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

1. PROFESSOR GARY D BOUMAUNESCO CHAIR IN INTERRELIGIOUS AND INTERCULTURAL RELATIONS – ASIA PACIFIC AUSTRALIAN SOUL: 21ST Century Religious and Spiritual Challenges to Chaplaincy Source: Gary Bouma, Australian Soul: Religion and Spirituality in the 21st Century, Cambridge University Press. 2006

2. 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

3. 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

4. DRIVERS OF RELIGIOUS CHANGE 1. INCREASES IN RELIGIOUS DIVERSITY 2. REVITALISATION OF RELIGION 3. CULTURAL CHANGE

5. 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

6. 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

7. 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%

8. 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%)

9. 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%

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

11. 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

12. 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.

13. 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?

14. 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

15. 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

16. 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

17. 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

18. 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

19. 3. CULTURAL CHANGE • A CULTURAL SHIFT FROM RATIONAL TO EXPERIENTIAL MODES OF AUTHORITY

20. 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

21. 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’ Authority MAJOR 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

22. A TRIANGULAR FORMULATION TRADITIONAL /\ \ / \/ EXPERIENTAL  RATIONAL

23. 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

24. 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

25. 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

26. 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?

27. 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

28. 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

29. 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

30. 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

31. 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