Lyla Lindsey
Australia is a culturally diverse country with a wide variety of religions being practised. There is no official religion in Australia, and the country upholds freedom of religion and belief. The Australian Constitution states that The Commonwealth shall not make any law for establishing any religion, or for imposing any religious observance, or for prohibiting the free exercise of any religion, and no religious test shall be required as a qualification for any office or public trust under the Commonwealth. The 2021 census reported that 43.9% of Australians identified with Christianity, making it the most common religion in the country. Non-Christian religions include Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism, Sikhism, and Judaism.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Official religion | Australia has no official religion. |
| Religious freedom | Religious freedom is an important value in Australian society. People are free to choose, express and practice their religious beliefs in different ways. |
| Secular state | Australia does not have an explicit "separation of church and state". However, Section 116 of Australia's constitution states that the country will not establish any religion or impose religious observance. |
| Diversity of religions | Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander religions, Christianity, Buddhism, Hinduism, Islam, Sikhism, Baháʼí Faith, Yezidi, and Judaism are all practiced in Australia. |
| Religious demographics | As of 2021, 61% of Australians identify with one of the branches of Christianity, making it the most prevalent religion. Buddhism is the third largest religious group (2.4%)-2.5%, followed by Islam (2.2%), Hinduism (1.3%)-1.7%, and Judaism (0.5%). Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander traditional religions are practiced by 0.03% of Australians. |
| Trends | The rate of individuals identifying as Christians is declining. The number of people identifying as Atheist, Agnostic, or Nonreligious is increasing, particularly among young, urban males and those with higher education. Hinduism is one of the fastest-growing religions (12.0% per year since 2011), along with Sikhism, which has nearly tripled since the 2011 Census. |
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What You'll Learn
Christianity in Australia
Australia has no official religion. Its constitution protects freedom of religion and separation of church and state. However, it does not have an explicit "separation of church and state" in the sense that countries like the US do.
Christianity is the largest religion in Australia, with 43.9% of the population identifying as Christian in the 2021 census. It was introduced by the first British settlers in 1788, with the arrival of the First Fleet of British convict ships at Sydney. The Reverend Richard Johnson of the Church of England was licensed as chaplain to the Fleet and the settlement. The Christian festivals of Easter and Christmas are public holidays in Australia.
The Christian footprint in Australian society and culture remains broad, particularly in areas of social welfare and education provision. The Catholic Church is second only to the government as a provider of government-funded social services, through organisations such as Catholic Social Services Australia and the St Vincent De Paul Society. The Anglican Church's Anglicare network is similarly engaged in areas such as emergency relief, aged care, family support service and help for the homeless. Other denominations assist through networks like UnitingCare Australia and the Salvation Army.
However, like much of the Western world, Australia has experienced a widespread decline in religiosity, with the number of professing Christians on the decrease. This has resulted in a national census decline from 96.1% in the 1901 census, to 43.9% in the 2021 census. Older Australians are more likely to identify as Christians than their younger counterparts. A third of Australians do not identify with any religion or spiritual belief, and a quarter of students attend church-owned schools.
Public opinion of Christianity in Australia is mixed. Twenty-eight percent of Australians have a negative view, 14% are neutral, and 27% are positive toward Christianity. Church abuse scandals, including sexual abuse, have negatively impacted public opinion. Additionally, the church's stance on LGBT issues and women's roles has influenced younger generations' views of Christianity. However, most Australians value the church's work in areas such as looking after the homeless, offering financial assistance, providing aged care, and working to abolish modern slavery.
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Islam in Australia
Australia has no official religion. Its constitution states that "the Commonwealth shall not make any law for establishing any religion, or for imposing any religious observance, or for prohibiting the free exercise of any religion". However, this does not preclude individual states from making such laws. While Australia is commonly believed to be a secular state, its High Court determined in 1981 that there is no constitutional separation of church and state.
