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.

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.

Many young Australians are struggling with issues of mental health, anxiety about the future, and addictions to drugs. Behind these struggles are often questions of what life is all about. Youth ministry is more important today than at any time in recent history. Yet, many churches are finding it difficult to connect with youth beyond those whose families are involved in the church. This book has arisen out of Australian research into youth ministry, from visiting youth groups and talking with youth leaders and the youth themselves. It offers a vision for the development of youth ministry, recognising the diversity of youth and the backgrounds from which they come. It explores how to build a youth ministry team and the qualities needed in the team. It discusses issues of training, payment, and support for youth leaders and building bridges with parents, church and school. What are the factors which will really make a difference in developing youth ministry? Based on research, our conclusions are: •The vision for developing the spirit of young people •The commitment of the whole church to youth ministry •The youth ministry team with strong relationships with God, each other, the youth, parents, the church and the wider society; •A diversity of activities: both age-specific and intergenerational for fun, friends, inquiry and developing the spirit.

This book contains a simple argument. Young people who develop a sense of purpose around contributing to the lives of others and the society will find great personal fulfilment in life and will do more than other young people in creating a better world for all people. Living purposefully contributes to better physical and mental health, and to resilience, as well as to pro-social behaviour. However, surveys of 9,500 secondary school students in non-government schools showed that only a little over a third of them (36%) definitely had a sense of purpose. More needs to be done to help students develop patterns of purposeful living.

Many church leaders are confused. Patterns of ministry which worked so well in the past are no longer effective. Churches which grew rapidly have ceased to grow. The culture of the Western world has changed. At its heart is a change in the nature of authority: from tradition and reason to the authority of personal experience. This book explores the changes in culture and church life. Rev Dr Philip Hughes, the senior research officer of the Christian Research Association outlines the problem the churches are facing. Rev Gary Bouma, Professor Emeritus of Sociology at Monash University, and an Anglican Priest, charts the origins of the problem. The large part of the book is the work of Rev Dr Gerald Rose, a senior minister in the Churches of Christ in Victoria, Australia. Through careful observation and detailed interviews of ministers, he describes a range of ministry responses to the changing culture. He explores, not one solution, but many: the ministry of intentional mission, of the charismatic movement, of ministry based in relationships, and of ministry rooted in classical spirituality. This is a book which should be read by church leaders, ministers and pastors of all denominations. It provides great insight into the nature of contemporary culture and outlines positive pathways for ministry in the Western context.

This book provides strong arguments for giving prayer a central place in the education and nurture of children. It is based on research in Australian Catholic, parent-controlled Christian, Independent, Jewish, Muslim and government schools. The author demonstrates focused attention and care in the data collection from the words of children and their drawings of people praying. She takes us through her thorough processes of analysis and synthesis. The research shows that prayer is valued by all children, whether they come from a religious background or not. For some children it is a way of associating with their communities and traditions of faith. For others, prayer is practised in an individualistic manner. Prayer is a way to perceive and respond to the experiences of life. It can help in dealing with the challenging emotional states of anxiety, loneliness, fear, anger and guilt. It can give hope for the future. It provides a way of seeking help for others, as well as expressing praise and thanksgiving. Vivienne Mountain has a background in teaching and in clinical counselling. She lectures in Spirituality and Ministry with Children at Stirling Theological College, University of Divinity, Australia. She has published three books as well as contributing chapters to a number of others and articles for national and international journals.

Australian Soul challenges the idea that religious and spiritual life in Australia is in decline. This fascinating book describes the character of religious and spiritual life in Australia today, and argues that, far from petering out, religion and spirituality are thriving. Gary Bouma, the leading expert on the state of religious life in Australia, provides the most up-to-date facts and figures and compares the 'tone' of Australian religious practices with those of other countries. Australians might be less vocal and more reticent about their religion than Americans are, but their religious and spiritual beliefs are no less potent. Australian Soul describes and analyses our religious and spiritual life in detail as well as providing a series of case studies that illustrate the range of practices and beliefs in Australia today. Australian Soul predicts a vital future for religion and spirituality.

There has been considerable debate in recent years in the Anglican Church of Australia about issues of sexual diversity. To this end, two collections of essays have been published. The first, Five Uneasy Pieces, addressed the texts that have frequently been used to argue against the legitimacy of homosexual expression within Christian life and leadership. The book demonstrated clearly that the texts that have been interpreted to slam gay and lesbian people are in fact misused, with little or no regard either for ancient context or for contemporary hermeneutics. However, as all biblical liberationist projects have demonstrated, it is not enough to invalidate oppressive uses of selected texts. The obligation is to establish Scripture's hospitable inclusion of those who have been subjected to such oppression. This is more than a generalized divine invitation to the world; it requires a retrieval of those texts that actively embrace gays and lesbians. Hence, a second collection followed, Pieces of Ease and Grace. This collection broke significant new ground in the way the Bible can contribute to contemporary debates. The collection utilized a range of methodologies and unlocked authentic, significant and original readings that restored the Bible to a pastoral and transformative support for those whose self-identification was not shaped by heterosexual normativity. However, the project has raised significant issues for wider theological analysis, as well as calling for general theological reflection that can address historical, systematic and ecclesial concerns for supportive, inclusive recognition of those who identify as and with gay and lesbian people of faith. A third volume is therefore prepared focusing theological analysis for the benefit of reflection in the Anglican Church and beyond. Given recent developments in Ireland and the potential repercussions in Australian politics, it is clear that the Church needs to harness its thinking and its actions in relation to its place within society.

This book highlights the complex human diversity presented by Australia's Muslims, as well as their distinctive contribution and the challenges they pose to a still-evolving Australian multiculturalism. Emphasising the diversity of the Islamic experience in Australia, it presents a useful antidote to the stereotypical image that still colours mainstream perspectives of Islam.