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PROFESSOR GARY D BOUMAUNESCO CHAIR IN INTERRELIGIOUS AND INTERCULTURAL RELATIONS – ASIA PACIFIC

AUSTRALIAN SOUL: 21ST Century Religious and Spiritual Challenges to ChaplaincySource: Gary Bouma, Australian Soul: Religion and Spirituality in the 21st Century, Cambridge University Press. 2006

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MY CREDENTIALS

• CRC – PRES – QUAKER – UNITED - ANG• Theology and Sociology• Pastoral Care of Students• Marginality of migrant / Yank• Deeply concerned with ministry /

chaplaincy• Aim to describe changes in Australia’s

religious life and impact on chaplaincy

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BASIC ARGUMENT

• AUSTRALIAN RELIGION IS CHANGING– MORE DIVERSE

– REVITALISED

– MUCH MORE COMPLEX

• THESE CHANGES CHALLENGE CHAPLAINCY BY CREATING :– A DIFFERENT CULTURAL CONTEXT

– DIFFERENT EXPECTATIONS

– DIFFERENT CLIENTELLES

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DRIVERS OF RELIGIOUS CHANGE

1. INCREASES IN RELIGIOUS DIVERSITY

2. REVITALISATION OF RELIGION

3. CULTURAL CHANGE

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1. INCREASES IN RELIGIOUS DIVERSITY

• Migration – Muslims, Buddhists, Hindus• Conversion – Pentecostals, ‘New

Religious Movements’ Spiritualities, Rise of Spiritualities – census info– Spiritual not religious

– Spiritual questing

• Note Aus m/c for over 40,000 years> Has practised inclusion rather than exclusion

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RELIGIOUS CHANGE IN AUSTRALIA

% in 1911 1947 1966 1991 2006 2021

Anglican 38.4 39.0 33.5 23.9 18.7 11

Catholic 22.4 20.7 26.2 27.4 25.8 21

MCPRU 26.5 22.1 19.4 12.9 8.7 4

CHRIST’N 96.9 88.0 88.2 74.1 68.0 50

Nones 0.2 0.3 0.8 12.9 18.7 25

Other Rels 0.8 0.5 0.7 2.6 5.6 8

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AUSTRALIA’S RELIGIOUS DIVERSITY I

IN 2006 National (Adelaide) {Melbourne}• Catholics 25.8% (22.1) {28.3} • Anglicans 18.5% (14.0) {12.1} 1921 43%• No religion 18.5% (24.0) {20.0} • Not stated 10.0% (11.6) {11.1) • Uniting 5.7% ( 8.4) { 4.0} • Presbyterian 3.0% ( 1.2) { 2.3} • Lutheran 1.3% ( 3.1) { 0.7}• Orthodox 3.0% ( 3.8) { 5.9}• Salvation Army 0.3% ( 0.3) { 0.2} 1891 =

1.1%

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AUSTRALIAN RELIGIOUS DIVERSITY II

IN 2006• More Buddhists (2.1) than Baptists (1.6)• More Muslims (1.7) than Lutherans (1.3)

– In Sydney more Muslims (3.9) and more Buddhists (3.7) than Uniting (3.4)

– In Melbourne: Orthodox > Uniting > Buddhist > Muslim > Presbyterian > Baptist > Hindu > Pentecostal

• More Hindus (0.7) than Jews (0.4)• More Mormons, Jehovah’s Witnesses, Seventh Day

Adventists (0.3) than Churches of Christ or Sikhs (0.1)• 4 X witches than Quakers• Few atheists (31,000) but growing (29%)

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AGING AND CHRISTIANS (e.g. Adelaide)

• % 55+ IN AGE 2006 1996– UCA 43.1% 33.7%

– ANGLICAN 41.6% 33.7%

– Baptist 33.0% 27.5%

– Lutherans 30.6% 26.2%

– CATHOLICS 27.2% 22.6%

– Pentecostal 20.6% 14.8%

– Salvationists 44.0% 32.8%

– ADELAIDE 26.7% 22.9%

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DIVERSITY: RELIGION BY BIRTHPLACE

% AUS EUR OC SEA ME SA AFChristians 76 12 2 2 1Buddhists 28 2 1 60 5Hindus 16 2 16 4 55 2Muslims 38 6 2 5 24 14 6Jews 48 22 1 6 15None 78 9 3 5 1Nation 75 10 3 4 >1 2 1

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COPING WITH RELIGIOUS DIVERSITY 1

MAJOR ISSUE = SHIFT FROM CHRISTENDOM TO RELIGIOUS PLURALITY

– Old Anglican, Empire Religion domination is passing (in decline since 1926).

