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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:

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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

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.

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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:

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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.
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.
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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

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

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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
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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
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

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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
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
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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
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:

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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

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.

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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
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

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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

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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

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

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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
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

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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
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
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