The Australian Book of Atheism

The Australian Book of Atheism
Author: Warren Bonett
Publisher: Scribe Publications
Total Pages: 449
Release: 2010
Genre: Religion
ISBN: 1921640766

Does the Anzac ethos have roots in atheism? Does prayer have a place in Parliament? Should 'creation science' be taught in Australian schools? The Australian Book of Atheism is the first collection to explore atheism from an Australian viewpoint. Bringing together essays from 33 of the nation's pre-eminent atheist, rationalist, humanist, and sceptical thinkers, it canvasses a range of opinions on religion and secularism in Australia.

Post-God Nation

Post-God Nation
Author: Roy Williams
Publisher: HarperCollins Australia
Total Pages: 526
Release: 2015-05-01
Genre: Religion
ISBN: 1460703324

Why religion fell off the radar in Australia - and how it can get back on At the time of Federation 98% of Australians identified themselves as Christians. Now only 8% say they regularly go to Church. What's changed? How did Australia become a post-Christian nation and what part did the Churches play in their own decline? Author Roy Williams (God, Actually, In God they trust?) has long been an impassioned defender of Christianity. Here, he tackles the decline of the church head on, acknowledging that in many cases, inflexibility, negativity and a refusal to listen have led to a tarnished image. But he also argues that Australia had a long and often misunderstood Christian heritage. And without it, he says, we will become a society with no moral centre, a community where rampant materialism is the only rule. Offering a bold roadmap for the Church to change, Williams challenges atheists, agnostics and true believers to a genuinely open debate about the force of faith.

Beyond Belief

Beyond Belief
Author: Hugh Mackay
Publisher: Macmillan Publishers Aus.
Total Pages: 292
Release: 2016-04-26
Genre: Philosophy
ISBN: 1925479218

What do people actually mean when they say 'God'? Around two-thirds of us say we believe in God or some 'higher power', but fewer than one in ten Australians attend church weekly. In Beyond Belief, Hugh Mackay presents this discrepancy as one of the great unexamined topics of our time. He argues that while our attachment to a traditional idea of God may be waning, our desire for a life of meaning remains as strong as ever. Mackay interviews dozens of Australians representing many different points on the spectrum of faith, including some who are part of the emerging 'spiritual but not religious' movement. He exposes the deep vein of ambivalence about religion that runs through our society: we may not actively worship, but we still like to see local churches operating in our midst, and we use 'our' church to marry, christen our babies, educate our children and commemorate our dead. He points out some uncomfortable truths, such as our tendency to call on God only in a crisis, and unpacks our human need for 'answers', even when science can't find them. He endorses the Christian ideal of the good life - a life lived for others - but acknowledges that there are many pathways to that same goal, not all of them religious. Written with all the insight and compassion we have come to expect of our leading chronicler of Australian life, Beyond Belief is an engrossing exploration of the ways we find spiritual fulfilment in an avowedly secular age.

Charting the Faith of Australians

Charting the Faith of Australians
Author: Philip Hughes
Publisher: Christian Research Associati
Total Pages: 179
Release: 2016-05
Genre: Religion
ISBN: 1875223843

The last 50 years have seen more rapid change than at any time in human history. Changes in technology have changed every aspect of life: from contraception to computation, from communication to community formation. These changes have affected the ways in which Australians have sought meaning in their lives, from the fulfilment of duty to the maximisation of subjective wellbeing. They have affected deeply the role that religion has played in life with the focus moving from the preservation of tradition to personal spirituality. Over the past 30 years, the Christian Research Association has charted these changes. It has done so through the examination of census and survey data and through interviews with thousands of individuals. It has examined these changes in youth culture and rural culture and has explored the impact of migration and the rise of the Pentecostal and charismatic movements. It has suggested ways in which churches and schools might respond to these changes. Part 1 of this book tells the story of these changes and how the Christian Research Association has charted them. Part 2 contains contributions from various researchers discussing how the Christian Research Association has served the churches. Part 3 explores some extensions of and parallels to the work of the Christian Research Association in relation to religious institutions, migration and other research. The story told in this book is a personal story for Dr Philip Hughes, the senior research officer of the Christian Research Association from 1985 to 2016. But it is also a story of global significance as Christian and other religious institutions grapple with changes to their place in society and their roles in changing perceptions of life.

