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 one’s 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’

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.

 

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 1970’s 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.

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
• Land must not be owned by anyone else
• This included governments and individuals
• 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

 

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 people’s 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

 

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
• 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 1950’s 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
• 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 Hindu’s 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 Shi’a
• 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
• 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 1960’s to 1970’s 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

 

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
• 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

 

 

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

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
• 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 Benedict’s 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