edited by
Kevin J. Sharpe
New Zealand is sometimes described as the most areligious and agnostic country on earth; very few people attend a church or appear interested in organized religion. I believe this reflects both a shortsightedness in defining religion and the failure of traditional Christian religion to perceive the religiosity of New Zealanders; New Zealanders are a religious people, only our passions tend to be secular. Look, for instance, at the Springbok rugby tour of New Zealand in 1981. Here we saw the confrontation of two powerful religious faiths: an idealistic "freedom" humanitarianism, and a "superman" cult of mass rugby nationalism.
Much religion frames itself in terms of the future: a new life in a age to come or ideals to be realized here and, shortly, now. Religion may well have a lot to say about New Zealand’s future. And, the reverse side of the coin also is of interest: with the apparent demise of mainline Christianity and the rise of sectarianism, what is the future of religion in New Zealand? Thus the topic of this Colloquium, "Religion and New Zealand’s Future", is of inherent interest to a broad spectrum of scholars and others interested in religion.
Religious Studies colloquia started at the University of Auckland in 1974, under the enthusiasm of John Hinchcliff, then the Auckland Council of Churches Chaplain to this institution. Its career until 1981 has suffered a waning of interest, precipitating a major rethink over this year’s event) and resulting in a slight change away from what was a "supermarket" of papers, the prospective buyers choosing from amongst an array of competing products.
This Seventh Colloquium featured a number of invited speakers — those whose papers are reproduced in this volume — interspersed with the résumés of papers by others who wished to express their own views. Some of those résumés are also summarized in this collection, and one — Peter Hoar’s — is published as a full paper (Colin Moyle, Adrienne Pratt and Burt Keiller also presented résumés).
The following are offered as brief summaries of the papers (excluding résumés), arranged as they were presented, in five sections.
1. Historical, Sociological and Biblical Perspectives
Colin Brown, from an historical perspective, indicates what he sees are factors influencing the present and future development of religion in New Zealand. He considers geographical factors, our pragmatism, secularization, our dependence on overseas movements, our needs of security and impetus towards conformity, the place and influence of women, Maori and Polynesian populations, the move towards religious pluralism, the economic pressure of inflation, and developments in religious education. Such components of religion’s social context will help determine its future, eyen while it is to some extent moulding our culture.
Michael Hill’s paper stirred a considerable interest at the Colloquium itself and will be read avidly by many people interested in New Zealand religion. Delving into the census figures he shows us many perhaps startling facts. The practice of religion here has always been by a minority. The mainstream churches have seen their numbers decline over the last fifty years while minority groups have increased. Mainstream churches are of older people, while the minority churches are more youthful. People aged 15-29 tend to realign their religious adherence. As religion becomes more "privatized", it appeals more to those on the boundaries of society. Irreligion is growing. The beliefs of especially the minority religious groups influence the lifestyle of part of the New Zealand population, and this will become more apparent as secularization produces a more private religion.
Peter Hoar examines the charismatic renewal’s effect especially in the youth group of the Roman Catholic Parish of St Anne, Manurewa, in Auckland. He sees three areas of conflict between charismatic activity and Catholic practice: a subjective, individualistic response concept of Church versus an objective community of believers; a priesthood of all believers versus a fixed, authoritative, hierarchical Church structure; and a spontaneous inspirational spirituality versus rigid and formalized liturgical patterns. He examines the resolution of these conflicts within the ideology of the "renewal" of the Church, with particular reference to how these worked within the youth group in question, and concludes that this deepening of commitment to the traditions of the Church will only aid the erosion of it by secularization.
J. J. Lewis’s paper is of a contemplative style. He suggests biblical religion has a threefold nature, claiming the personal as the highest category: religion is relationship, cult, and future oriented. New Zealand religion is viewed under these three rubics. The calling of God is coming out of the future once again for his people to live on the boundaries.
2. Religion and Present Issues: Racial, Women’s Rights, Economic
M. P. Shires faces the challenge to the Christian Churches of New Zealand to put right the race relations between Maori and Pakeha. He looks at the positive and negative contribution the Christian Churches have made in this regard, and explores three steps by which the challenge may be positively met: the developing of a Maori theology, the recognition of and building up on existing Maori liturgy, and the positive promotion of Maori local Churches.
Jo Pelly. Within the general religious environment in New Zealand a call is coming from a number of women for female and male humanization. Many of the traditional religious models encourage our continued enslavement; feminists are presenting this to us and are agonizing through the stages of facing it and the gestating of new models. Women have much to contribute to their various churches, but few of them are able to further the rights of women.
3. The Place of Sects and Non-Christian Religions
Upasaka Priyānanda. One of Three Jewels which can be used to sum up the entirety of Buddhism is the Buddhist Spiritual Community. This class of community is described and the commitment it involves outlined. A Buddhist Spiritual Community called the Western Buddhist Order is developing within our culture, centred on the unculturated teaching of the Buddha. The difficulties and contribution the Order can make to New Zealand society are discussed.
