Freedom of religion and Fortress Christianity in Australia

Research output: Chapter in Book / Conference PaperChapterpeer-review

Abstract

The debate surrounding the 2019 Religious Discrimination Bill in Australia highlighted a shift in the social construction of the notion of freedom of religion. From a debate that understood such freedom as religious groups and people being able to practice, and believe in, their faith without discrimination, the notion of freedom shifted to mean for certain conservative groups the right to discriminate in the name of religion. This chapter explores the decrease of Christianity in Australia and how certain groups are feeling vulnerable to these changes. It compares this phenomenon to the notion of Fortress Australia (as a reaction to the lived reality of multiculturalism) and adapts this concept to the current debate by making reference to Fortress Christianity (as a reaction to the lived reality of the increase of non-Christian religions and no religion, and of anti-discrimination rights).
Original languageEnglish
Title of host publicationReligion Between Governance and Freedoms
EditorsOlga Breskaya, Roger Finke, Giuseppe Giordan
Place of PublicationSwitzerland
PublisherSpringer Nature Switzerland AG
Chapter4
Pages47-59
Number of pages13
ISBN (Electronic)9783031698804
ISBN (Print)9783031698798
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 2024

Publication series

NameBoundaries of Religious Freedom: Regulating Religion in Diverse Societies
ISSN (Print)2214-5281
ISSN (Electronic)2214-529X

Keywords

  • Australia
  • Fortress Australia
  • Freedom of religion
  • Multiculturalism
  • Post-Christianity
  • Religious Discrimination Bill

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