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What ideas about spirituality can be found in contemporary Australia?

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What ideas about spirituality can be found in contemporary Australia?

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We all have messed up along the way, but God extends his grace to us all, no matter how much trouble we think we’re in. Included in purchase is a version without text.

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Seeking spirituality as Australia becomes less religious

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Whether it's through meditation, yoga, or other alternative practices, Australians are adapting to meet their own spiritual needs outside of traditional religions.

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Introduction to the spirituality of Lutheran education

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Introduction to the spirituality of Lutheran education

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Grieger, N 2018

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You are special

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Beyond belief: Why Australians don’t go to church but call on God in times of crisis 

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Beyond belief: Why Australians don’t go to church but call on God in times of crisis 

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Most Australians claim they believe in God or some kind of "higher power" and yet fewer than one in 10 of us attend church every week.

We don't actively "worship" and yet are apparently comforted by the mere presence of the many churches that operate in our community.

And, despite not believing in God, we send our children to religious schools and turn to the Bible during times of crisis.

In his new book Beyond Belief, Australian social researcher Hugh Mackay argues a growing number of people, particularly young people, are abandoning religion in favour of a different kind of spirituality - one not restricted by institutions or guidelines.

We still crave answers and seek happiness, Mackay says, but more of us are finding it in secular realms: yoga, meditation, music.

Here, Mackay discusses why young people are embracing the Spiritual But Not Religious (SBNR) movement, why we still call upon God when luck fails us, and whether it is possible to find meaning without religion.
Let's discuss 'our need to believe'. Why do we need this sense of purpose?
I think the underlining reason is [that] life is a mystery; we want those big questions answered to why we are here. Humans are seekers of answers: Why is the bus late? Why is my child going off the rails?

We constantly need answers, we try to supply them from a religious path - where answers are provided - and so we are led to embrace religious stories. They make us feel calmer and [help] everything make sense.
Australians have steered away from institutionalised religion (fewer than one in 10 of us attend church weekly) while the movement of spirituality has become more important to us over the past decade. Why do you think this is?
First, in modern society, Australia included, we have been bombarded with propaganda over the last few decades, pressure from mass marketing - where we are told life's greatest satisfaction is to "buy, buy, buy".

We think we are entitled to more comfort and prosperity and it is all about 'me' ... the industry is telling us we are entitled to be happy. If [we're not happy], then we need to do something about it: read that book, buy this CD, take that pill.

We are not let to experience sadness, pain or loss; we are filled with expectations of happiness and the seductive idea that there is no reason why we can't be happy. This is not healthy or harmonious happiness.

Second, the Christian church is a big, global corporation ... [it is] not very welcoming ... the experience is seen as boring and quite irrelevant.

Third, we have the dogmatic association with religion: to be Christian, you have to believe that miracles have happened.

People who were raised with a scientific background tend to think, "If I have to believe everything about Christianity, God, etc., then I don't want to be involved at all".
Why do you think young people in particular are attracted to the idea of being SBNR?
There is a trend among young people of them asking, "How can I unlock my spiritual potential? How can I be a better person without signing up or wearing the badge of religion?"

They still want the values that are taught with religion of "loving thy neighbour".

Some people use yoga, mindfulness, secular meditation or pilgrim walks - there are lots of pathways young people are interested in when journeying down a spiritual path.

This can be a moment of change through music or nature. It's something that happens in their life, a moment when they suddenly realise we are all one.
Some see modern spiritualism as ego-driven: meaning yoga and Eastern religions are interpreted as a path to self-fulfilment. Is this the right way to go about finding spiritualism?
We are currently in a soft revolution. It's not a big movement; it's steady: 61 per cent of Australians [say they are] Christian ... but people are relying on something else now, saying they are SBNR, saying they don't like the church, but at the same time saying they ... know there's a spiritual dimension out there.

They have a spiritual side [and an] awareness of a kinder, more compassionate and loving nature.
Is it disrespectful to the true origins of Buddhism or Hinduism when people who are SNBR pick out certain elements of these faiths - such as practicing meditation or mindfulness - without identifying with the historical or cultural aspects?
We pick certain parts from many religions, making their beliefs our own. Many people don't want all the rules that come with Christianity, so they take certain aspects: Love thy neighbour; love thy enemy ... these are hard things to do, but when people do this, they are satisfied in their own version of a once-strict faith.
You say in your book that more and more people are identifying as SBNR but still turn to the church for milestone events. Why?
Eight per cent of Australians go to church. For big events, crises or weddings, we call upon God.

People call upon God when they find themselves in a bad situation - say, their partner has cancer or something critical has happened.

But there is a [shift] away from using the church for these milestone events.

A lot of [people who are SBNR] have no disrespect for the church - they respect its values and teachings.
Many Australians may feel embarrassed when sharing their belief in god in the traditional sense of Christianity. Why is this the case?
If someone mentions to a friend that they go to church, that friend thinks it's strange.

In my book, I ask people who don't attend church how they feel about church: 90 per cent of people were ambivalent.

They say they don't like the institution, but like the fact that in their suburb there is a church.

Young people who find themselves becoming parents may have never gone to church, but still involve their kids in church secondary schools ... people want to instil these Christian values from school into their children - they want them to understand love, compassion and kindness.
Where do you see faith, religion and spirituality in Australia venturing in the next decade?
I think there will be 'SBNR' boxes on the census in the future. Twenty per cent of Australians tick "no religion".

Of course, this is bad news for churches, but good news for society.

Although people are not as drawn to churches, they still believe there is a spiritual dimension out there ... they are thinking of everyone as a whole. They are seeing us all as connected, as one.
Do you personally believe we can find meaning without religion?
I believe we can find meaning without religion. When people say they are SBNR, almost always they say they care for others and not about "me" or "us".

