The University of Notre Dame Australia ResearchOnline@ND Theses 2018 The changing face of Australia: From secular to post-secular identity Saskia Ebejer Follow this and additional works at: https://researchonline.nd.edu.au/theses Part of the Religion Commons COMMONWEALTH OF AUSTRALIA Copyright Regulations 1969 WARNING The am terial in this communication may be subject to copyright under the Act. Any further copying or communication of this material by you may be the subject of copyright protection under the Act. Do not remove this notice. This dissertation/thesis is brought to you by ResearchOnline@ND. It has been accepted for inclusion in Theses by an authorized administrator of ResearchOnline@ND. For more information, please contact
[email protected]. Chapter 7. Religion and Spirituality Religion remains an important phenomenon in Australian society, albeit one that continues to change and evolve. The following section will revisit a number of key themes that require discussion when approaching the post-secular and its relationship to religion. Some important questions here include whether religion is really on the decline, or whether its modes of expression are continuing to evolve. These are very important threads in the discussion as they indicate a reconsideration of the role and place of religion in contemporary times. I propose four central points in this chapter: 1. Secular and spirituality are co-dependent terms and exist in mutual relationship. 2. The division between religion and spirituality is a direct result of the influence of the secular. 3. Post-secular spirituality blends the secular with sacred ideas and experiences forming a continually evolving phenomenon.