Christian Research Association

The Spirituality Of The Church

philip — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 04:25:17 +0000

Shaping the Spirituality of the Church

Day 4 of the Roundtable on ‘Shaping Australia’s Spirituality’ focussed on the spirituality of the Church. It was chaired by Pastor Rob Steed.

Rev Dr Philip Hughes began with the fact that there had been a significant decline in attendance in churches over the last generation with just 15 per cent of Australians now attending a church within a given month. The churches of list engagement with:

90% of younger people;
90% of business people;
90% of people who work more with their hands than with their minds; and
90% of second generation immigrants.

The problem is not largely the rejection of faith, but:

cultural expressions within the church reflecting the 19^th century;
lack of affirmation of the workplace and business values;
high demands for literacy in expression;
strong connections with ethnic cultures;
not holistic in relation to life; and
often seen as irrelevant to life and society.

Churches are build around organisations and require much effort in maintenance. They are often build on local communities which are largely irrelevant, and their activities centre on the repetition of tradition rather than addressing contemporary life and society. They are often more focussed on self-maintenance and mutual support than changing the community, society and the world.

The new forms of God’s activity include the faithfulness, goodwill and sacrificial service of many people. Much happens in small and informal groups of people. There needs to be a change from organisation to movement. This will involve the formation of task groups rather than organisations, and the development of networks rather than formal associations.

Churches need to focus on relationships rather than structures, about living in families in our fragmented communities, in the pluralistic, globalised society. It is about living justly and with care and compassion. The primary challenge of faith is ‘to love God and our neighbour’.

Dr Ruth Powell (NCLS Research) noted the evidence for ongoing erosion of beliefs and practices associated with Christianity. She noted that there is a large ‘messy middle’ of people who are neither religious nor non-religious, neither theists nor atheists. Yet, for four in ten Australians say that religious faith or spirituality is important in shaping their life’s decisions.

Dr Darren Cronshaw argued for a ‘church revolution’. He told of his experience of emerging and experiential churches. He spoke of networks which nurture the spirit, rather than being static organisations. He spoke of churches which allowed people to explore faith rather than requiring a certain level of belief.

Dr Cronshaw argued that there were two areas in which the emerging churches had a little more to learn:

Effective evangelism. While over time, the service component of these communities increased, the faith-sharing decreased.
Many of these churches had experienced high levels of change but many were not good at the on-going processing of change.

Dr Bob Dixon (Catholic Pastoral Research Office) spoke of the massive growth in Catholic population since 1950. One of the strengths of the Catholic Church is its ethnic diversity. However, 86% of all Catholics do not attend Mass on a typical Sunday.

In interviews with people who no longer attended church, it was found that many felt that the church had become irrelevant to daily life. Some were concerned about the abuse in the church. Some had experienced some conflict. Yet, for most of them, spirituality continued to be see seen as an important component in their lives. The research found that if people felt that they would be welcomed, some would return to the church.

For an audio file of these presentations, right-click here and save the mp3 file to your computer.

For more details of the research, see Philip Hughes, Shaping Australia’s Spirituality: A Review of Christian Ministry in the Australian Context, (Mosaic Press, Melbourne, 2010).

The following people were involved in discussion of the research and the presentation of their own observations of the development of church life and the training of people for ministry.

Rev Dr Bruce Kaye (Anglican Church)
Pastor Rob Steed (Seventh-day Adventist Church)
Rev Tim Hein (Uniting Church)
Rev Dr Brendon Roach (Principal, Harvest Bible College)

For an audio file of these reflections and observations, right-click here and save the mp3 file to your computer.

Spirituality Of Family, Workplace And Community

philip — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 04:00:32 +0000

The Spirituality of Family, Workplace and Community

Day 3 of the Roundtable on ‘Shaping Australia’s Spirituality’ focussed on the spirituality and Christian ministry related to family, workplace and community. It was chaired by John Farquharson.

