Australia's Religious Landscape Post 1945
“We live in a postmodern world in the sense that no single religion, system or ideology has any convincing claim to be the one voice of truth. We are yet to grasp the full reality that Australia is a pluralistic, multicultural, multi-religious society in which among people of different traditions and with indigenous people is a requirement of social cohesion. In a global world our national identities in no way preclude our responsibilities for the well-being of all humanity and the one earth we share.” – Dr Gerard Hall SM
Dr Gerard Hall says we now live in a ‘postmodern world’ where ‘no single religion, system or ideology’ can ‘convincingly claim the one voice of truth’. Australia has been long dominated by the Christian faith with the 1911 census reporting 96% of Australians subscribing to any denomination of Christianity. This large percentage of Christians can be attributed to the White Australia policy. However, the 2011 census revealed a decrease of Christians with only 61% aligning themselves with the faith, half of the overseas-born population also reporting a Christian denomination. Non-Christians affiliations and those reporting ‘no religion’ have increased radically since the last census. The number of people reporting 'No Religion' 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 are over 59 religious traditions present in Australia today. Globalisation has influenced the growth 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 grown exponentially since 1911 at 189%, followed by Islam at 69%, and Buddhism at 48%. Atheism or citizens who have no revealed any religious affiliation has risen due to scientific advancement, rise of secularism,
Dr Gerard Hall says we now live in a ‘postmodern world’ where ‘no single religion, system or ideology’ can ‘convincingly claim the one voice of truth’. Australia has been long dominated by the Christian faith with the 1911 census reporting 96% of Australians subscribing to any denomination of Christianity. This large percentage of Christians can be attributed to the White Australia policy. However, the 2011 census revealed a decrease of Christians with only 61% aligning themselves with the faith, half of the overseas-born population also reporting a Christian denomination. Non-Christians affiliations and those reporting ‘no religion’ have increased radically since the last census. The number of people reporting 'No Religion' 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 are over 59 religious traditions present in Australia today. Globalisation has influenced the growth 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 grown exponentially since 1911 at 189%, followed by Islam at 69%, and Buddhism at 48%. Atheism or citizens who have no revealed any religious affiliation has risen due to scientific advancement, rise of secularism,