– LOSS OF A CULTURAL ‘NORMAL’– Loss of the ’source’ of chaplaincy

– Rise of Pentecostals, Spiritualities, Muslims, Buddhists, Hindus and Pagans.

– Rise of ‘Nones’ and Secularity

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SECULAR SOCIETIES

• SECULAR DOES NOT MEAN IRRELIGIOUS– Secular vs secularism, secularist

– Secularism as an ideology / perspective> Not objective, independent, or neutral

• In secular societies religion is Privatised• ‘out of control’ of both the state and

religious organisations.

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COPING WITH RELIGIOUS DIVERSITY 2

• DIVERSITY = THE NEW NORMAL

• SECULARITY = THE NEW NORMAL

• CHAPLAINCY ISSUES RAISED– How to minister to and include many religions?– How to accommodate a wider range of

legitimate religious needs? > Including pagans and ‘nones’.

– Whom do you represent? Include?

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2. REVITALISATION OF RELIGION

• Religion is back on the agenda– Policy, politics, values debate– People searching, taking charge of selves – DaVinci code, AVATAR, TV series, books, Angels

and Demons• Resurgence is happening everywhere

– Asia, Africa, – Removal of repressive regimes– End of cold war -> new ideological conflict– Taking new forms, challenging old

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WHY REVITALISATION?

• HISTORICAL CYCLICAL PATTERN• IMPACT OF DIVERSITY

– Salience of religious identity– Increased participation– Religious issues in politics

• FAILURE OF SECULAR HUMANISM– To produce happiness– To end oppression, motivate social justice– To deliver on its promises

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RELIGIOUS COMPETITION

DIVERSITY PLUS REVITALISATION WILL BRING INCREASED:

• AWARENESS OF RELIGIOUS IDENTITY/DIFFERENCE

• COMPETITION– Seeking converts – proselytising and ‘care’ – In shaping policy – e.g. management of ‘spiritualities’– Internal rivalries over theology, worship, ethics– Provision of chaplains – carers of elderly, sick, schools

• CONFLICT– Challenges to rights to exist/practice

> Opposition to mosque building, entry to country, acceptable for chaplaincy– Vilification

> Dehumanising the other, demonising, fear mongering– Conflict among carers and among those cared for

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REVITALISATION LEADS TO FUNDAMENTALISATION

• INCREASED INTENSITY– More emotional / passionate (Scary to some)

• INCREASED NEGATIVE LITERALISM– Read scriptures harshly / Angry God

• INCREASED DRIVE TO APPLY– Competitive Piety

• INCREASED ENGAGEMENT. WHY?– NEW CONVERTS MORE INTENSE– COMPETITION WITH OTIOSE LIBERALS

REQUIRES MARKET DEFINITION

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A NEW RELIGIOUS CONTEXT

Recent changes have made for: – A more religious / spiritual context

– A more contested and conflictual context> With shared values, but from different bases> With greater diversity of groups and cultures> Ethnicity/religion/spirituality/none being less

connected

– Religions more of an independent force

– Emergence of new alliances

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3. CULTURAL CHANGE

• A CULTURAL SHIFT FROM RATIONAL TO EXPERIENTIAL MODES OF AUTHORITY

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UNDERSTANDING AUTHORITY

• AUTHORITY - GIVEN / NOT POSSESSED• THREE BASES OF AUTHORTY

– TRADITION/POSITION> Bishop, Monarch, hierarchical

– REASON/LAW, > Text based, rational, creedal

– EXPERIENCE/FEELING> Awe, wonder, encounter, charisma, image

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The Cultural Shift to Experiential Authority

• MOST GROUPS USE ALL THREE FORMS

• BUT All groups settle on one form of Authority to settle disputes

– ‘Ultimate’ AuthorityMAJOR SHIFTS• FROM TRADITION TO REASON (1500-1960)