Rev Dr Philip Hughes began by noting that most people do not think much about ’spirituality’ in relation to the workplace. While young people want their work to be meaningful, they mostly find that in making money for the support of their families and in funding their leisure. They may also appreciate activities in which they feel they can achieve something themselves and make a difference to others. However, there is little sense of ‘vocation’.

What young people want most in a job is (in the following order):

that it is interesting;
offers high pay;
have nice colleagues;
time for the family;
and provides some variety and excitement

Local communities were centres for local life, especially for women, through to 1960s and 1970s. Local community life has largely disappeared since the 1960s in the larger cities due to increased mobility, use of electronic communications, and in people forming community with people who share their interests.

Many churches serve ‘niche’ communities such as people with a common history or a common ethnic background. Most churches are now regional. Contributing to the formation of community is an on-going challenge.

Stephen Reid noted how family life had changed in the 15 years, with increases in couples without children, one parent families, and lone person households. There had been a decrease in the proportion of couples with children.

Yet, 46% of Australians see ‘family life’ as the most critical issue for human societies today.

While the proportion of de facto relationships, 83% of Australians disagree that ‘marriage is an out-dated institution’. However, household roles are becoming less defined by gender.

There are a number of indicators that suggest that family life is not strong in contemporary Australian society:

more than one-third of marriages end in divorce;
5 per cent of Australians say they are not treated well by their partners;
domestic violence is increasing;
child abuse is increasing;
many people living alone are lonely.

Churches make significant contributions to family life through:

family-friendly activities and worship;
child-oriented ministries; and
encouraging marriage to be seen as a sacrament, binding for life.

Church attendance has been shown to be a factor in lowering the rate of divorce. On the other hand, there has been a cost to that in that many separated and divorced people feel excluded by churches.

Stephen Reid concluded by asking ‘Can a sense of community be developed in the churches which is more inclusive and encourages a deepening of the qualities of relationship in families and households in their many shapes and sizes?’

For an audio file of these presentations, right-click here and save the mp3 file to your computer.

The following people discussed the research and brought their own observations:

Dr Lindsay McMillan (Converge International)
Dr Therese Vassarotti (ACU)
Rick Brouwer (Total Wellbeing), and
Dr Terry Butler (Avondale College).

For an audio file of these reflections and observations, right-click here and save the mp3 file to your computer.

For a more detailed presentation of the research, see the book, Shaping Australia’s Spirituality: A Review of Christian Ministry in the Australian Context, by Rev Dr Philip Hughes.

The Spirituality Of Youth

philip — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 02:21:40 +0000

The Spirituality of Youth and Ministry to Young People

Day 2 of the Roundtable on ‘Shaping Australia’s Spirituality’ focussed on ministry among young people.

Assoc Prof Kath Engebretson (ACU) spoke about the high levels of mental illness among young people. On the other hand, she noted that young people do have a spirituality that includes:

hope – especially for loving relationships;
capacity to be inspired;
strong networks of friends;
concern about social justice; and
a capacity for an experience of God.

Rev Dr Philip Hughes noted that there are many ways in which the churches interact with young people.

About 15 per cent of young people have a frequent connection with a church;
30% of primary students and 38% of secondary students in Australia attend church-run schools; and
around 30% of government schools in Australia have chaplains and many more have religious education.

Yet, many young people are, at best, equivocal about the church and the Christian faith. For many, it is not their ‘cultural expression’. Claire Pickering expanded on how young people look to their own forms of music, for example, to express identity, cope with feelings, give assurance and encouragement.

Nor does the church represent a form of community that is familiar to most young people. While young people appreciate cooperation, peace and social justice, young people’s communities are often not pre-arranged or regular, but are informal ways of ‘hanging out’ or connecting electronically.

Overall, Philip Hughes concluded, students appreciate the care that is offered by the chaplains, schools and churches. But they are not generally impressed with the Christian faith – which they see as a matter of personal preference. While we are succeeding well in pastoral care, we are not succeeding well in the spiritual dimension of preparing young people to live well in the world.

