Challenges of Melkite Young Adults in Melbourne
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Challenges of Melkite Young Adults in Melbourne: Maintaining Religious Identity and Social Values within Australian Society Submitted by Fr. Samir Haddad A thesis submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements of the degree of Master of Education Faculty of Education Australian Catholic University May, 2014 1 Abstract This research investigates Melkite young adults’ religious identity, their social values and the multicultural contexts in which they live. It is based on research into a group of 60 Melkites: 30 Melkite young adults aged 18 to 25 years who live in Melbourne and 30 parents of Melkite young adults who were born and raised in the Middle East. This research is a case study defined as an inquiry process of understanding religious and social human problems. It is conducted within a theoretical framework that employs a Quantitative Approach. The data collection technique will be a questionnaire covering the religious identity and the social values of a group of Melkite young adults who belong to two cultures: the culture of the Australian society in which they live and the Middle Eastern traditional culture of their heritage and their parents. This thesis describes how the Melkite young adult participants build their distinctive religious identity and their social values, through investigating the roles of culture, religious institutions, land, history and society. A hybrid Australian and ethnic identity was highly valued by the participants. The research addresses theories of religious identity and their social values related to Melkite young adults in a multicultural society. Ultimately, the purpose of this study is to determine whether the Melkite Catholic Church in Western culture, particularly in Melbourne, possesses the appropriate capacity to deal with these religious and social challenges. The responses of 60 Melkite Catholic adults will be analysed for reliable indicators that clearly reflect the lives and experiences of Melkite young adults in Victoria aged between 18 and 25 years old. i Declaration of Originality This thesis is based upon original work by the author and a study of the relevant published works as indicated and acknowledged in the text. Fr Samir Haddad Signed: ______________________________________________ May, 2014 ii Acknowledgements This work would not have been completed without the encouragement of my beloved ones. This thesis has not only been a study but it was also a process of discovering the mines and springs in the life of the young Melkite adults. I would like to extend my sincere gratitude to Australian Catholic University for giving me the great opportunity that I have been waiting for all my life since I finished my studies in Lebanon and France. My gratitude is passed to Professor Peta Goldburg and Associate Professor Ken Smith. Unlimited was their help, vital feedback and valuable advice through this journey. My thanks also go to the Melkite Catholic Eparchy of Australia for allowing me to carry out this research, and in particular Melkite young adults’ in the State of Victoria who are my brothers and sisters, friends and loved ones. May this research be a gift to all the Members of the Melkite Synod worldwide and especially to his Beatitude Patriarch Gregorios III Laham, Metropolite bishops Bishop Ibrahim Nehme, Metropolite Issam Darwish and Bishop Robert Rabat. I am honored to dedicate this work to them and to my extended family in Syria and the one in Australia. There are few people in my life whom without them I could have never achieved anything. Thank you to all of my family members especially my wife Bibi and my three candles Pierre, Andrew and my princess Mirella. Most importantly, I wish to thank from the bottom of my heart God; the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit… I thank Him for the time, for the love flowing from above, for the splendour of His creation. Nothing would have come to fruition without you my Greatest. iii Table of Contents Abstract ...................................................................................................................................i Declaration of Originality ...................................................................................................... ii Acknowledgements .............................................................................................................. iii Chapter One - The Context of the Present Study ..................................................................... 1 1.1 Introduction .......................................................................................................1 1.2 Motivation of the Research ................................................................................2 1.3 Aims and Purposes of the Present Study .............................................................3 1.3.1 Lost Identity or Rich Culture? ............................................................5 1.3.2 Adaptation or Adjustment? .................................................................5 1.4 The Research Problem .......................................................................................6 1.5 Significance of the Present Study .......................................................................7 1.6 Limitations and Delimitations of the Present Study ............................................7 1.7 Research Questions ............................................................................................8 1.7.1 Religious Identity ...............................................................................8 1.7.2 Social Values .....................................................................................9 1.8 The Melkite Church in Australia ........................................................................9 1.8.1 Historical Background of the Melkite and Byzantine Eastern Rites ...................................................................................................9 1.8.2 Structure of the Melkite Catholic Church ......................................... 12 1.8.3 Pressure to Become Latin ................................................................. 12 1.8.4 Melkite Migration ............................................................................ 14 1.8.5 The Melkite Church in Australia ...................................................... 15 1.8.6 History of St. Joseph Melkite Church in Melbourne ......................... 16 1.9 Melkite Young Adults in Australia ................................................................... 18 1.10 Summary ......................................................................................................... 19 Chapter Two - Literature Review .......................................................................................... 20 2.1 Introduction ..................................................................................................... 20 2.2 The Developmental Domains and Contexts of the Self ..................................... 22 2.3 Spiritual Influences on the Development of Melkite young adults .................... 23 2.3.1 Spiritual Influences in Family Context ............................................. 24 2.3.2 Spiritual Influences in Historical Context ......................................... 27 2.3.3 Spiritual Influences in Cultural Context ............................................ 34 2.3.4 The Religious Identity of Young Maronite Adults ............................ 37 2.3.5 The Religious Identity of Young Orthodox Adults ........................... 39 iv 2.3.6 The Religious Identity of Young Coptic Adults ................................ 41 2.4 Social Influences on the Development of Melkite Young Adults ...................... 42 2.4.1 Social Influences in Family Context ................................................. 43 2.4.2 Social Influences in Historical Context ............................................. 45 2.4.3 Social Influences in Cultural Context ............................................... 47 2.4.4 Social Values of Young Maronite Adults ......................................... 52 2.4.5 Social Values of Young Orthodox Adults ......................................... 53 2.4.6 Social Values of Young Coptic Adults ............................................. 54 2.5 Migrant Melkite Church ................................................................................... 55 2.5.1 Religious Identity of Young Adults From Middle Eastern Churches .......................................................................................... 56 2.5.2 Social Values of Young Adults From Middle Eastern Churches ....... 58 2.6 Summary ......................................................................................................... 59 Chapter Three - The Oretical and Methodological Framework of the Present Study .............. 61 3.1 Introduction ..................................................................................................... 61 3.2 Overview of the Research Design .................................................................... 62 3.3 Quantitative and Qualitative Approaches ......................................................... 63 3.3.1 Qualitative Approach ....................................................................... 63 3.3.2 Quantitative approach ...................................................................... 66 3.4 Foundation of the study .................................................................................... 67 3.5 Theoretical Perspective ...................................................................................