I believe we can all think beyond ourselves, where faith is no larger than self or some non-religious pathway.

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Is it possible to find meaning without religion?

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Author Hugh Mackay discusses why more Australians are abandoning traditional religion to pursue alternative spiritual paths.

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Lutheran Theology in 90 Seconds -- Nadia Bolz Weber

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Christenson, T 2004 p.45-47

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Lauren Daigle - In Christ Alone (Acoustic)

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Faith and belief in Australia - Interview with McCrindle

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Faith and belief in Australia - Interview with McCrindle

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Faith and Belief in Australia | Mark McCrindle on the Today Show

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Losing my religion

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LOSING MY RELIGION?

PERCENTAGE OF PEOPLE(a) REPORTING NO RELIGION(b), 1911-2011

(a) Prior to 1971, people describing themselves as as more than 50% Aboriginal were excluded from counts of the population
(b) Includes (variously over time) atheists, agnostics, freethinkers, socialists, rationalists, humanists and people who stated 'No denomination' and 'No religion'
(c) In the 1933 Census the public was specifically informed there was no legal obligation to answer the question on religion. 'Not stated' responses increased at this point.
(d) In 1971, the instruction 'If no religion, write none' was introduced to the Census
Sources: ABS Censuses of Population and Housing, 1911 - 2011

Related terms
no religion, non religious, religious ceremonies, different religious beliefs, religious views, losing my religion, Atheist, Agnostic, Catholic, Christian, non-Christian, Anglican

Australia has been a religious place for many thousands of years, home to the spiritual beings and forces observed by the Aboriginal people, as well as to the Torres Strait Islander religion. The First Fleet brought Christianity and Judaism, and over the last two centuries we have seen the arrival and growth of Buddhist, Confucian, Hindu, Islamic, Sikh and Taoist traditions, among others.

Equally present from colonial times, however, was the scientific spirit of the Enlightenment, with its goal of human improvement and progress, and a willingness to break with tradition.Enlightenment principles promoted a secular government, detached from the church, that encouraged tolerance and supported religious pluralism, including the right to practice no religion. By Federation, this diversity was enshrined in the Australian Constitution, which says that the Commonwealth shall not make any law for establishing any religion, or for imposing any religious observance, or for prohibiting the free exercise of any religion.

No religion is an option increasingly reported by Australians in the Census of Population and Housing.

This article looks at the change over time in numbers of people reporting no religion, and explores the characteristics of those who reported no religion in 2011.

The number of people reporting no religion in Australia has increased substantially over the past hundred years, from one in 250 people to one in five. In 1911 there were 10,000 people (0.4%) who chose the option 'No religion' on their Census form; in 2011 there were just under 4.8 million (22% of Australians). As a single response to the question on religion, only was higher at 25% of the population, with third highest at 17%.

Although numbers of people reporting no religion were relatively low in the first half of the century, the specific instruction 'if no religion, write none' included in the 1971 Census saw an increase in this response from 0.8% in the previous Census to 6.7%. From this time, reporting no religion has increased at an average of 3.9 percentage points per decade, with the sharpest increase (6.8 percentage points) between 2001 and 2011.

PERCENTAGE OF PEOPLE REPORTING NO RELIGION, 1971 - 2011

Source: ABS Censuses of Population and Housing, 1971- 2011

Most people who reported no religion selected the 'No religion' box on the Census form (98%), however some provided additional information about their views, including the belief that a god or gods do not exist (Atheism), or cannot be proven to exist (Agnosticism). Other responses included Humanism, which rejects religious beliefs and centres on humans and their values, capacities, and worth; and Rationalism, which states that opinions and actions should be based on reason and knowledge rather than on religious belief or an emotional response.
PERCENTAGE OF PEOPLE REPORTING NO RELIGION IN THE 2011 CENSUS, BY TYPE OF VIEW HELD

Total

Source: ABS Census of Population and Housing, 2011

Leading up to the 2011 Census, there was a campaign by the Atheist Foundation of Australia which encouraged people to report 'No Religion' on their Census form (a campaign that was also carried out in New Zealand and the United Kingdom). The number of people who reported being an Atheist almost doubled between 2006 and 2011, from 31,300 to 58,900 people.

International rise

Australia is not alone in having rising rates of people reporting no religion. New Zealand's latest Census data showed a rise from 30% in 2001 to 35% in 2006, while rates in England and Wales went from 15% in 2001 to 25% in 2011, and Canadian rates rose from 16% to 24% over the same time. While the United States do not have a question on religion in their Census, the General Social Survey showed the rate of American adults reporting no religion to be 20% in 2012 compared with 14% in 2000.The 2011 Census in Ireland showed that people who report no religion are now the second largest grouping in the country behind Catholics, with the number increasing more than four-fold since 1991 to 6%.

What religions are decreasing?

The rate of people reporting Christian religions has shown a steady decline over the past hundred years (down from 95% in 1911, shown here for the past decade). The proportion of Australians in non-Christian religionscontinues to rise.

MALES AND YOUNGER PEOPLE MORE LIKELY TO HAVE NO RELIGION

Until 1961, males were more than twice as likely to report no religion as females, but the overall numbers of people reporting no religion were very small (less than 1% of the population). From 1971, as reporting of no religion increased, the gap between the sexes lessened and steadied. In 2011, 24% of males and 21% of females said they had no religion.

