Creativity Architects
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Australian Christianity "Any political candidate who declared God was on his side would be laughed off the podium as an idiot or a wowser (prude, intrusive bluenose)." Robert Hughes religion America's urban foundations were laid by English puritans. In other words, those people with the institutional psychology that Jesus challenged. Australia's urban foundations were laid by English Convicts. In other words, the type of rejects that Jesus hung around with. The difference in urban foundations has in turn shaped the nature of Christian expression in the two countries. In America, most people are relatively comfortable with Christianity being intertwined with the institution. For example, references to God are firmly intertwined with expressions of patriotism, they are part of political campaigns, and they are frequently heard at award acceptances. As American Christianity is so intertwined with the institution, it tends to be quite judgemental; with a strong book-of-revelations feel. According to many American Christians, God is judgemental, so they will be his sword on earth. Murderers will receive the death penalty, and sinners will have a jail term to contemplate their crimes. While most Americans are quite happy with religion being intertwined with the institution, Australians tend to be very suspicious of such a mixing. For example, when Peter Hollingsworth, an archbishop, was appointed to the position of Australian Governor General, he soon found himself targeted by people who saw it as a merger of politics and religion. These people made it their mission to have him removed from office. Hollingsworth was eventually forced to resign over allegations that he helped cover up paedophile activity. Aside from directly targeting religious figures, Australia’s suspicion of Christian institutional psychology is reflected in their scorn for the "wowser." The word "wowser" is a peculiarly Australian insult. Over the years, it has been defined in less than complimentary ways by members of the institutional hierarchy. In 1910, William Holman MLA said: "A wowser...is a man who, being entirely destitute of the greater virtues, makes up for their lack by a continuous denunciation of little vices." In 1912, John Scaddan, the premier of Western Australia: "A wowser is...a person who is more shocked at seeing two inches of underskirt than a mountain of misery." In 1960, Eugene Gorman QC said: "Wowser is a simple, satisfying, succinct, single word which aptly distinguishes the whole race of windy, watery, cantankerous, snuffling Chadbands, Stiggines, Holy Joes and Scripture-sprouting sneaks, hypocritical humbugs, and unctuous, dirty-minded rotters, who spend their time interfering with the healthy instincts and recreations of healthy-minded, honest humanity." The Australian community's suspicion of intertwining religion with the institution has in turn affected how Australian Christians practice. One Christian organisation, The Salvation Army, is held in high regard because it has changed its emphasis from judgement to practical Christianity by rolling up of its sleeves in service of the poor. Fine examples of the ethic are the Joyce and Hilton Harmer, who were awarded Medals of the Order of Australia in 2007. The couple spent nearly 10 years as Salvation Army chaplains in Sydney's busiest courthouses, offering succour and support to victims and perpetrators of crime alike. According to Mrs Hamer: "My role is not to judge whether people are guilty or not guilty. My role is to support and care and love."
In another act that is would not occur in America, in 2006, numerous churches across Australia displayed the slogan: "Jesus loves Osama." History of Christianty in AustraliaThe anti-institution element of Australian Christianity can be traced to the days of the penal colony. Whereas American Christian leaders were firmly on the side of the general population, Australia's Christian leaders were very much against them. Instead of looking at the Convicts as humans to be helped, the Christians looked at them as sinners to be punished. In response, the Convicts returned the hostility. An early example of the mutual hostility can be seen in the rein of Governor Hunter. Hunter was a morals crusader who frequently ordered Convicts be flogged for petty crimes. Although the Convicts were able to put up with the floggings, they were pushed to breaking point when they were ordered to attend Church on Sundays. They responded by burning the Church to the ground. More anti-institutional sentiment could be seen in the scorn for Samuel Marsden – a reverend of the colonial era. In New Zealand, Marsden is celebrated as a great man who brought the gospel to the Maori. In Australia, he is remembered as the "flogging parson". The Convict men said of him: "He prays for our souls on Sunday, and takes it out of bodies during the rest of the week."
Convict women also had their concerns with religious authorities. In 1838 at the Cascades Female Factory in Hobart, the governor of Van Diemens Land visited the factory and attended a service in the chapel. Entertaining the governor was the Reverend William Bedford; a morals campaigner whose hypocrisy had elicited the lady's scorn. Keen to impress the governor with a fine speech, the Reverend addressed the women from an elevated dais. Once at the dais, the 300 women turned around and mooned him.
