LibGuides: Religion: World Religions and identity in a pluralist society

World Religions Assignment

Wikipedia History of the Jews in Australia
Good site. Provides some statistics, history and links to famous Jewish Australians.
World Jewish Community
A very informative and easy to read site covering history, demographics, culture and more.
Jewish Virtual Library
This site contains information on: Community Origins; Early Jewish Life; The Community Grows; Post-War Developments; Relations with Israel and Jewish Tourist Sites
Brief release on religion in Australia from the 2021 Census
Includes a graph showing the decline and rise of 3 main groups: Christianity, no religion and "Other religions" since 1971. By clicking on the link in box to the left of the page more detailed information is provided.

2021 West Australian Government Fact Sheet
This factsheet aims to raise awareness and understanding of Jewish religious and cultural practices to assist with providing culturally appropriate services, activities and information.

Wikipedia Islam in Australia
Good site. Provides some statistics, history and links to famous Islamic/Muslim Australians
Islam in Australia: A National Survey of Muslim Australian Citizens and Permanent Residents
Using data from 2020 this site provides concise and good historic and current information.
Link to a video on the "History of Islam in Australia"
Discusses the history of Islam in Australia and it's demography, Muslim population, mosques, notable Muslims etc... 6 and a half minutes long
A table on the growth of Islam in Australia from 1996 to 2021
Provides a table near the bottom of the page which tracks the growth of Islam in Australia from the 1996 Census to the 2021 Census.

Buddhists in Australia
Brief but interesting article published by the Bureau of Immigration, Multicultural and Population Research/Australian Government Publishing Service, 1996, pp 65-66.
Culture and Religion Information Sheet Buddhism
This factsheet aims to raise awareness and understanding of Buddhist religious and cultural practices to assist with providing culturally appropriate services, activities and information.

A Short History of Buddhism in Australia
From a website called "Tibetan Buddhist Encyclopedia" this provides a very complete table of the numbers of Buddhists in each state of Australia (and the total number as well) as reported in the various Censuses since they first began. Also contains the names of some historically famous Buddhists in Australia.
In 2021, the main religions in Other Religion in Australia were Islam, Hinduism, and Buddhism.
Contains a breakdown of the increase in Buddhism from 1996 Census to the 2021 Census. See the table towards the bottom of the page.

Wikipedia Hinduism in Australia
Good timeline from its introduction in Australia. Also contains useful statistical information from the 2011 and 2016 Censuses.
SBS article from the 2016 Census
Provides a demographic (numbers of believers) map of Hinduism in Australia from the 2016 Census.
Hindu Council of Australia
Good current information and links to Hinduism as it is practiced in Australia.

Northern Territory Govt Hinduism Fact Sheet
Provides cultural information on Hinduism in Australia.
Fact Sheet from the MIGRANT INFORMATION CENTRE (Eastern Melbourne) Multicultural Equity and Access Program
A snapshot of Hinduism in the Eastern suburbs of Melbourne from the 2011 Census. Includes cultural advice.

Hindu population is increasing fast in Australia.
Brief demographic information from the 2021 Census.

The Japanese Community from the 2006 Census
A Gold Coast fact sheet from the 2006 Census. Some history, cultural and demographic information.

Japan’s Shinto religion is going global and attracting online followers
A 2022 article covering some of the beliefs and practices of the Shinto religion. Does not have any direct Australian content but does provide links to explore the religion online.

Peter Sculthorpe Australian Composer
An obituary from the Sydney Morning Herald on the life of the famous Australian composer Peter Sculthorpe. Sculthorpe practiced Shintoism in his later life.

Tales from the other Australia: Lanterns for the dead, and the persistence of Buddhism in the Far North
An ABC opinion piece published in 2023 which touches on some of the history of the Japanese presence in the Far North of Australia.
Wikipedia Shinto (Not Australian)
Provides a good place to look for ethics and history - but it is not focused on Australia.

Wikipedia Sikhism in Australia
Includes history up to Federation and demographics by State from 1991 to the 2021 Censuses.
SBS Sikh distribution map from the 2016 census
A map showing Sikh demographics (numbers of believers) is provided towards the bottom of the page. Taken from the 2016 Census.
Australia is now just 44 percent Christian as Hinduism grew by 55 per cent, Sikhism 67 per cent since 2016
The growth of Sikhism from 1996 to 2021 is shown in a table towards the bottom of the page.
Sikhs and Sikhism in Australia: A brief synopsis
Provides cultural and historical information on Sikhs in Australia. Also provides the names of some prominent Sikhs.

