Irreligion in Australia
Atheism, agnosticism, deism, skepticism, freethought, secular humanism or general secularism is increasing in Australia. Australia is a highly secularised country with the proportion of people identifying themselves as Christian declining from 96% in 1901 to 64% in 2006 and those who did not state their religion or declared no religion rising from 2% to over 30% over the same period.[1]
The 2006 census indicated 18.7% or 3,706,555 people self-described as having "no religion" - a rise of three percentage points since the 2001 census. It saw the largest increase in numbers of 800,557 people.[2] Answering the Census question on religious affiliation was optional and a further 2.4 million (11.9%) did not state their religion (or inadequately described it).[3] Thus approximately 30% of Australians did not state a religious affiliation in the 2006 census.
Demographics
According to a 2006 census analysed by the Australian Bureau of Statistics, 18.8% of people are part of the "No Religion" category. This category includes just 4 named sub-categories, namely agnosticism, atheism, Humanism and rationalism. A 5th sub-category is "No Religion, nfd" (nfd=no further definition).[4]
The breakdown of the census data between 2001-2006 provides:
| 2006 | 2001 | % change (relative) |
% change (absolute) | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Number | % | Number | % | |||
| Total Christian | 12,685,829 | 63.9 | 12,764,342 | 68.0 | -4.1 | -0.6 |
| No Religions | 3,706,550 | 18.7 | 2,905,993 | 15.5 | +3.2 | +27.5 |
| Not stated/inadequately described | 2,223,957 | 11.2 | 2,187,688 | 11.7 | -0.5 | +1.7 |
| Other Religions | 1,238,952 | 6.2 | 911,266 | 4.9 | +1.4 | +36.0 |
| Total Population | 19,855,288 | 100.0 | 18,769,249 | 100.0 | 0 | +5.8 |
History
Prior to European settlement, the Aboriginal Australians followed a variety of religions involving the worship of spirits of nature.
European settlement brought with it the predominantly Christian religions in the 1800s.
Since the 1901 census, the "No Religion" percentage of the population has grown from 0.4% of the population to just over a quarter of the population. It should be noted that this question has been emphasised as optional since 1933. In 1971 a further clarification was made instructing "If no religion, write none" which saw "a seven-fold increase" in the figures from previous years for those declaring lack of religious beliefs.[5]
| Census year | No religion % |
Not stated/ inadequately described % |
persons who either stated they had no religion, or did not adequately respond to the question to enable classification of their religion % |
Total Christian % |
Religions other than Christianity % |
Total population counted '000 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1901 | 0.4 | 2.0 | 2.4 | 96.1 | 1.4 | 3 773.8 |
| 1911 | 0.4 | 2.9 | 3.3 | 95.9 | 0.8 | 4 455.0 |
| 1921 | 0.5 | 1.9 | 2.4 | 96.9 | 0.7 | 5 435.7 |
| 1933 | 0.2 | 12.9 | 13.1 | 86.4 | 0.4 | 6 629.8 |
| 1947 | 0.3 | 11.1 | 11.4 | 88.0 | 0.5 | 7 579.4 |
| 1954 | 0.3 | 9.7 | 10.0 | 89.4 | 0.6 | 8 986.5 |
| 1961 | 0.4 | 10.7 | 11.1 | 88.3 | 0.7 | 10 508.2 |
| 1966 | 0.8 | 10.3 | 11.1 | 88.2 | 0.7 | 11 599.5 |
| 1971 | 6.7 | 6.2 | 12.9 | 86.2 | 0.8 | 12 755.6 |
| 1976 | 8.3 | 11.4 | 19.7 | 78.6 | 1.0 | 13 548.4 |
| 1981 | 10.8 | 11.4 | 22.2 | 76.4 | 1.4 | 14 576.3 |
| 1986 | 12.7 | 12.4 | 25.1 | 73.0 | 2.0 | 15 602.2 |
| 1991 | 12.9 | 10.5 | 23.4 | 74.0 | 2.6 | 16 850.3 |
| 1996 | 16.6 | 9.0 | 25.6 | 70.9 | 3.5 | 17 752.8 |
| 2001 | 15.5 | 11.7 | 27.2 | 68.0 | 4.9 | 18 769.2 |
| 2006 | 18.7 | 11.9 | 30.8 | 63.9 | 5.6 | 19 855.3 |
- Notes:
- 1901, 1911, 1921 figures for "Not stated/ inadequately described" included responses that were 'object to state'.
- A question on religious affiliation has been asked in every Census taken in Australia, but the voluntary nature of this question has only been specifically stated since 1933.
- In 1971 the instruction 'if no religion, write none' was introduced. In that census there was a seven-fold increase from the previous Census year in the proportion of persons stating they had no religion.
Polls, surveys and statistics
Although many Australians identity themselves as religious, the majority consider religion the least important aspect of their lives when compared with family, partners, work and career, leisure time and politics.[6] This is reflected in Australia's church attendance rates, which are among the lowest in the world and in continuing decline.[7][8]
- In a 2008 global Gallup poll, nearly 70% of Australians stated religion as having no importance,[9] much higher than their American and Canadian counterparts, and on par with similarly secular countries such as Japan, the Netherlands, Finland, and France.
- The Sydney Morning Herald, an Australian newspaper with a conservative viewpoint, asked its readers "Would the world be better off without religion?". 81% responded in the affirmative.[10]
- A 2008 Christian Science Monitor survey of 17 countries revealed that youth from Australia and the United Kingdom were the least likely to observe religious practice or see any "spiritual dimension" to life.[11]
- Secular marriages are growing increasingly popular in Australia
See also
- Religion in Australia
- Rationalist Society of Australia
- The Secular Party of Australia
- Atheist Foundation of Australia
- Council of Australian Humanist Societies
- Australian Skeptics
- Irreligion
- Religious skepticism
- Secular humanism
References
- ^ a b c "Cultural diversity". 1301.0 - Year Book Australia, 2008. Australian Bureau of Statistics. 2008-02-07. Retrieved 2008-07-15.
- ^ Schliebs, Mark (2007-07-26). "Census figures show more Australians have no religion"". News.com.au.
- ^ "3416.0 - Perspectives on Migrants, 2007: Birthplace and Religion". Australian Bureau of Statistics. 2008-02-25. Retrieved 2008-08-15.
- ^ Census Table 2006 - 20680-Religious Affiliation (full classification list) by Sex - Australia
- ^ ABS - 1301.0 - Year Book Australia, 2006 - Religious Affiliation
- ^ Morris, Lindy. God's OK, it's just the religion bit we don't like (2008), Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved on 14 April 2009.
- ^ NCLS releases latest estimates of church attendance, National Church Life Survey, Media release, 28 February 2004
- ^ National Church Life Survey: church-going declines further, www.ad2000.com.au. Retrieved on 14 April 2009.
- ^ GALLUP WorldView - data accessed on 17 january 2009
- ^ IQ2 Debate : Would the world be better off without religion?, The Sydney Morning Herald, 2008. Retrieved on 14 April 2009.
- ^ Lampman, Jane. "Global survey: youths see spiritual dimension to life", The Christian Science Monitor, 2008. Retrieved on 14 April 2009.