(a) Prior to 1971, people describing themselves as more than 50% Aboriginal were excluded from counts of the population
(b) Includes (variously) atheists, agnostics, freethinkers, socialists, rationalists, humanists and people who stated 'No religion'
(c) In 1971, the instruction 'If no religion, write none' was introduced to the Census, which showed a large increase in such responses
Source: ABS Censuses of Population and Housing,1911 - 2011

Before the age of 20, however, the gender gap is non-existent, with females just as likely as males to report no religion, or have no religion reported on their behalf. From the age of 20, the gap between men and women widens, then remains fairly steady from the age of 35, with men generally around 4% more likely to report no religion. This pattern is similar to that of previous decades, so it is not a cohort effect particular to 2011.

PERCENTAGE OF PEOPLE REPORTING NO RELIGION BY AGE AND SEX, 2011

Source: ABS Census of Population and Housing, 2011

Younger people make up a high proportion of those reporting no religion (around half who did so being less than 30 years old). Older people in Australia are considerably more likely than younger Australians to report a religion: only 10% of people aged 65 years and over reported no religion in 2011.

Religion of children and parents

Patterns by age show that rates of having no religion are highest for babies, but drop substantially for children aged 5 to 14. It is quite likely that children under 15 do not answer the question on religion for themselves, so these rates may reflect their parents' views. The pattern of high rates of reporting no religion for children younger than five and lower rates of reporting no religion for those aged 5 to 14 is similar to previous Censuses.

Around 12% of children living in couple families had both parents reporting no religion. Just under 11% had one parent reporting no religion and one who did not, and the remaining 77% had both parents either reporting a religion or not stating their religion. Lone parents were even less likely to report no religion: only 5% of children in these families lived with a parent who reported no religion.

In 2011, 79% of children had the same no religion response as did at least one of their parents. Under the age of 5, this proportion was 81%, reducing to 77% in the 5 to 14 year age group. If both parents reported no religion, 97% of children had a no religion response.

When there was a difference between what was reported for children and their parents, it was more evident in families where a child reported no religion but neither of their parents did.In couple families where both parents either reported a religion or did not state their religious status, around 14% of children aged 0-4 and 12% of children aged 5-14 had no religion reported. Looking at the most common Christian and non-Christian religions, the likelihood of a child reporting no religion decreased where both parents had the same religion (down to 2% where both parents were Catholic, 6% where both were Anglican, 9% where both were Buddhist, 0.7% where both were Hindi and 0.2% where both were Muslim).

Only around 2% of children aged 0-14 had a religion reported if neither parent reported a religion (9,000 children).

RELIGIOUS STATUS OF CHILDREN BY RELIGION OF PARENTS(a), 2011

(a) Parents in couple families, living in the same household as the child.
Source: ABS Census of Population and Housing, 2011

In lone parent families, 92% of children aged 0-14 reported no religion where their parent also reported no religion, while 25% reported no religion where their parent did report one. Around 6% of children reported a religion when their parent did not.

Young adults driving the increase

Around the age of 15, rates of reporting no religion start rising, reaching their highest point between the ages of 22 and 24.

PERCENTAGE OF YOUNG PEOPLE REPORTING NO RELIGION, BY AGE AND SEX, 2011

Source: ABS Census of Population and Housing, 2011

Young adults are a major source of the increase in reporting of no religion in 2011. The proportion of people reporting no religion can be compared to the proportion five years earlier in the corresponding age cohort. The most significant increase in reporting no religion was for people aged 15 to 34 in 2011 (who were 10 to 29 in 2006). The proportion of 20-24 year olds with no religion in 2011, for example, was nearly 11 percentage points higher than the proportion of 15-19 year olds in 2006.

CHANGE IN PROPORTION OF PEOPLE REPORTING NO RELIGION BETWEEN 2006 AND 2011(a)(b) BY AGE GROUP IN 2011

(a) Percentage of people that reported no religion in 2006 compared with percentage of people with no religion in the age cohort they would be part of in 2011.
Negative numbers mean a decrease of reporting no religion between 2006 and 2011, positive numbers mean an increase.
(b) Excludes people who were not resident in Australia in 2006
Source: ABS Censuses of Population and Housing, 2006 and 2011

Religious affiliation is more stable in older age groups. Cohort analysis shows that as each age cohort begins at and maintains a progressively lower level of religious affiliation (except for young children, and the slight rise in reporting no religion that occurs for those aged 85 and over), the increase in rates of having no religion can be seen to reflect more of a change over time rather than over life cycles.

DOES EDUCATION MAKE A DIFFERENCE?

Rates of reporting no religion increase with higher educational qualifications. In 2011, almost a third of people aged 20 years and over with a postgraduate degree reported no religion (31%), compared with a fifth (20%) of those with a school education only.

PERCENTAGE OF PEOPLE(a) REPORTING NO RELIGION BY LEVEL OF HIGHEST EDUCATIONAL ATTAINMENT, 2011

(a) Aged 20 years and over
Source: ABS Census of Population and Housing, 2011

Education levels were not as related to rates of reporting no religion for younger people as they were for older people. There was no difference between people aged 20-34 with postgraduate or school-only qualifications (both 32%), however people aged 50 to 64 years with a postgraduate degree were twice as likely to report no religion (32%) as those with a school education only (16%). This difference was even greater for people aged 65 years and over (31% and 9% respectively).

Field of study

People who studied creative arts (37%) and sciences (36%) were the most likely to report no religion, while those who had studied education (21%) or health (22%) were the least likely to do so.

Looking at specific subject fields, people who had studied Physics and Astronomy had the highest rates of reporting no religion (46%), and people who had studied Philosophy and Religious Studies had the lowest rates (9%).