Religion and Change in Australia

Religion and Change in Australia
Author: Adam Possamai
Publisher: Routledge
Total Pages: 166
Release: 2022-03-30
Genre: Social Science
ISBN: 1000529614

This timely book offers a panoramic overview of the enduring significance of religion in modern Australian society. Applying sociological perspectives and contemporary theories of religion in society, it challenges conventional assumptions around the extent of secularisation in Australia and instead argues that religious institutions, groups, and individuals have proved remarkably adaptable to social change and continue to play a major role in Australian life. In doing so, it explores how religion intersects with a wide range of other contemporary issues, including politics, race, migration, gender, and new media. Religion and Change in Australia explores Australia’s unique history regarding religion. Christianity was originally imported as a tool of social control to keep convicts, settlers, and Australian Aboriginal peoples in check. This had a profound impact on the social memory of the nation, and lingering resentment towards the "excessive" presence of religion continues to be felt today. Freedom of religion was enshrined in Section 116 of the Australian Constitution in 1901. Nevertheless, the White Australia Policy effectively prevented adherents of non-Christian faiths from migrating to Australia and the nation remained overwhelmingly Christian. However, after WWII, Australia, in common with other western societies, appears to have become increasingly secularised, as religious observance declined dramatically. However, Religion and Change in Australia employs a range of social theories to challenge this securalist view and argues that Australia is a post-secular society. The 2016 census revealed that over half of the population still identify as Christian. In politics, the socially conservative religious right has come to exert considerable influence on the ruling Liberal-National Coalition, particularly under John Howard and Scott Morrison. New technologies, such as the Internet and social media, have provided new avenues for religious expression and proselytisation whilst so-called "megachurches" have been built to cater to their increasing congregations. The adoption of multiculturalism and increased immigration from Asia has led to a religiously pluralist society, though this has often been controversial. In particular, the position of Islam in Australia has been the subject of fierce debate, and Islamophobic attitudes remain common. Atheism, non-belief, and alternative spiritualities have also become increasingly widespread, especially amongst the young. Religion and Change in Australia analyses these developments to offer new perspectives on religion and its continued relevance within Australian society. This book is therefore a vital resource for students, academics, and general readers seeking to understand contemporary debates surrounding religion and secularisation in Australia.

Life, Ethics and Faith in Australian Society: Facts and Figures

Life, Ethics and Faith in Australian Society: Facts and Figures
Author: Philip Hughes
Publisher: Christian Research Associati
Total Pages: 135
Release: 2014
Genre: Religion
ISBN: 1875223770

A reference book from the Christian Research Association. Religion interacts with almost every aspect of life. Australian religious communities have grown through immigration, but have declined through cultural changes. These communities continue to educate almost 40 per cent of Australian students and provide many of Australia's welfare services and international aid. In turn, religious faith has an impact on the age at which young people get married, family size, the occupations their members go into, as well as how they spend their time and money, and their involvement in voluntary activities. Religious faith also has an impact on people's values: their attitudes to work and leisure, their sense of meaning in life, and their attitudes to the sacredness of human life and to expressions of sexuality. Drawing on data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics and several other major social surveys, this book explores not only the general impact of religion, but how that impact varies according to the extent of people's involvement in religion and the particular religious group in which people are involved. To understand Australian culture and society, one needs to understand the impact of the multiplicity of faiths that shape the lives of Australians.

This We Can Say

This We Can Say
Author:
Publisher: ReadHowYouWant.com
Total Pages: 506
Release: 2010-01-07
Genre: Philosophy
ISBN: 1458748642

Prepared over a period of nearly 10 years, it is the distillation of the thoughts of around a thousand Quakers with an interest in spiritual subjects. The book includes inspirational writings and personal stories about challenge and opportunity, which reflect on the geography and social history of Australia. It is arranged under subject headings...

Australians and the Christian God

Australians and the Christian God
Author: Hugh Jackson
Publisher: Wipf and Stock
Total Pages: 288
Release: 2015-05-12
Genre: Religion
ISBN: 9781498230520

Perhaps the most important question that anyone can ask is whether there is a God, and if so what sort of God. So much can turn on the answer that is given, not least whether life is seen to have any ultimate purpose or meaning. is book explores what Australians have made of the question of God from 1788 to the present. Belief, unbelief and indifference today all have a tradition behind them. The book is specifically about Australians and the Christian God because, until recently, nearly all Australians considered themselves to be in some sense Christian. A central concern, therefore, is to what extent Australians, individually and as a people, have accepted the picture of God given in the Bible and the early Christian creeds: a revealed God who is both Judge and Saviour. While this study will be of value for clergy and for undergraduate courses in history and religion, it should have interest for anyone who wants to understand what makes Australians the way they are. It is also a book for Australians who are personally grappling with the question of God. Dr Jackson's book will be consulted widely because of the skill with which he traces the varying facets of Australia's declining belief in God. His thorough research and clear argument will make it a standard work. -Dr Ian Breward, Senior Fellow, School of historical and philosophical studies, University of Melbourne Hugh Jackson has had a long academic interest in the history of religion in Australia, and is the author of Churches and People in Australia and New Zealand 1860-1930 (Allen & Unwin, 1987). After studying theology at the University of Cambridge, he served for a short period as an Anglican clergyman. From 1978 to 1988 he lectured in Australian History at the University of Auckland. He is married, with two adult children.

The Good Sporting Life

The Good Sporting Life
Author: Stephen Liggins
Publisher:
Total Pages:
Release: 2020-04
Genre:
ISBN: 9781925424645

An introduction to the Bible's teaching on sport and a compendium of practical advice for maximising the blessings of sport while avoiding its potential dangers.