Religion and Society
The Future of Religion in Australia
What is the future of religion in Australia? What are some of the major driving forces shaping this future? How are various religious groups responding? Where do those who identify with no religion fit in this future. Religious diversity has brought vitality in the forms of conflict and competiton, socio-cultural changes are re-shaping the forms that religion takes, while the changing social location of religion alters the competitive framework for services provided.
Gary D Bouma is Professor Emeritus of Sociology and UNESCO Chair in Intercultural and Interreligious Relations – Asia Pacific at Monash University and Chair of Board of Directors for The Parliament of the World’s Religions 2009. He is Associate Priest in the Anglican Parish ofSt John’s East Malvern. His research in the sociology of religion examines the management of religious diversity in plural multicultural societies, postmodernity as a context for doing theology, and religion and public policy. Recent books include: Australian Soul: Religion and Spirituality in the Twenty-First Century (Cambridge University Press), Democracy in Islam (Routledge) which he has written with Sayed Khatab and Religious Diversity in Southeast Asia and the Pacific (Springer) with Rod Ling and Doug Pratt.
