Figure 1.-- Here we see Catholic boys doing their first communion at Redfield College in 1991. Redfield is a Catholic college. |
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Aboriginal communities from time immemorial have had animitic beliefs as is the case of other primitive people around the world. These beliefs have been retrained and often mixed with Christianity. Australian aboriginies are a highly spiritual people without a formal religious structure. Britain began the European settlement of Australia, introducing Christianity (late-18th century). This meant the Anglican Church. The pattern of immigration has basically determined religious patterns. Using convicts to populate the country meant that Britain introduced large numbers of people who were culturally Christian, but with a heathy scepticism for organized religion. While the Anglican Church was the established Church, there wre many other demominations in England. The Scotts brought the Presbyterian church. And the English brought the many other Protestant sects like Methodists. And the Irish brought Roman Catholocism with them. Emigration from other countries, for many years limited to Europe, introduced other religions over time. The Anglocan Church re,ained the ;argest until being overtaken by the Catholics (1980s). At the end of the 20th century about two-thirds of Australians identified themselves as Christians: Roman Catholic (25 percent), Anglican (20 percent), Protestant (20 percent). The principal Protestant denominations are the Uniting Church, Methodist, and Presbyterians. There are also Orthodox Christians centered in the Greek community. As Australian reformed its immigration laws, there are now Muslims and Buddhists as well as smaller numbers of Jews and Hindus. About one-third of Australians have no religious affiliation or decline to reveal it.
Aboriginal communities from time immemorial have had animitic beliefs as is the case of other primitive people around the world. These beliefs have been retrained and often mixed with Christianity. Australian aboriginies are a highly spiritual people without a formal religious structure. An important aspect of the Australian aboriginal belief system is the "Dreaming". The core of the aboriginal belief is the existence of powerful beings who arose out of the land--a kind of anthropolgical Big Bang. These powerful beings created life as we know it--people, plants, and animals. Aboriginies belief that the Dreaming beings continue to control the natural world, but their willingness to concede fertility depends upon people perform a variety of rituals. children as they mature undergo a variety of rites of passage which initiate them into adulthood. Boys are subjected to circumcision, subincision into the urethra, blood letting or tooth pulling. Girls are ritually decorated, and subject to partial seclusion or food taboos. Totemism is also a part of the aboriginal world view. Aboriginies pursue aristic representation of both mythic and living beings as a path to tapping the spiritual powers of the Dreaming. Aboriginal dates back millenia. It is thus a wibdow on the religious nelief system of prehistoric man.
Britain began the European settlement of Australia (1788). One consequence was the introduction of Christianity. This meant the Anglican Church. The pattern of immigration has basically determined religious mosaic of Australia. Braitain used convicts to populate the colony. This meant that Britain introduced large numbers of people who were culturally Christian, but with a heathy scepticism for organized religion. While the Anglican Church was the established Church, there wre many other demominations in England. The Scotts brought the Presbyterian church. And the English brought the many other Protestant sects like Methodists. And the Irish brought Roman Catholocism with them. Emigration from other countries, for many years limited to Europe, introduced other religions over time. The Anglocan Church re,ained the ;argest until being overtaken by the Catholics (1980s). At the end of the 20th century about two-thirds of Australians identified themselves as Christians: Roman Catholic (25 percent), Anglican (20 percent), Protestant (20 percent). The principal Protestant denominations are the Uniting Church, Methodist, and Presbyterians. There are also Orthodox Christians centered in the Greek community.
As Australian reformed its immigration laws, there are now Muslims and Buddhists as well as smaller numbers of Jews and Hindus. About one-third of Australians have no religious affiliation or decline to reveal it.
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