Islam has been present in Australia since the 1500s when Makassar traders from what is now Indonesia visited Arnhem Land. The Warramiri people's dance refers to a dreamtime creation being named Walitha Walitha, derived from the Arabic phrase Allah ta'ala (God, the exalted). The Makassar and Indigenous Australians are believed to have intermarried, with archaeological evidence of Macassan artefacts found in Aboriginal settlements and Macassan grave sites along the coastline.
The first camel drivers, a group of Muslims and Hindus, arrived in Melbourne in 1860 for the Burke and Wills expedition. Known as 'Afghans' in Australia, they brought the first formal establishment of Islam to the country. They settled near Alice Springs and other parts of the Northern Territory, intermarrying with the Indigenous population.
The Muslim community in Australia is extremely diverse, with various racial, ethnic, cultural, and linguistic backgrounds. While the community is largely united by a common religious identity, it is not monolithic and includes traditional sectarian divisions. Different Muslim groups within the community also hold parallel non-religious ethnic identities with related non-Muslim counterparts within Australia or internationally.
Since the September 11 attacks in the US and the subsequent bombings in Bali and London, there has been some tension and debate in Australia regarding Islam's relationship with the wider community. Incidents such as the remarks by a senior Sydney cleric, Sheikh Taj El-Din Hilaly, on "female modesty" and the deaths of Australians in the bombings have contributed to this atmosphere. However, interfaith efforts between religious groups do occur, including the annual Abraham Conference, which brings together Christians, Muslims, and Jews.
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Hinduism in Australia
Australia has no official religion. Its constitution guarantees freedom of religion and prevents the government from imposing any religious observance. However, the country does not have an explicit "separation of church and state". While Australia is considered a "secular state", this is a misconception.
Hinduism is the third or fourth-largest religion in Australia, with more than 684,000 followers, constituting 2.7% or 0.6% of the population as of the 2021 census. It is the fastest-growing religion in the country, mainly due to immigration. Hinduism is also one of the most youthful religions in Australia, with 34% of Hindus being under the age of 14 and 66% under the age of 34.
The first Hindus in Australia were Indonesian Hindu merchants who made contact with Australian Aborigines as early as 300 AD. In the 19th century, the British brought Hindus from India to work on cotton and sugar plantations. Many of these people remained in Australia and worked as small businessmen, camel drivers, merchants, and hawkers. The population increased significantly from the 1960s and 1970s, and more than doubled between the 1996 and 2006 censuses. Today, Hindus in Australia are mostly of Indian origin, with other origins including Sri Lanka, Fiji, Malaysia, Bali, Cham, Singapore, Mauritius, and Nepal.
The Hindu Council of Australia (HCA) works to promote Hindu culture, customs, and festivals in Australia and help Hindus from around the world living in Australia keep their traditions alive. The HCA has played a pivotal role in developing a united Hindu community in Australia and works to advise and support the wider community, regardless of social, economic, and religious backgrounds.
The first Hindu temple in Australia, the Sri Mandir Temple, was built in 1977 by three devotees who converted an old house in Auburn, NSW, into a temple. In 1985, a Hindu society, the Saiva Manram, was formed to build a temple for Lord Murukan, who has been called 'Sydney Murukan'. In January 2023, three Hindu temples were vandalized across Australia by Khalistani extremists.
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Buddhism in Australia
Australia has no official religion, and its population is free to practise any religion they choose. Buddhism is a minority religion in Australia, with 2.4% of the population identifying as Buddhist in the 2021 census. This amounts to around 610,000 people, making it the third or fourth-largest religious group in the country. Buddhism is also the fastest-growing religion by percentage, increasing its adherents by 79% between the 1996 and 2001 censuses.
The history of Buddhism in Australia can be traced back to the 19th century. The first known Buddhists arrived as itinerant workers from Asia during the Gold Rush, with more arriving throughout the century to work in the pearling industry in northern Australia. The first Sinhalese Buddhists from Sri Lanka arrived in 1870 to work in sugarcane plantations. The oldest remaining structure related to Buddhism in Australia is a pair of Bodhi trees planted on Thursday Island in the 1890s. The first Buddhist monk to arrive in Australia was U Sasana Dhaja from Burma in 1910. The first Buddhist group, the Buddhist Study Group Melbourne, was formed in 1938 but collapsed during World War II. The Buddhist Society of Victoria was formed in 1953, and the Buddhist Society of New South Wales in 1956.