WHERE YOU LIVE AND WHERE YOU COME FROM

State/Territory

Tasmania and the Australian Capital Territory had the highest rates of people reporting no religion (both 29%), just ahead of South Australia (28%). New South Wales had by far the lowest rate (18%).

The high levels of reporting no religion in Tasmania appear inconsistent with national trends, as Tasmania has both an older age structure (a median age of 40 compared with 38 for NSW and 34 for the ACT) and lower average education levels (16% of Tasmanians aged 25 years or more having a bachelor degree or higher, compared with 22% of people from NSW and 39% of people from the ACT). Twenty years ago, Tasmania was one of the states with the lowest levels of reporting no religion (12%).

The increase of reporting no religion in Tasmania may be connected to the overall decrease in rates of Anglicanism, a religion that has been traditionally practiced more in Tasmania than in other states. Over the past twenty years, rates of reporting Anglicanism in Tasmania dropped from 37% to 26%.

Over the same time, the Northern Territory has gone from reporting the highest rates of no religion to the third lowest.

Remoteness

Rates of reporting no religion were not particularly affected by whether someone lived in a major city or regional or remote Australia, however people living in very remote areas were less likely to report no religion (19% compared with 22% on average for the rest of Australia).

Country of birth

Australians born in China had the highest rates of reporting no religion (63%), followed by those born in Japan (53%) and Macau (45%). Just over 23% of people born in Australia reported no religion.

PERCENTAGE OF PEOPLE REPORTING NO RELIGION BY COUNTRY OF BIRTH(a):
COUNTRIES OF BIRTH WITH HIGHEST RATES OF REPORTING OF NO RELIGION, 2011

(a) Countries of birth with more than 250 representatives in Australia
(b) Excluding Special Administrative Regions of the People's Republic of China
Source: ABS Census of Population and Housing, 2011

RELIGION AND LIFE EVENTS

Couple relationships

Of people aged 15 years and over in couple relationships, those with no religion were more likely to be in a de facto relationship (29%) than those who reported a religion (12%).

People in same sex-couples were just as likely to report a religion as not (47% reporting a religion, and 48% reporting no religion).

Marriage ceremonies

With the appointment of the first civil celebrants in 1973there has been a growing move away from religious marriage ceremonies in Australia. In fact, civil marriages have outnumbered religious ceremonies since 1999.

In 2011, 70% of all marriages were performed by civil celebrants. Among the reasons suggested by commentators and civil celebrants for the trend towards civil ceremonies was that despite moving away from formal religion, people still seem to need rituals to mark major life events, and that part of the appeal of civil celebrants is that they cater for people excluded by the church.

Women aged 15 years and over who reported no religion had less children than those who reported a religion. They were half as likely to have had four or more children as women who reported a religion (6% compared with 12%), and much more likely to have had no children at all (44% compared with 29%).

Younger women with no religion were slightly more likely to have had children than younger women with one, until they reached their early twenties, where rates for women who reported a religion started overtaking those for women who reported no religion. This pattern remained steady for all ages after 23 years.

Active or passive?

Reporting a religious affiliation is not the same as actively participating in religious activities. In the 2010 General Social Survey (GSS), 15% of men and 22% of women aged 18 years and over said they had actively participated in a religious or spiritual group. Even fewer reported doing voluntary work for their church or organisation: 7.2% of men, and 9% of women.

In 2011, Australians who reported no religion were slightly less likely to volunteer for an organisation or group (17%) than people in Christian religions (20%), but slightly more likely to volunteer than people reporting non-Christian religions (14%).

LOOKING AHEAD

As the rising trend of reporting no religion is driven by younger people, and the tendency is for religious affiliation to remain stable in cohorts, it is possible that we will see Australia become increasingly more secular in the future.
The Census will continue to monitor this trend over time.

RELIGION AND SCHOOL

Although religious schools dominate the non-government school sector, religion is usually not the most important factor for parents in choice of school, outweighed by discipline, educational quality, and the school's capacity to develop their child's potential.¹⁶While some children reporting no religion did attend Catholic and other non-government schools, they were more likely to go to government schools (81% or four in five children). This number was higher for those in primary school (86%) than it was for those in high school (74%).

Just over half the children who did report a religion or did not state their religion went to government schools (56%, with 59% for primary and 52% for secondary schools).

Catholic and other non-government schools had lower proportions of children reporting no religion than government schools. Around 7% of children in Catholic primary schools reported no religion, compared with 18% in other non-government primary schools, and 33% in government primary schools. There were similar patterns for high schools, although slightly more children reported no religion in non-government high schools (9% in Catholic and 22% in other non-government high schools), and slightly less reported no religion in government high schools (31%).

Householdincome also had an effect on parents' choice of schooling for their child, although this was mostly a factor for non-Catholic schools. On average, 21% of children who lived in couple families with an income of less than $1,500 a week and 23% who lived in couple families with an income over $2,000 a week went to Catholic schools, while 12% and 33% respectively went to other non-government schools. Where neither parent reported no religion there was a slight increase in the proportion of children attending non-government schools, to 24% and 28% respectively for Catholic schools, and 13% and 34% respectively for other non-government schools. However when both parents reported no religion, 6% of children in families with an income less than $1,500 per week and 5% of children in families with over $2,000 per week went to Catholic schools, while 10% and 31% respectively went to other non-government schools.

Rates of attending government schools decreased as level of income increased and were also lower where parents reported a religion or did not state their religious status. The lowest rates of attending government schools were for children in households with an income of $2,000 or more per week where neither parent reported no religion.

Children of lone parents with no religion were slightly more likely on average to go to Catholic schools than children of couple parents with no religion (8% compared with 6%), but were also the most likely to go to government schools (86%).

