syllabuspoints:
StudentslearnaboutReligiousDialogueinMultifaithAustralia.
InterfaithDialogue
EvaluatetheimportanceofinterfaithdialogueinmultifaithAustralia.

Interfaith dialogue: a conversation established between hierarchies of different religious

traditions to develop familiarity and promote understanding and dialogue.

The years since World War II have seen the Australian community reassess its attitudes
to many issues, including the place of religious traditions other than Christianity.

Even Christian churches have reconsidered their long-held view that other religions are
errors at best, or the work of the Devil at worst. This has led, especially since the 1970s,
to a new involvement in interfaith dialogue.

Much of this dialogue is at an official level, with groups such as the NCCA involved in
discussions with official bodies representing other religious traditions. The NCCA has
established the Australian National Dialogue of Christians, Muslims and Jews. They seek
to develop services and education seminars as well as encourage dialogue. The Affinity
Intercultural Foundation was established by Muslim youth to help develop harmony
with fellow Australians.

On the Dalai Lamas visit to Australia in 2007, the Australian National University in
Canberra hosted an interfaith dialogue symposium. Several religious organisations
attended.
Inter-faith dialogue is NOT about proving the superiority of one tradition over another.
It attempts to respect the basis of faith of the particular tradition.

It is building relationships between religious tradition where mutual respect leads to

shared religious prayer services, working on common projects such as human rights
issues, indigenous rights and poverty, humanitarian relief activities, and assistance given
to asylum seekers

The Australian Context:

A Pluralistic Society
Members of Jewish and Christian communities were present on the First Fleet.
Evidence of Hindus and Muslims in West Australia date back to the mid 1800s
Major influx of various religious traditions post 1945, especially in the 1970s, 80s and 90s.

Australia as Multicultural (Multi-Faith) by 1970s

Answerthesequestionsfromthevideo:QandAInterfaithDialogue

1. WhatistheatheistviewontheexistenceofGod?
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2. HowdoChristianityandsciencerelatetoeachother?
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3. WhatistheIslamicviewofcreation?Whycantwehavelimitationsontheconceptof
God?
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4. HowcanyoubeanatheistJew?
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5. Whatarethevariousbeliefsonheaven?WhatisitlikeaccordingtoChristianityand
Islam?
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6. Whatdoeshebelieveaboutasecularsociety?Whymightthisbehappening?
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InterfaithDialogueresearchquestions:
ResearchHarmonyDay.Makenotesonwhatitis,whyandhowitstartedandhowit
canbeconsideredinterfaithdialogue.
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Researchthe1996PortArthurMassacre.Lookattheresponsefromvariousreligious
groupsaftersuchadevastatingevent.
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Find2moreexamplesofmoderndayinterfaithdialogue:givespecificdetailsabout
whichreligiousleadersandtraditionsareinvolvedandwhattheyactuallydo.
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EvaluatetheimportanceofInterfaithdialogueinmultifaithAustralia.
(5marks)
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