The Convict's scorn for religious crusaders did not stem from atheism. Instead, it stemmed from a perceived hypocrisy in the morals crusaders. The Convicts felt that the religious authorities didn't understand the message of the bible. For example, many Convicts had tattooed onto their backs images of crucifixes or angels holding cups of blood. This gave the impression that when they were being flogged, Christ himself was being flogged. Likewise, a Convict wrote that Jesus himself was a criminal, and the first stone should only be thrown by he or she who is free of sin: "Moreover, was the innocent Saviour of the world a convict, and executed as such! Therefore, O ye, conscious of immaculate purity and ye whose backslidings have never been found out; harbour no feelings of anger and disdain; regard not too sternly the errors and crimes of your less fortunate and more frail mortals." It wasn't only Convicts that were critical of the Church. Australia's first saint, Mary McKillop, also had some concerns with the religious institution. Mary was a woman who stood up for what she believed, which brought her into conflict with religious leaders. She took a vow of poverty, which meant she had to beg for money. Catholic Church leaders didn't like begging, but Mary refused to change her ways. The tension escalated into conflict over educational matters. As a result, Mary was excommunicated for insubordination in 1871. (The excommunication placed on her was lifted 6 months later.) In 1883, Mary came into conflict with the Roman Catholic Church establishment by insisting on an equalitarian rather than hierarchical organization. She was then ordered to leave the diocese. Although Mary had some problems with Church leaders, she was never bitter with them. Protestants, as well as Catholics, loudly praised her charity to the poor, her personal poverty, and her abstinence from proselytising. In 1973, Mother Mary became the first Australian to be formally proposed to Rome as a candidate for canonization. She was beautified by Pope John Paul II at St Francis' Church on 27th November, 1994. Today, Australian Christianity's focus on helping the rejects, rather than judging them, seems to be resulting in an outcome that some American Christians might be envious of. The rate of HIV infection in Australia is 1.2 per 100,000 population; almost 1/12th the American rate of 14.7 (Avert.org). Australia's divorce rate is 2.7 per 1,000 population; significantly lower than the United States' rate of 4.3 (Australian Bureau of Statistics). In Australia, there are 0.25 paternity tests for every 1,000 people; almost 1/5th the U.S rate of 1.2 tests per 1,000 people (Professor Michael Gilding, Swinburne University of Technology). Australia's murder rate is 1.7 per 100 000 population; almost 1/4 of the American rate of 6.3 (Australian Government Institute of Criminology.) It is interesting to speculate whether Jesus would prefer to live in America or Australia. The social problems of America would no doubt make Jesus feel that he was more needed there. However, the Australian's love of a wine or two, as well as their healthy suspicion of the institution, means that Jesus would probably see them as more like himself, and feel more at home around them as a result.
From the Deserts the Prophets Come - Discovering the humanity of Christinaity Arguably, Christianity is the most ambiguous of world religions. It doesn't have any firm rules, all it has is a book about a bloke going around doing stuff, and others learning from his example. What that example actually is can be debated. On one hand, the ambiguity of Christianity is a strength. Sometimes moral dilemmas can not be solved with hard and fast rules, and people need to assess each situation on its own merits in order to resolve it. If Jesus had left a book of rules, then he would have denied people the autonomy necessary to resolve problems. From a theological point of view, it would also make sense for a god to abstain from giving the answers to the exam that must be passed in order to get into heaven. After all, what is the point of a test if all students need to do is memorise the answers. On the downside, the ambiguity of Christianity can lead to some people showing their conformity to its teaching but criticising those who are not conforming to it. The flogging of convicts, witch hunts, and shaving of women's heads all represented people showing their conformity to the bible by treating their fellow human without humanity. In a time of uncertainty, it is easier to find a flaw in someone else rather than improve oneself. Christianity can foster uncertainity because it is unable to give those clear answers that certain people want.
The Immaculate Conception Crucified for a virgin birth, from a body free from the eyes of lust.
The Passion of the Christ What does it mean to be a man? What does it mean to empathise with humanity? What did Jesus do when he saw a sexy lady?
The Crucifixion of Man If one takes the sins of others upon oneself, what will one look like and what will one feel? What does it mean to crucify the sins of others? Jesus Hanging with Judas What would Jesus have said to Judas on the other side? Mate, you chose the wrong man to betray?
The Two Marys What if mother Mary was ugly and deformed? Would that have made any difference?
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Customs and Values The Great Divide Aborigines |
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