-Religion in Australia Pre-1945

• outline the arrival and establishment of Christianity and TWO other religious traditions in
Australia

Christianity
- The arrival of christianity is linked to the colonisation of Australia by the Britich
- Establishment of the penal colony in NSW in 1788
- First fleet had one ​Church of England ​minister aboard - Rev. Richard Johnson
- Johnson was responsible for religious practices in the colony
- About a third of the convicts were Roman Catholic
- Hatred existed between the Protestants and Catholics
- Catholic and jewish convicts weren’t allowed to express their faiths
- Catholics were forced to attend anglican services
- The first catholic mass was celebrated in 1803

Judaism
- First arrived on the first fleet as convicts
- 1817 - the first minyan was formed and the Jewish Burial society was established
- Phillip Joseph Cohen - authorised Jewish marriages
- 1830 - first rabbi - Aaron Levy
- Late 1880’s synagogues established in major cities
- Over 40% of Jews lived in rural areas
- Tasmania - present since 1804
- Sir Isaac Isaacs - jewish governor general
- Sir John Monash - jewish military commander
- Esther abrahams
Islam
- 1st muslims came to Aus in 1750’s from indonesia - they worked in the pearling industry and
on sugar plantations
- Immigration restriction Act 1901 resulted in Muslims not being able to enter Aus till 1907
- Camel transportation increased number of muslims - pakis and afghans
- 1882 - first mosque built in SA
- 1920’s - end of camel transportation so many left
- Muslim population declined after WWI bc aussies vs turks at gallipolli
- The white australia policy prohibited those who failed to pass a dictation test of 50 words in
european languages

• examine the impact of sectarianism on the relationship among Christian denominations in

Australia pre-1945

Sectarianism
The narrow and excessive allegiance to a particular religious group

Conscription
Two major opponents in the debate:
 - Catholics/Protestants conflict
- Billy Hughes (labor PM)
- Dr Daniel Mannix (Catholic Archbishop of Melbourne)
- Protestant loyalty to Britain - they saw britain as the moral defender of freedom and
democracy
- Loyalty to England vs the Pope?
- Protestants supported Conscription while Roman Catholics opposed it
- Two referendums - both failed
- Irish war of independence

Funding For Schools

- Loyalty to the country was questioned as the issue of funding for schools continued to be
pushed during the war
Job Restrictions
- Influential firms specified that Catholics weren’t to be employed
- Public service was assumed by the catholics
- Until the late 1940’s there were still jobs stating catholics wouldn’t be considered
Mixed Marriages
- Catholic and protestant children taunted each other with sectarian rhymes
- Mixed marriages resulted in exclusion from churches and families
- Catholics had to seek permission to go to non-catholic funerals

• examine the contribution of Christianity to social welfare in Australia pre-1945

- Christians developed orphanages, hospitals and prisoner rehab centres

- Catholic Sisters of Charity
- Anglican Bush Brotherhoods
- Salvos
- St Vincent De Paul
- Caroline Chisolm

• discuss the role of ONE religious tradition in rural and outback communities pre-1945

• outline the contribution of ONE religious tradition to the provision of education in Australia
pre-1945

• examine initiatives taken by ONE religious tradition in Australia in the area of public morality
pre-1945

Sabbatarianism (sabbath observance)

- Encouraged church attendance
- Improve ones moral and spiritual character
 - Abolished recreational activities and commercial labour on Sundays

Sexual Morality
- Opposition towards extramarital and homosexual relationships
- Opposition to divorce
- Protestants were the most outspoken

Temperance Movement
- To overcome issues with drinking alcohol
- Abstinence pledges
- Eg. Rechabites and Women’s Temperance Union
- To improve public morality
- War austerity measures - six oclock swill
- Legislation to prohibit alcohol was not achieved

Gambling and Prostitution

- Vagrancy act of 1835, prostituition was illegal
- Gambling was also banned
- Gains from anything than other than honest labour was seen as corrupt

● By 1900 these attempts and social control was known as ‘wowserism’

● Viewed negatively by the broader community
● Sowed the seeds for a more secular society
● Heightened tensions between denominations

1. The Six O’Clock Swill

a. Forced pubs to close at 6
b. Restrictions to improve public morality
c. Was austerity measures
d. Lasted for 50 yrs
2. Women’s Christian Temperance Union
a. Mid 1830’s
b. Promoted moderation rather than abstinence
c. Close bars at 6pm
3. Wowserism
a. Banned female bartenders
b. Ban shouting
c. Planted vineyards - wine rather than spirits
d. Built breweries