NO RELIGION OR NOT TELLING? THE AUSTRALIAN STORY

In 1911, the first national Census in Australia asked a question on religion. This was unusual at the time, with Britain considering it to be too intrusive, but the Australian people were used to providing their religious status because it had been included in state Censuses,¹⁷ as well as in the Federation Census of 1901.The Census question was voluntary, and from the outset there was an option to answer 'no religion'.

The 'no religion' response does not tell the whole story, however. It is not possible to work out the actual number of Australians with no religion, as there are people who may or may not be religious who choose not to answer the question, or give an indefinite answer.

In 1911, the responses of 2% of Australians (83,000 people) were classified as 'objected to state'. In 2011, 'not stated' responses accounted for 9% of the population (1.8 million people).

Reasons for not answering the question may include a belief that religion is a private matter, or because people are answering for someone else and do not know their religious affiliation. Those filling out Census forms for older people in nursing homes, for example, may choose the 'not stated' response if the person is not able to communicate ('not stated' responses rise steeply from 8% of people aged 75 to 79 years to 16% of people aged 95 years and over).

Some people may not answer solely because the question is voluntary. In 1933, when the question was explicitly stated to be so, there was a six fold increase in people choosing not to answer, from less than 2% in 1921 to 13% - the highest proportion of such responses to date.

Others choose to answer in such a way that the question is not really answered (like an informal vote in an election). A hundred years ago, as now, there were responses to the question on religion that may or may not have been intended to be taken seriously, and as now, they were classified as 'not defined'. With such responses as 'cosmopolitan', 'infidel', 'single taxer', 'calathumpian', 'idolater' and 'wowser', were these people the Jedis of 1911? There was even one person who put their religion as 'scientist', and may have seen (with some satisfaction?) their single response published in the list of religions. By 1921 individual responses to 'indefinite religions' were no longer published, so even had our scientist paid their two shillings and sixpence for a copy of the Census results*, they would not have seen themselves again.

Overall, in 1911, responses from 5,600 people were classified as 'other indefinite' (0.1%), compared with 132,600 in 2011 (0.6%).

*(Census results are now freely available at www.abs.gov.au )

RETURN OF THE JEDI?

When answering the question on religion in the 2001 Census, 70,509 Australians (0.37%) wrote 'Jedi' or a variant, in response to an email campaign claiming (mistakenly) that if 8,000 people said they followed the Jedi religion in the forthcoming Census, the country would have to recognise it officially.¹⁸, ¹⁹ While number of followers is considered in the criteria for categorising religions in the Australian Standard Classification of Religious Groups, it is not generally used in defining them for inclusion. More detail on this can be found in the publication ( cat. no. 1266.0).

Whether or not people took the claim seriously, it was the start of a reporting phenomenon that gained speed internationally and has continued into the next decade. In 2011, England and Wales had a sizeable Jedi contingent (176,632),²⁰ and recent data showed there were 20,262 in New Zealand²¹ and around 9,000 in Canada.²²

Numbers in Australia dropped in the 2006 Census to 58,053 people but bounced back in 2011 to 64,390.

The ABS released a statement in 2001 that said 'if your belief system is 'Jedi' then answer as such on the Census form', and went on to explain the purpose of the question in enabling representative services to be provided where they are needed. The statement noted that answers which had not as yet been identified as a religion in the classification would be coded as 'not defined'.

EXPLANATORY INFORMATION

DATA SOURCES AND DEFINITIONS

Data presented in this article have been mainly sourced from the ABS Census of Population and Housing. Data from the ABS General Social Survey 2010, and Marriages registered by the Registrar of Births, Deaths and Marriages in each Australian State and Territory, 2011 is also included.

The Census question on religion asks "What is the person's religion?" and provides a list of common religions to choose from. People are advised that answering this question is optional. They are also guided with examples on how to answer if their religion does not appear on the list, and asked to mark the 'No religion' box if they do not have a religion.

The category 'No religion' is made up of people who select the 'No religion' box on the Census form, or write 'None' or 'No religion' or a variant. The question is voluntary, so people can also choose not to answer, in which case their religious status is recorded as 'Not stated' (see below). The actual number of Australians with no religion is unclear because people who choose not to answer the question may or may not be religious. Parents of young children are quite likely to be answering this question on behalf of their children.

'Not stated' responses are not included in the 'No religion' count. From 1981, 'not stated' responses also contain imputed responses. Where a Census collector has identified that a private dwelling was occupied on Census Night but a Census form was not returned, the number of people normally in the dwelling and their key demographic variables may require imputation. In these cases, non-demographic variables (such as religious status) are set to 'Not stated' or 'Not applicable'.

The classification structure for religions, and inclusions for'Christianity', 'Catholic' and 'Anglican' can be found in the Census Data Dictionary. In this article, 'Catholic' includes all Catholic variations, and 'Anglican' includes the Anglican Church of Australia and the Anglican Catholic Church.

Income data is drawn from equivalised total weekly household income, which is household income adjusted by an equivalence scale to compare income levels between households of differing size and composition. A larger household would normally need more income than a smaller household to achieve the same standard of living. Equivalised total household income can be seen as an indicator of the economic resources available to a standardised household. For a lone person household it is equal to household income. For a household comprising more than one person, it is an indicator of the household income that would be needed by a lone person household to enjoy the same level of economic wellbeing.

Calathumpian - often used to indicate a lack of adherence to any religion; a member of an unspecified nonconformist religious sect; a holder of any unspecified belief (Australian Concise Oxford Dictionary).

For more information on religion in Australia in 2011, see Reflecting a Nation: Stories from the 2011 Census, 2012-2013 (cat. no. 2071.0).