During the 1970s, a large wave of Buddhist immigrants arrived from Southeast Asian countries such as Sri Lanka, Myanmar, Thailand, and Malaysia, as well as refugees from Cambodia, Laos, and Vietnam. This was supplemented by the spread of Tibetan Buddhism to Western countries, led by figures such as Lama Yeshe and Sogyal Rinpoche. In 1976, the first resident monk, Venerable Somaloka, arrived from Sri Lanka. The increased migration from Asian countries since the 1970s has made Buddhism one of the largest religions in Australia, with all three main traditions represented.
The Buddhist community in Australia is ethnically and linguistically diverse, with many having heritage in Buddhist countries. There are also Anglo-Australian Buddhists and those from other Western countries. The community is diverse in terms of practices, with various schools and sects represented, including the major branches of Theravada, Mahayana, and Vajrayana. Buddhists from all traditions come together in May to commemorate Vesak and celebrate the life and teachings of the Buddha.
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Judaism in Australia
Australia has no official religion, and its constitution guarantees freedom of religion and belief. The country's religious makeup includes a variety of faiths, with Judaism being one of them.
History of Judaism in Australia
The presence of Jews in Australia dates back to 1788, when at least eight Jewish convicts arrived on the First Fleet, with over a thousand more of Jewish descent transported as convicts over the next 60 years. Jewish free settlers started arriving in the 1820s, and by 1901, there were over 15,000 Jews in Australia, primarily from Britain. However, due to rising antisemitism and the White Australia policy in the early 20th century, many Jewish immigrants began arriving from Poland, Russia, and Germany. The Holocaust and the displacement of Jewish people during World War II further contributed to Jewish migration to Australia.
Jewish Community and Culture in Australia
The Jewish community in Australia is diverse, with the majority being Ashkenazi Jews, including Jewish refugees and Holocaust survivors. Sephardi Jews also have a presence, with a congregation established in the mid-to-late 19th century, and a new community emerging after World War II. Mizrahi Jews, including Egyptian and Iraqi Jews, were historically barred from entering but were later granted entry and refugee status.
The first Jewish wedding in Australia was celebrated in 1830 by Moses Joseph and Rosetta Nathan, and the first synagogue was established in Sydney in 1844. Kehillas (organized communities) were formed in Sydney and Melbourne, and Jewish aid organizations like JewishCare were established to assist Jewish migrants. Over time, assimilation and intermarriage led to a decline in synagogue attendance, and some Jews stopped practicing Judaism altogether.
Judaism Today in Australia
According to the 2021 census, 99,956 people identified as religious Jews in Australia, but the actual number may be higher due to secular Jews and underreporting by Holocaust survivors and Haredi Jews. The Israeli newspaper Haaretz estimates the Jewish-Australian population to be between 120,000 and 150,000. Jews make up about 0.4% to 0.5% of the total Australian population. There are three main streams of Judaism practiced in Australia: Orthodox (Modern and Haredi), Conservative, and Reform.
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Frequently asked questions
Christianity is the most common religion in Australia, with 43.9% of the population identifying as Christian in the 2021 census.
Other religions practised in Australia include Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism, Sikhism, and Judaism. There is also a small percentage of the population that follows Australian Aboriginal traditional religions.
Yes, Australia has freedom of religion and belief. Section 116 of the Constitution of Australia states that "The Commonwealth shall not make any law for establishing any religion, or for imposing any religious observance, or for prohibiting the free exercise of any religion..."
Hinduism is the fastest-growing religion in Australia, with a 12% increase in followers per year since 2011.
In the 2021 census, 38.9% of Australians declared "no religion", up from 30.1% in the 2016 census.
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