Ecumenical Developments in Australia
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Trends in Australians who have identified with religions other than Christianity has changed over time, the graph Belief of religions other than Christianity in Australia 1947 – 2001 shows the growth in other religions except Christianity. From the years 1947 to 2001 the percent of population that has stated other religions in the census have only increased, and in later years beginning to grow rapidly. The graph begins slowly climbing at half a percent and at around 1961 to 1966 there is a steady line that at 1966 begins to increase again, in the 1970 and onward rapid increase in the percent of population is evident growing from around one percent to over five percent in 2001.
Certain increases in the percent of the population stating their religion as one other than Christianity can be attributed to a few factors, such factors include Australian government policies, population growth and immigration. In the 1970s Australia changed cultural views and immigration polices, during this time Australia accepted the multiculturalism policy over the previous white Australia policy. The change in policies brought about migration of many Asian individuals, they brought with them their views and religions. Two major non Christian religions that impacted Australias census were Buddhism and Islam, which both brought about major growth after the 1970s. Buddhisms growth in Australia came from South East Asia after the Vietnam War, from the 1986 census, the of buddhists has increased from 80,387 to around 370,345 in 2001. Islams major growth in Australia also rapidly increased due to immigration mostly from Turkey and Lebanon.
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