For an audio version of these research presentations, right-click here to download an mp3 file.

For further details of the research, see Philip Hughes, Shaping Australia’s Spirituality: A Review of Christian Ministry in the Australian Context (2010, Mosaic Press, Melbourne).

The following people commented on this research and brought their own insights on ministry with young people:

Ruth Pinkerton (Scripture Union, Tasmania)
Malcolm Hart (Youth Ministry, Australian Catholic Bishops’ Conference)
Jeanette Woods (Christian Schools Association)
Grant Bickerton and Dave Huddleston (Campus Crusade for Christ)

For an audio version of these reflections and comments on the research, right-click here to download an mp3 file.

The National Spirit

philip — Wed, 25 Jan 2012 02:17:34 +0000

The National Spirit

Day 1 of a Roundtable on ‘Shaping Australia’s Spirituality’ focussed on the evaluation of ‘the national spirit’ and how the Christian faith and Christian ministry is relating to that. The plenary sessions were chaired by John Cleary (ABC presenter on religion).

Rev Dr Philip Hughes, senior research officer of the Christian Research Association, started with the fact that, despite the prosperity in Australia,

10 per cent of Australians say they are not very happy,
56 per cent are fairly happy, and
32 per cent are very happy.

Among the issues are failures in family relationships, rural decline and uncertainty and the lack of a clear future for many indigenous people. There is also insecurity about terrorism and crime, climate change, and ‘who we are’. There are distractions in consumerism and substance abuse, but little vision for the future. If people find meaning, they find it in themselves.

At the same time, church involvement has declined with just 15 per cent of the population involved monthly or more often. However, the church-run schools have increased in numbers and there is a strong presence of the churches in social justice and welfare.

The churches are seen as protectors of family life, but as irrelevant to the major national challenges of climate change and building a sustainable economy. One of the challenges for the Christian faith is to tell the Christian story and expound the Christian principles of love and grace, justice and forgiveness, equality and the worth of all individuals in a way that demonstrates its relevance for the Australian national story.

Prof Alan Black (Edith Cowan University) argued that religion and spirituality are increasingly seen as a matter of individual perception and choice. We are living in a post-traditional era, with increasing electicism, he argued. In Australian society,

24% find their sense of identity and meaning in the Christian faith;
17% find it in spirituality – either of an eclectic style, or a spirituality of nature or land;
2% find it in religions other than Christianity; and
57% in secularism.

Of those Australians who are secular,

16% say there is ’something beyond’, but are not involved in any religion in any way;
27% are uncertain about ‘the beyond’; and
14% say there is nothing beyond (or hold to some form of atheism).

Prof Black argued that the way that Australians approach life (religious, spiritual or secular) has an impact on their personal wellbeing and on the social wellbeing. The nature of this impact is explored in the book Spirit Matters. (See our products page.)

For an audio version of these research presentations, right-click here to download an mp3 file.

For further detailed information about the research, see Philip Hughes, Shaping Australia’s Spirituality: A Review of Christian Ministry in the Australian Context (Mosaic Press, Melbourne, 2010).

The following people commented on this research and brought their own insights to the national story:

Prof James Haire (Australian Centre for Christianity and Culture)
Rev Dr Rod Pattenden (chair of the Blake Prize for Religious Art)
Rev Dr Colleen O’Reilly (Anglican Priest at the St George’s, Malvern)
Prof. Norm Habel (Flinders University) and
Prof. Des Cahill (International Studies, RMIT).

For an audio version of this commentary and discussion, right-click here to download an mp3 file.

(The conference was held in September 2010.)

Cra Presentations

philip — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 02:25:04 +0000

Through 2011, CRA staff made a number of presentations. Some were at national and international conferences. Others were at staff professional development days. Some were to small groups of leaders or students. The presentations in 2011 included the following:

The Effectiveness of Chaplaincy. This presentation drew on the national study of chaplaincy in government schools was given to students preparing themselves to be chaplains at Whitley College, Melbourne.