Census data on Taoism
A table showing data on Taoism from the 2011 and 2016 Censuses can be found near the bottom of the page.
Taoism, Australia and Gender Roles
A detailed comparison between gender roles in mainstream Australian society and gender roles in Taoism.
Taoist priest preserves rare Chinese religion and culture for Sydney's Lunar New Year festival
SBS article published in 2020

Wikipedia Bahai Faith in Australia
Contains information on the history, culture and numbers of Bahai'ists in Australia according to the Censuses.
Census data on the Baha's Faith from the 2011 and 2016 Censuses
See the "Religious Affiliation" table towards the bottom of the page.
Centenary of the Baha’i Faith in Australia 2020
This site contains a video on the service conducted to celebrate the 100th anniversary of Baha'i in Australia. The site also provides a timeline and has good links to other information on Baha'i in Australia.

Northern Territory Govt Baha'i Fact Sheet
A concise fact sheet covering the main components of the faith. Includes demographics from the 2006 Census.

A Baha'i community in Mount Druitt
A good site explaining the social impact of Baha'i in a disadvantaged suburb. Published in 2021.
How Bahá’í Funerals Work
Takes you through the steps in a Baha'i funeral.

Clara and John Henry Hyde Dunn arrived onto Australian shores on 10 April 2020 and were the first Baha'is in the country. They shared, and embodied, the principles of the Baha'i Faith with all they met. The Dunns are like the seeds of an enduring legacy, not only for the Australian Baha'i Community, but for all of Australia and Australian society.

Australian Zoroastrian Association
Includes a good history of Zoroastrianism in NSW.
The rare marriage of two Aussie Zoroastrians
This site provides one reason for the reducing numbers of Zoroastrians.
Zoroastrians Keep Old Traditions Alive in Australia
Published in 2010 this provides information on history and cultural aspects of Zoroastrianism in Australia.
Del Irani - a famous Zoroastrian
Del Irani is one of three people who come up as being a famous Australian Zoroastrian when you search Wikipedia for "Australian Zoroastrian".
Care for Environment: Zoroastrianism
Published in 2021 this page discusses the obligations of Zoroastrians to care for the environment.

Zoroastrianism was ancient when Jesus was born. Its followers believe we are connected to the environment, good and evil exist in all of us, and that God is neither a he nor a she. This short video from the ABC explains the basics.

World Religions and World Geography & Culture databases: needs login and password

World Religions Online
World Religions explores religion and spirituality in an objective manner, from the ceremonies of the first practitioners to the elaborate rituals of today. Covers 15 world religions and traditional spiritual practices, including important topics, spiritual leaders, sacred texts, and holy days and festivals. Log in using the secret Kilbreda password and login. Ask a friend or staff member for help if you have forgotten them.
World Geography and Culture Database
Countries, places, peoples, and geography concepts and skills. Easy access to articles, maps, flags, current news, statistics, a gazetteer, and more! Examine and understand people, and the various cultures, traditions, and environments of the world in which they live.

The Age Digital Secure Edition

Guide to using The Age Digital Edition Database

This would be a good place to go to find newspaper articles!

Statistics for Religion in Australia from the Australian Bureau of Statistics

Census of Population and Housing: Reflecting Australia - Stories from the Census, 2016
Provides some mapping of some religions in different states of Australia and provides an explanation for the emerging religions' increases.
RELIGION IN AUSTRALIA, 2016 expanding on the Census data provided above
This ABS article provides information graphs for the fall and rise of several religion since 1966 up to 2016
Brief release on religion in Australia from the 2021 Census
Includes a graph showing the decline and rise of 3 main groups: Christianity, no religion and "Other religions" since 1971. By clicking on the link in box to the left of the page more detailed information is provided.

Australian Statistics

Australian Bureau of Statistics
This site is NOT user-friendly although it does have excellent statistical information going back to the first census in 1911. I have not been able to find a good overview of changes in religions here - as most of the information is very specific to a particular Census and also because the specific statistics for the smaller religions are lumped together as "other religions" and so cannot be separated for the purpose of this assignment. Worth having a look if your religion is Buddhist, Islam, Sikhism, Judaism or Hindu.