ENDNOTES

1. Jupp, J., (Ed),The Encyclopedia of Religion in Australia, Cambridge University Press, 978-0-521-86407-7, pp 2-8

2. Gascoigne, J., The Enlightenment and the Origins of European Australia, Cambridge University Press, 2002, pp 3-10

3. Canadian statistics <www.statcan.gc.ca>; 2001 Census: analysis series: Religions in Canada, <www12.statcan.gc.ca>

4. Attorney-General's Department: Discussion Paper, Civil Marriage Celebrants Program, October 1997, viewed 4/11/13, <www.archive.is/rW3rT>

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4102.0 - Australian Social Trends, Nov 2013

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LOSING MY RELIGION? PERCENTAGE OF PEOPLE(a) REPORTING NO RELIGION(b), 1911-2011 (a) Prior to 1971, people describing themselves as as more than 50% Aboriginal were excluded from counts of the population (b) Includes (variously over time) atheists, agnostics, freethinkers, socialists, rationalists, humanists and people who stated 'No denomination' and 'No religion' (c) In the 1933 Census the public was specifically informed there was no legal obligation to answer the question on religion.

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"The very center and core of the whole Bible is the doctrine of the grace of God." -J. Gresham Machen

"Grace" is one of the most important concepts in the Bible, Christianity, and the world. It is most clearly expressed in the promises of God revealed in Scripture and embodied in Jesus Christ.

Grace is the love of God shown to the unlovely, the peace of God given to the restless, the unmerited favor of God.

Table of Contents

Definition of Grace

In Christian terms, grace can be defined as "God's favor toward the unworthy" or "God's benevolence on the undeserving." In His grace, God is willing to forgive us and bless us, even though we fall short of living righteously.

" For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God" ( Romans 3:23).

" Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. Through Him we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God." ( Romans 5:1-2)

"But he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me." ( 2 Corinthians 12:9)

Modern, secular definitions of grace relate to a person's "elegance or beauty of form, manner, motion, or action; or a pleasing or attractive quality or endowment."

Merriam-Webster's list of definitions for grace includes:

1. "Unmerited divine assistance granted to humans for their regeneration or sanctification."

2. "Approval, or Favor"

3. "A charming or attractive trait or characteristic"

4. "-used as a title of address or reference for a duke, a duchess, or an archbishop."

5. "A short prayer at a meal asking a blessing or giving thanks."

6. "A musical trill, turn, or appoggiatura"

What is Grace? - Christian Quotes

"Grace is free sovereign favor to the ill-deserving."( B.B. Warfield)

"Grace is love that cares and stoops and rescues."( John Stott)

"[Grace] is God reaching downward to people who are in rebellion against Him."( Jerry Bridges)

"Grace is unconditional love toward a person who does not deserve it." ( Paul Zahl)

"Grace is God's best idea. His decision to ravage a people by love, to rescue passionately, and to restore justly - what rivals it? Of all his wondrous works, grace, in my estimation, is the magnum opus." ( Max Lucado)

"The five means of grace are prayer, searching the Scriptures, the Lord's Supper, fasting, and Christian [fellowship]." ( Elaine A. Heath)

The Importance of Grace

Grace is most needed and best understood in the midst of sin, suffering, and brokenness. We live in a world of earning, deserving, and merit, which result in judgment. That is why everyone wants and needs grace. Judgment kills. Only grace makes us alive.

A shorthand for what grace is - "mercy, not merit." Grace is the opposite of karma, which is about getting what you deserve. Grace is getting what you don't deserve and not getting what you do deserve. Christianity teaches that what we deserve is death as the price of sin, which separates us from God, Who is life.

While everyone desperately needs it, grace is not about us. Grace is a word about God: his un-coerced initiative and pervasive, extravagant demonstrations of care and favor. Michael Horton writes, "In grace, God gives nothing less than Himself. Grace, then, is not a third thing or substance mediating between God and sinners, but is Jesus Christ in redeeming action."

Christians live every day by the grace of God. We receive forgiveness according to the riches of God's grace, and grace drives our sanctification. Paul tells us, "the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people, training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives" ( Titus 2:11). Spiritual growth doesn't happen overnight; we "grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ" ( 2 Peter 2:18). Grace transforms our desires, motivations, and behavior.

In fact, God's grace grounds and empowers everything in the Christian life.

The Biblical Meaning of Grace

Grace is the basis for:

Our Christian identity: "By the grace of God I am what I am." (1 Corinthians 1:10)

Our standing before God: "this grace in which we stand." (Romans 5:2)

Our behavior: "We behaved in the world ... by the grace of God." (2 Corinthians 2:12)

Our living: those who receive "the abundance of grace and the free gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man Jesus Christ,"(Romans 5:17) by the "grace of life." (1 Peter 1:7)

Our holiness: God"called us to a holy calling ... because of his own purpose and grace." (2 Timothy 2:9)

Our strength for living: "Be strengthened by the grace that is in Jesus Christ" (2 Timothy 2:1), for "it is good for the heart to be strengthened by grace." (Hebrews 13:9)

Our way of speaking: "Let your speech always be gracious." (Colossians 4:6)

Our serving: "serve one another, as good stewards of God's varied grace." (1 Peter 1:10)

Our sufficiency: "My grace is sufficient for you." (2 Corinthians 2:9). "God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that having all sufficiency in all things at all times, you may abound in every good work." (2 Corinthians 2:8)

Our response to difficulty and suffering: We get "grace to help in time of need," (Hebrews 4:16) and when "you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace...will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you." (1 Peter 1:10)

Our participation in God's mission: As recipients of grace, we are privileged to serve as agents of grace. Believers receive grace (Acts 11:23), are encouraged to continue in grace (Acts 13:43), and are called to testify to the grace of God (Acts 20:24). Jesus says, "As the Father has sent me, even so I am sending you" (John 20:21). God's mission is to the entire world.

