| This paper was written by Philip Hughes (CRA), John Bellamy (NCLS) and Alan Black (Edith Cowan University). It was published by Zadok, but is available from the CRA. The paper explores the nature of social capital and the ways in which religious faith contributes or fails to contribute to it.
It notes the failing levels of trust in people and confidence in organisations in Australian society as measured by the World Values Surveys of 1983 and 1995.
Drawing on the Australian Community Survey (1998) conducted by ECU and NCLS, it explores some of the factors which contribute to social trust:
altruism, desire to understand people and an openness to people of different backgrounds. It notes how personal vulnerability contributes to lack of trust.
It finds that there is no evidence of increased trust in others among people who describe themselves as religious. Indeed, some times theological perspectives in which the world is seen as 'evil' hinder the development of trust. It argues, however, that a recognition of God's creative activity in every part of creation can form the basis for seeking to build a better and more trusting society.
Price $7.95 including postage from the CRA.
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