Understanding Youth Spirituality – presentation to staff at Catholic Regional College, Melton.

Pastoral Planning in Rural Settings – presentation to a Conference on Pastoral Planning regarding possibilities of leadership in rural churches.

Spirituality and Work – a workshop held at Glen Waverley Uniting Church exploring work as a calling and as a source of meaning.

Young People’s Worlds of Meaning and Implications for Catholic Educators – a presentation at the National Catholic Education Convention in Adelaide, September 2011.

The National Spirit – presentation to directors of the Seventh-day Adventist Church on general religious and spiritual trends in Australia.

Commodification of Religion: World Trends – presentation at the 6th Lausanne Researchers’ International Conference in Brazil, April 2011. A study of how religion is increasingly viewed around the world from the perspective of a consumer.

Trends in Family Life – presentation at the 6th Lausanne Researchers’ International Conference in Brazil, April 2011. The presentation explored the changes occurring in the composition of family households, and the contributions that churches make in influencing the shape of family life.

Commodification of Religion and Religious Tolerance – presentation at the conference of the International Society for the Sociology of Religion, Aix-en-Provence, France, June 2011. The paper argued that the commodification of religion, in some circumstances, is leading to more tolerant views of religion.

The staff of the Christian Research Association are available to speak at conferences, staff development days, and for other other occasions. Topics in which they bring specialised knowledge include:

World Trends in Spirituality and Religion
Australian Religion and Spirituality
Australian Cultural Trends
Youth Spirituality and Religious Faith
Rural Church Life – Forms of Organisation and Leadership
Church Vitality and Mission
Religious Education in Schools
Chaplaincy
Changing Patterns of Family Life
Values and Religion
Welfare and Religious Faith
Wellbeing, Religion and Spirituality
Educating for Wellbeing
Holistic Education

If you are interested in a presentation from a staff member of the Christian Research Association, contact Dr Philip Hughes (p.hughes@cra.org.au) or phone (03) 8819 0123.

2011 Cra Projects

philip — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 01:56:08 +0000

The Christian Research Association undertakes a great variety of projects for Christian churches and other organisations. Amongst its projects in 2011 were:

Bible Engagement among Young People – based on interviews with young people and youth leaders in more than 60 youth groups around Australia. This was commissioned by the Bible Society of Australia, Scripture Union, the Lutheran Church, the Salvation Army and Youthworks.

Spirituality of Teachers. The spirituality of teachers in Catholic Schools in South Australia was surveyed in conjunction with the Catholic Education Office of South Australia.

Putting Life Together 2011. Surveys of the spirituality of students in Catholic schools were conducted of 4000 students in 29 schools in three dioceses in Australia. Reports were provided both to the dioceses and the schools.

Engaging Theology – a study of how students are processing lectures in theology at the Australian Catholic University. This study was commissioned by the Department of Theology and Philosophy, Australian Catholic University.

Mission Audit – a audit of how Uniting Churches in Victoria and Tasmania are engaging in mission has been designed. This audit will conducted in 2012 and 2013.

Experiences in Rome. Interviews were conducted among 28 senior students, half of whom travelled to Rome for the canonisation of Mary McKillop. The exploration of the implications of this experience for the faith of these students was analysed, and compared with development of faith among students who did not have the experience. This study was commissioned by the Catholic Schools Office of the Broken Bay Diocese.

Customer Satisfaction Survey for Catholic Church Insurances was conducted in 2011. A particular focus of the study was the general evaluation of the levels of satisfaction among clients and the factors which made a difference to levels of satisfaction.

The Christian Research Association does a wide range of research projects. It brings to these projects a broad understanding of the nature of church life and the Christian faith, as well as extensive experience in conducting surveys and interviews.

For further information about research projects, contact Philip Hughes – p.hughes@cra.org.au or (03) 8819 0123.