Our future: God and His grace, is everlasting. "Set your hope fully on the grace that will be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ." (1 Peter 1:13)

Our hope beyond death: "grace [reigns] through righteousness leading to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord." (Romans 5:21)

Summary of God's Grace

The gospel is all about God's grace through Jesus Christ. That's why Paul calls it "the gospel of the grace of God" ( Acts 20:24) and "the word of his grace" ( Acts 14:3).

The gospel of the grace of God is the message everyone needs. The word of grace is proclaimed from every page of the Bible and ultimately revealed in Jesus Christ. The last verse of the Bible summarizes the message from Genesis to Revelation: "The grace of the Lord Jesus be with all" ( Revelation 22:21). Through Jesus, "we have all received grace upon grace" ( John 1:16)-the gratuitous and undomesticated grace of God.
Here are 15 Bible Verses Every Christian Should Know By Heart for you to download or share with loved ones!
Short Prayer for Grace

O Lord Jesus, grant us your grace and give us time for repentance.

We want to keep your commandments and do your bidding, choose the better part and no longer follow evil.

Give us your strength to do this, O loving Savior, for your name's sake. Amen.

Source: Dan Jeremy, 12th Century

Justin Holcomb is an Episcopal priest and teaches theology at Reformed Theological Seminary and Knox Theological Seminary. Justin wrote On the Grace of God and co-authored with his wife Lindsey Rid of My Disgrace and Save Me from Violence. He is also the editor of Christian Theologies of Scripture. You can find him on Facebook, Twitter, and at JustinHolcomb.com.

Photo Credit: ©Unsplash/Peter Miranda

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What is Grace? Understanding Christian Meaning

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"Grace" is the most important concept in the Bible, Christianity, and the world. Grace is the love of God shown to the unlovely; the peace of God given to the restless; the unmerited favor of God. It is most clearly expressed in the promises of God revealed in Scripture and embodied in Jesus Christ.

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Amazing Grace (My Chains are Gone) - Chris Tomlin (with lyrics)

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CS Lewis - What makes Christianity different...

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CS Lewis - What makes Christianity different...

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What makes Christianity different from all the other religions of the world? Years ago that very question was discussed at a conference. Some of the participants argued that Christianity is unique in teaching that God became man. But someone objected, saying that other religions teach similar doctri…

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Have a little faith - Pastor Nadia Bolz Weber

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Have a little faith - Pastor Nadia Bolz Weber

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Telling the Truth About Ourselves | Have a Little Faith

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a collection of quotes...

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By Andrew Singleton, Anna Halahoff and Gary D Bouma & Mary Lou Rasmussen

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The 2016 Census suggested about a third of Australian teens had no religion. But ask a teenager themselves about religion, rather than the parent or guardian filling in the census form, and the picture is slightly different.

According to our new national survey, at least half of teens say they are "religious nones" - those who do not identify with a religion or religious group. Digging deeper, we found a more complicated picture of faith and spirituality among young Australians. Most Gen Z teens have little to do with organised religion in their personal lives, while a significant proportion are interested in different ways of being spiritual.

Teenage spirituality is more complicated than we might think. Credit: Stocksy

Migration, diversity, secularisation and a burgeoning spiritual marketplace challenge the notion that we are a "Christian" country. More than any other group, teenagers are at the forefront of this remaking of Australian religion. Their daily experience of secondary school and social media sees them bumping into all kinds of difference. Teens are forming their own strong views about existential matters.

Our national study by scholars from ANU, Deakin and Monash - the AGZ Study - comprises 11 focus groups with students in Years 9 and 10 (ages 15-16) in three states, a nationally representative telephone survey of 1,200 people aged 13-18, and 30 in-depth, follow-up interviews.

So what do we know about the religious and spiritual lives of Generation Z teens? We deployed a powerful form of statistical analysis to identify six different "types" that move beyond conventional understandings of religious or nonreligious identity. The categories take into account religious and spiritual beliefs and practices, self-understandings and attitudes to the universe.

To ensure the types were more than computer-generated assumptions, we interviewed at least five teens from each group, checking that it all made sense.

Here are the six spirituality types we found.

This-worldly. This largest group accounts for 23 per cent of Australian teens. "This-wordly" young people have no space in their worldview for religious, spiritual or non-material possibilities. They never or rarely go to services of worship and don't identify with a religion.

Because none of them believes in God, they are technically atheists. But not all of them identify with that label, nor do they see themselves as humanists or secularists.

They have no truck with other spiritual possibilities, whether that is belief in reincarnation or horoscopes. The majority of them agree with the statement that the physical world is the only thing that exists. Their thinking is entirely "this-worldly", or as one of them put it: "science-y".

Religiously committed. Making up 17 per cent of Australian teens, the religiously committed stand in stark contrast to the "this-worldly" teens. Religious faith, whether that is Christian (mainly Pentecostal and evangelical), Islam or something else, is a big part of their lives.

The very large majority of this group attend services of worship regularly, report affective religious experiences, and believe there is life after death. Almost all of them agree that religious faith is important in shaping how they live their lives.

Seekers. Intriguingly different from both these "committed" groups are the exploratory Seekers, a small but vital 8 per cent of teens. Their worldview is decidedly eclectic. They almost all self-describe as "spiritual". This finds expression in belief in life after death, and repeated experiences of a presence or power that is different from their everyday selves.

