Unit rationale, description and aim

Understanding Australian culture and society requires an appreciation of the diverse religious traditions that have shaped and continue to shape contemporary Australia. This unit introduces students to the nature, expression, history, and practice of religion in contemporary multicultural and pluralistic Australia. Students will explore how Aboriginal and the world's religions are practised by diverse communities in the Australian context and analyse their implications for shaping contemporary Australian culture and society. This unit aims to provide students with the opportunity to develop a critical understanding of the ongoing role and influence of religion in Australian society today.

2025 10

Campus offering

No unit offerings are currently available for this unit

Prerequisites

THCT100 What Christians Believe or PHIL107 Philosophy of World Religions

Learning outcomes

To successfully complete this unit you will be able to demonstrate you have achieved the learning outcomes (LO) detailed in the below table.

Each outcome is informed by a number of graduate capabilities (GC) to ensure your work in this, and every unit, is part of a larger goal of graduating from ACU with the attributes of insight, empathy, imagination and impact.

Explore the graduate capabilities.

Reflect critically on the theory and practice of r...

Learning Outcome 01

Reflect critically on the theory and practice of religion in contemporary Australia
Relevant Graduate Capabilities: GC1, GC2, GC3, GC5, GC6, GC7, GC8, GC9, GC11

Apply the central concepts and modes of enquiry pe...

Learning Outcome 02

Apply the central concepts and modes of enquiry pertaining to the study of religion and belief systems in Australian and global contexts
Relevant Graduate Capabilities: GC1, GC2, GC3, GC5, GC6, GC7, GC8, GC9, GC11

Assess critically the influence and expression of ...

Learning Outcome 03

Assess critically the influence and expression of religion in the arts, belief systems, and ethics of Australian Aboriginal spiritualities and the world’s major religions in Australia
Relevant Graduate Capabilities: GC1, GC2, GC3, GC5, GC6, GC7, GC8, GC9, GC11

Content

Topics will include: 

  • Classic and recent theory, method, and practice to the academic study of religion;
  • Nature of the relationship between religion, culture, society, and theology;
  • The nature, ethics, practice, and contemporary challenges of Australian Aboriginal spiritualities;
  • The contemporary presence of the world’s religions and traditions in Australia;
  • Challenges of cultural diversity and religious pluralism in the contemporary Australian society;
  • Religion and the arts, literature, music, and aesthetics in contemporary multicultural and pluralistic Australian society.

Assessment strategy and rationale

In order to pass this unit, you are required to attempt all assessment tasks and achieve an overall grade of Pass (50% or higher).  

The assessment tasks for this unit are designed for you to demonstrate your achievement of each learning outcome.

Task 1 asks you to reflect upon the practice of religion in Australian culture, utilizing some of the key concepts and modes of inquiry pertaining to the study of religion in an academic context. This task is designed to allow you to display achievement of Learning Outcomes 1 and 2. Feedback provided from Task 1 will help you with the other two assessment tasks.

Task 2 is an extended written task that asks you to critically analyse the practice of religion and the role of belief systems in both Australian context. This task is designed to allow you to further display achievement of Learning Outcomes 1 and 2

Task 3 invites you to apply the critical tools that you have acquired to a case study. This task is designed to allow you to display your ongoing achievement of Learning Outcomes 1,2 and 3

Overview of assessments

Introductory written task: Students are asked to ...

Introductory written task: Students are asked to reflect upon the practice of religion in Australian culture.

Weighting

20%

Learning Outcomes LO1, LO2

Extended Written Task: Requires students to criti...

Extended Written Task: Requires students to critically analyse the practice of religion and the role of belief systems in both Australian and global contexts.

Weighting

40%

Learning Outcomes LO1, LO2

Project: Requires students to apply the critical ...

Project: Requires students to apply the critical tools that you have acquired to a case study.

Weighting

40%

Learning Outcomes LO1, LO2, LO3

Learning and teaching strategy and rationale

This unit involves 150 hours of focused learning, or the equivalent of 10 hours per week for 15 weeks. The total includes formally structured learning activities such as lectures, tutorials, online learning, video-conferencing, or supervision. The remaining hours typically involve reading, research, and the preparation of tasks for assessment.

The unit is normally offered in attendance or multi-mode mode. Students learn through formally structured and sequenced learning activities that support the achievement of the learning outcomes. You are asked to critically reflect, analyse, and integrate new information with existing knowledge, draw meaningful new connections, and then apply what you have learned. Collaborative and peer-learning is also emphasized in order to enable students to acquire and develop an appreciation of the role of religion in Australian society,  

THSR202 emphasises students as active, adult learners. Students are recognised as adult learners who engage best when what they are learning is relevant to them and gives them the opportunity to be responsible for their own learning. In many ways, the student is the one who drives the learning forward, and your active participation in this unit is essential. Learning is designed to be an engaging and supportive experience, which helps students to develop critical thinking and reflection skills.

Representative texts and references

Representative texts and references

Ata, A.W. Us and Them: Muslim-Christian Relations and Cultural Harmony in Australia. Bowen Hills: Australian Academic Press, 2009

Bouma, G. Australian Soul: Religion and Spirituality in the Twenty-First Century. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2006.

Budden, C. Following Jesus in Invaded Space: Doing Theology on Aboriginal Land. Eugene, OR: Pickwick Press, 2009.

Charlesworth, M. et al, eds. Aboriginal Religion in Australia: An Anthology of Recent Writings. Aldershot: Ashgate, 2005.

Gaita, R. Essays on Muslims & Multiculturalism. Melbourne: Text Publishing, 2011.

Hume, L. Ancestral Power: The Dreaming, Consciousness, and Aboriginal Australians. Melbourne: Melbourne University Press, 2002.

Lamb, W. and I. Barns. God Down Under: Theology in the Antipodes. Adelaide: Australian Theological Forum, 2003.

Rainbow Spirit Elders. Rainbow Spirit Theology: Toward an Australian Aboriginal Theology. 2nd ed. Adelaide: ATF Press, 2012.

Tacey, D. Re-enchantment: The New Australian Spirituality. Pymble: HarperCollins, 2000.

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