– Reformation, enlightenment– Appeal to reason to WIN over Monarch

• FROM REASON TO EXPERIENCE (1830-– Now, from Kierkegaard, Schleiermacher,– E.g. arguments re abortion policy

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A TRIANGULAR FORMULATION

TRADITIONAL /\ \

/ \/

EXPERIENTAL RATIONAL

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THE CURRENT SHIFT FROM RATIONAL TO EXPERIENTIAL MODES OF AUTHORITY

• From altars to pulpits to platforms• From sacramental objectivity to feeling• From preaching to ‘aerobic’ Christianity• From reading to watching• From sitting to moving• From books to video screens• From concordances to the internet• From permanence to impression

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EXPERIENCE AND CHAPLAINS

• PEOPLE SEEK TO ENGAGE GOD– NOT PREACHING AT, but TALKING WITH– SACRAMENTS – THE PRESENCE / GRACE OF GOD

• CREATING SACRED SPACES– CONNECTION WITH TRANSCENDENT / SPIRITUAL– RE-CREATING NOSTALGIC PAST– USE OF SYMBOLS -- APPEALING / ALIENATING

PROBLEM OF SACRED SPACES IN HOSPITALS AND UNIVERSITIES

• MEANING MAKING– LINKING PAST WITH FUTURE THROUGH PRESENT– GROUP / PERSONAL – HOPE

• JUSTICE CREATING– Experience grace, forgiveness, being known and held

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CHAPLAIN’S AUTHORITY

• PERSONAL – your own spiritual experiences.

• PROFESSIONAL– Degrees, training, license,

> Theology vs Psychology vs Social Work

• ECCLESIAL– PROFOUND DISTRUST OF

> formal organisations and Professionals

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EXPERIENCE AND BEING CHAPLAIN

• POINTS OF SPIRITUAL CONTACT– SACRAMENTAL ROLE???– RELIGIOUS EXPERIENCES

• COMMUNITY BUILDERS– KIND? HOW? VIRTUAL? WHEN?

> E.G. USE OF ‘FACE BOOK’> USE OF ‘SMS’ NETWORKS

• WHERE DOES OLD SPIRITUAL TECHNOLOGY FIT?

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AUTHORITY AND INSTITUTIONAL CONTEXT

• E.G. Catholic Church– Uses a ‘traditional’ hierarchical authority

• Anglicans are Redolent with imperial imagery– Slightly tempered by rational/legal

• E.G. UNIVERSITIES – Cathedrals of Reason??• HOSPITALS – captive to the ‘medical model’

– Can you journey with dying

– Validate religious experiences

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21st CENTURY CULTURAL CONTEXT

• RELIGION is FREE OF RELIGIOUS ORGANISATION / CONTROL

• SPIRITUALITIES THRIVING• NO ONE VIEW / GROUP DOMINANT, OR

PRIVILEGED• OPEN TO THE WIDEST DIVERSITY OF

VOICES, VIEWS, EXPERIENCES• BIASED NEITHER TO THE RELIGIOUS

NOR THE NON-, OR ANTI-RELIGIOUS

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Spirituality and Chaplaincy in 21st Century Australia

• Recognition and acceptance of spiritual dimension of health is growing

• Recognition and acceptance of secularist / new age / diverse views

– Problem of ‘ethos’ of institution providing care– Secularism not a ‘neutral’ or objective option

• Provision of spiritual services when churches resile from chaplaincy

• Provision of diverse spiritual services– To consumers who are much more critical

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ROLE OF CHAPLAINS???

• CHAPLAIN’S AUTHORITY / ROLE– ORGANISATIONAL REPS?

> RE-CREATING NOSTALGIC PAST> RECRUITING ‘ATTENDERS’

– MEANING MAKERS> GROUP> PERSONAL

– POINTS OF SPIRITUAL CONTACT> SACRAMENTAL ROLE> RELIGIOUS EXPERIENCES

– COMMUNITY BUILDERS

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IMPLICATIONS FOR CHAPLAINCY

What is the Chaplains skill set?– Spiritual journeying/sensitivity – Knowledge about many traditions/ways– religiously specific services

Multi-faith, Interreligious Chaplains– Certification?– Genericism?

The threat of Psychology