Irreligion in Australia
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Atheism, agnosticism, deism, skepticism, freethought, secular humanism or general secularism in Australia form the second largest religious grouping in Australia.
The 2006 census indicated 18.7% or 3,706,555 people were designated as having no religion - a rise of three percentage points since the 2001 census. It saw the largest population increase of 800,557 people.[1]
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[edit] 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).[2]
The breakdown of the census data between 2001-2006 provides:
| 2006 | 2001 | % change (relative) |
% change (absolute) |
|||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Number | % | Number | % | |||
| - Roman Catholic | 5,126,884 | 25.8 | 5,001,624 | 26.6 | -0.8 | +2.5 |
| - Anglican | 3,718,241 | 18.7 | 3,881,162 | 20.7 | -2.0 | -4.2 |
| - Uniting Church in Australia | 1,135,417 | 5.7 | 1,248,674 | 6.7 | -1.0 | -9.1 |
| - Presbyterian and Reformed | 596,672 | 3.0 | 637,530 | 3.4 | -0.4 | -6.4 |
| - Orthodox | 544,161 | 2.7 | 529,444 | 2.8 | -0.1 | +2.8 |
| - Baptist | 316,744 | 1.6 | 309,205 | 1.6 | 0 | +2.4 |
| - Lutheran | 251,107 | 1.3 | 250,365 | 1.3 | 0 | +0.3 |
| - Pentecostal | 219,687 | 1.1 | 194,592 | 1.0 | +0.1 | +12.9 |
| - Other Protestant | 736,012 | 3.7 | 675,422 | 3.6 | +0.1 | +9.0 |
| - Oriental Orthodox | 40,904 | 0.2 | 36,324 | 0.2 | 0 | +12.6 |
| Total Christian | 12,685,829 | 63.9 | 12,764,342 | 68.0 | -4.1 | -0.6 |
| - Buddhist | 418,749 | 2.1 | 357,813 | 1.9 | +0.2 | +17.0 |
| - Muslim | 340,394 | 1.7 | 281,578 | 1.5 | +0.2 | +20.9 |
| - Hindu | 148,130 | 0.7 | 95,473 | 0.5 | +0.2 | +55.2 |
| - Jewish | 88,832 | 0.4 | 83,993 | 0.4 | 0 | +5.8 |
| - Other Religions | 242,847 | 1.2 | 92,369 | 0.5 | +0.7 | +162.9 |
| - 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 |
| Total Population | 19,855,288 | 100.0 | 18,769,249 | 100.0 | 0 | +5.8 |
[edit] 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.[3]
[edit] See also
- Agnosticism
- Australia
- Atheism
- Irreligion
- Rationalist Society of Australia
- Religion in Australia
- Religious skepticism
- secular humanism
- The Secular Party of Australia
[edit] References
[edit] External Links
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