Possibilities For Leadership In Rural Catholic Churches

philip — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 01:24:38 +0000

With the declining number of priests available, many Catholic dioceses are investigating various ways of organising their parishes. The issue is similar to that faced by many denominations. Catholic parishes, however, have some issues not faced by most Protestant denominations in that priests have an irreplaceable role in celebrating the sacraments. Priests are central to parish life in the Catholic church and there has not been a tradition of lay people as leaders of worship. However, two case studies suggests that the patterns of leadership can change and may even strengthen parish life as they do so.

The first case study was undertaken in far western Victoria where one priest has been appointed to look after four parishes. The area for which the priest is responsible is 250 kms across and involves ten centres where Mass is said. The priest has focussed on those roles that he alone could fulfil and has encouraged lay people to take more responsibility for other roles. In taking greater responsibility for the life of the parish, some lay people reported an increased sense of their own ministry and of growing in faith.

In another case study in Victoria, the small parish was given the option of closing (and joining with a larger rural city congregation) or taking responsibility for the parish themselves. They decided to look after the parish themselves. Through a process of discernment, the parish appointed three people to be in charge of liturgy and sacraments, administration and stewardship, and community connections. A retired priest visits the parish every fortnight to say Mass. On other occasions, lay-led Assemblies of Communion and the Word take place. The result has been increased vitality in the parish. In particular, there is a high level of involvement of young people. People in leadership reported that they had grown in faith. Some of the success, however, is due to the fact that the lay people were mentored into these roles by a Sister of the Good Samaritans.

For further detail of these studies, read Pointers Vol.21, no.1. Click here to purchase and download.

Religion And Youth: World Perspectives

philip — Mon, 09 Jan 2012 06:50:57 +0000

Two major books have recently appeared on religion and youth around the world. The first is a collection of essays edited by Sylvia Collins-Mayo and Pink Dandelion entitled Religion and Youth. The second book is edited by Giuseppe Giordan, Youth and Religion. The picture in most of the articles is one of decline in interest in religion. This picture is also supported by data from the International Social Survey Program.

Nevertheless, there are some major exceptions. One is china where the interest in religion is growing rapidly. Immigrant young people arriving in Western countries are also bringing a new appreciation of the spiritual dimension, although they themselves are often involve in complex re-negotiation of what religion means to them. There are also minority groups in many Western countries of highly committed religious young people.

For more information see Pointers Vol.21, no. 3.

Register Your Interest!

philip — Mon, 09 Jan 2012 04:33:42 +0000

We invite you to register your interest in the research conducted by the Christian Research Association. We will email you once every 3 months with up-dates on research into religious faith, church life, spirituality and the Australian culture.

You may withdraw from the list at any time by writing to admin@cra.org.au and quoting your email details.

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Christian Faith And The Economy In A Globalised World

philip — Mon, 09 Jan 2012 00:30:00 +0000

With increasing debt levels, ageing populations, climate change, and deepening divisions between rich and poor, the world is staggering economically. Some international and Australian Christian bodies have called for profound economic changes for the flourishing of human life in a more equitable and sustainable world. These bodies include the World Council of Churches, the Roman Catholic Church, the Lutheran World Fellowship and the Uniting Church in Australia.

Survey data shows that Australian Christians have a compassion for the poor in relation to economic policies. Most church attenders believe that cutting welfare benefits would damage many people’s lives and 45 per cent affirm that families deserve payments from the government to help with the costs of raising children. On the other hand, on most economic matters their attitudes are little different to the population as a whole.

Many Christians find it difficult to know how to apply the principles of the Christian faith to economic matters. Indeed, among the Christian churches, one finds a variety of theologies of economics from the ‘Prosperity Gospel’ to the vision of a new world economic order as an expression of God’s salvation.

For an overview of statements of international and Australian church bodies on the need for economic change, and the views of Australian church attenders on economic matters, and some of the theologies of economics, see the Christian Research Association Research Paper no. 10 which can be downloaded from this website through the shop.

Philip Hughes