W. J. Stuart makes a number of general observations about religion in New Zealand: that it is an individualized affair, that New Zealand is becoming increasingly secularized, and that amongst Maori and Pacific communities, there is a growing desire to return to indigenous roots. He suggests there will be in-creased sectarianism, indigenization, multiplicity of religious groups, and the emergence of a civil religion. Secularization is the single most important factor at work here, but it is the gospel of the affluent.
4. Biblical and Liberal Christianity, and Secular Religion: ‘The
Credibility of the Transcendent’
R. J. Thompson follows through the meaning of the word "transcendent", its definition, objections to it as appelled to God, and as it and its mate "immanence" have been used throughout history. The word has been challenged in the contemporary theological scene, but one can find classical statements of it in twentieth century theology. He sees a moving away from the radicalism of the "death of God" movement and the arising of modern alternative models of transcendence, and he concludes with what he feels we cannot do without in these suggestions.
Gerald P. Fitzgerald. New Zealand society has a poverty of vision, an inability to know where it should ideally be heading, a lack of values. The Christian Church’s responsibility is to communicate a transcendent dimension or vision to individuals and to society. It must discern where people can see this transcendence from within their everyday lives, from within their own experience of self-transcendence. This requires much of the Christian Church.
Kevin J. Sharpe. Contemporary Western society needs a properly functioning religion to enable it to cope with its social chaos. Such a religion must be a form of Christianity, but neither the conservative Christianity which appears to be gaining strength at present, nor the liberal Christianity whose front of social action covers a confused and inadequate theology. A theological basis is then set out which is thought might form the starting point for an adequate form of Christianity.
5. Dreams for Religion: Today’s Young People
Frank McKay's dream for religion in New Zealand is that Christians be affirmative, proclaiming courageously and unambiguously the Christian vision. He looks at important elements of this vision and what an effective affirmation assumes about, the Christian Churches and their leadership. In being missionaries Christians must not think of the numbers game of church attendances, but they must be champions of the poor, and they must return to Christian mysticism and ascetism.
Margit Brew. A faith energizes a person: a first question to be asked is what are the faiths which energize people today. Equipped with James Fowler's schema of stages of religious development, a number of high school students were interviewed, and the answers to some of the questions have been analyzed. She looks at what these say about dreams for the future, especially religious dreams and dreams for religion.
So what of religion and New Zealand’s future? I believe I can forsee an interesting and exciting time ahead for those concerned for and with religion, if not perhaps for the unchallengable mainline churchgoer. We are caught under the lumbering crawl of a historical movement which must be appreciated, and to which the religious insights of our various traditions must be brought. It is thus an exciting future for those religious who are prepared to meet this challenge.
It is an exciting time also for those who, impelled by religious values, seek to mould the future of’ New Zealand; I believe we shall witness more of this evangelism.
And for those armchair types who prefer to view religion from a clinical distance, their victim shall cause them delight as it wriggles and jabs under the pressures of modernity, forever the unsuppressable expression of the infinities of the human being in dialogue with abruptness of everything’s existence.
Among the many who I wish to thank for their contribution to the Colloquium must be Sandra Myer, the Chapel secretary, and John Ker, my fellow Chaplain. Of course nothing would have happened without the effort of the speakers and the enthusiasm of the participants.
Kevin J. Sharpe, November 1981
Preface
Contributors
Section One: Historical, Sociological and Biblical Perspectives
Collin Brown, Religion in New Zealand: Past, Present and Future
Michael Hill, The Social Context of New Zealand Religion: "Straight" or "Narrow"?
Peter Hoar, Young People and the Charismatic Renewal in a Catholic Parish
J. J. Lewis, The Future of Religion in New Zealand in Biblical Perspective
Section Two: Religion and Present Issues: Racial, Women’s Rights,
Economic
M. P. Shires, The Churches’ Contribution to Race Relations in New Zealand
Jo Pelly, The Women’s Movement and the Future of Religion in New Zealand
Mane Bicheno, The Place of Religion in the Life of the Disabled Person in New Zealand, 1981 (Résumé)
Section Three: The Place of Sects and Non-Christian Religions
Romilly Fraser, The "International Media Outlook on Sects" and Local Trends (Résumé)
Upasaka Priyānanda, The Buddhist Spiritual Community Today
W. J. Stuart, Secularization and Sectarianism: The Struggle for a Religious Future for New Zealand
Section Four: Biblical and Liberal Christianity, and Secular Religion:
"The Credibility of the Transcendent"
R. J. Thompson, The Credibility of the Transcendent
John Ker, The Case for Evangelical Modernism (Résumé)
C. M. Gordon, The Hermit’s Witness to Transcendence (Résumé)
Gerald P. Fitzgerald, The Credibility of the Transcendent
Kevin J. Sharpe, Religion for Modern Western Society
Section Five: Dreams for Religion: Today’s Young People
Murray A. Steniford, Theosophy: Science and Religion in a Growing Relationship (Résumé)
Frank KcKay, A Dream for Religion in New Zealand
Margit Brew, Dreams for Religion: Will Our Children Have Faith?
Index
Copyright © 1982 by The Chaplaincy, University of Auckland. Published 1982 by The Dunmore Press, Palmerston North, New Zealand.