Seekers have a decidedly eclectic worldview, seeking out their spiritual truth. They most likely consult their horoscopes, have seen a psychic, or both. At the same time, they identify with a religion and believe in God or a higher being.

This-worldly, Religiously committed and Seeker teens all represent decisive groupings of religious, nonreligious and seeker spirituality. The remainder of Australia's teens are oriented towards one of these trajectories, but with less conviction.

Spiritual but not religious. Sitting between the This-worldly and Seekers is a group we call Spiritual but not Religious, represented by 18 per cent of teens in Australia. God, faith and religion are not important to them, but the door is open to spiritual possibilities, including issues such as life after death, reincarnation, and belief in a higher being (but not really God).

Indifferent. As might be expected, one group is largely indifferent or undecided about all of it: religion, spirituality and atheism. Following the lead from scholars overseas, we call this group Indifferent. They comprise about 15 per cent of Australian teens.

Nominally religious. This group is largely culturally religious, following the religious identity of their parents, guardians or community (for example, a Catholic or Islamic school). Certainly, they identify with a religion, and believe in God, but faith is not important in their daily lives and they don't often darken the door of a temple, church or mosque. At the same time, they don't care for spiritual ideas either, such as reincarnation or horoscopes.

In short, dig a bit deeper and there is a lot of diversity among our teens on matters of faith and spirituality. And that sits comfortably with them. Our data show they are genuinely open to diversity in other people. While only a minority follow a faith with strong conviction, as a whole they are not anti-religious. As we heard often: "It's all good."

Tellingly, teens are wary of attempts by some to dictate to others what they can and cannot do, or who are disrespectful of those not like themselves. Didactic politicians beware.
Andrew Singleton is an associate professor of sociology and social research at Deakin University; Anna Halafoff is a senior lecturer in sociology at Deakin University; Gary D Bouma is an emeritus professor of sociology at Monash University, and Mary Lou Rasmussen is a professor of sociology at the Australian National University.

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Andrew Singleton, Anna Halahoff, Gary D Bouma & Mary Lou Rasmussen

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The six types of teenage spirituality in Australia

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A third of Australian teens have 'no religion', but it's more nuanced than that.

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Dietrich Bonhoeffer a Lutheran pastor in Germany during 

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Dietrich Bonhoeffer a Lutheran pastor in Germany during 

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5 Timeless Quotes from Dietrich Bonhoeffer

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God's love is the free gift that liberates us. It is not owed to us, and it is certainly not earned by us. God's saving act liberates us from the power of every attempt to control or enslave us. It also empowers us to love others. T Christenson p97

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God's love is the free gift that liberates us. It is not owed to us, and it is certainly not earned by us. God's saving act liberates us from the power of every attempt to control or enslave us. It also empowers us to love others. T Christenson p97

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Over the last few decades, the number of people who answer the census question about religion with 'no religion' or 'not specified' has been on the rise. But just because someone doesn't subscribe to organised religion doesn't mean they're not spiritual.
Unlike in France and the United States, the Australian census contains a question about religion. This year, for the first time, 'no religion' will be the first option.

True religion is about how you treat people and it has nothing to do with the rank of being a priest.

This is because the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) thinks no religion will receive the largest response-the boxes are organised in descending order from the largest to smallest group.

A century ago, Anglicans were the largest group at over 40 per cent of the population. By 2011 they'd declined to 17 per cent, while Catholics were about 25 per cent and the Uniting Church on 5 per cent. Muslims were 2.2 per cent, Buddhists 2.5 per cent, Greek Orthodox 1.8 per cent, and Hindus 1.3 per cent. Christians altogether were 61 per cent.

But the group that has been growing steadily for many decades are those who mark 'no religion'. They rose to 22.3 per cent in the 2011 census.

'Young people today are finding ... old fashioned religion exactly that. Not to their liking,' says Gary Bouma AM, professor emeritus of sociology at Monash University, and an Anglican priest.

'The child abuse thing has had a profound effect in making people shy away from it. So the take up of formally organised religion is much less now than it was before.'

Yet he also points out that if you ask Australians whether they are 'spiritual', there appears to be no decline at all.
What does 'spiritual but not religious' look like?
In fact, Australian social research firm McCrindle found in 2012 that nearly a fifth of Australians identify as 'spiritual but not religious', an option that will not be available as a tickable box on Tuesday.

Despite being raised a Catholic, Jonathan Murphy will be ticking 'no religion' on this year's census.

The Sunshine Coast man is a yoga teacher and organises yoga events and festivals.

'As a yoga practitioner my spiritual practice is how I live my life-how I'm treating others, family, how I live my life towards the planet and being responsible for my actions,' Murphy says.

'At the end of the day, self reflecting and simply trying to be the best human being I can be.

'No religion can do that, we all have to reform ourselves.'

Murphy remembers shying away from religion as a little boy in the 1970s at a convent school in Redcliffe, north of Brisbane, and questioning how the nuns, who were 'mean as mean', could have been acting religiously or morally.
Related: Lifting the stillbirth taboo in the 2016 census
Then at the age of 14 he became involved with martial arts, which introduced him to the concept of karma, before eventually starting yoga.

He says spirituality and morality are inherently linked, and being religious doesn't necessarily mean you are spiritual.

'Some people may be deeply religious but for me I may not regard them as being spiritual,' Murphy says.

'True religion is about how you treat people and it has nothing to do with the rank of being a priest, an archbishop, a pope ... they're no more holy than my beautiful aunty who's raised many disabled children, someone who lives her life as a beautiful person, very kind.
Why does Australia collect religious data in the census?
'I have seen in my generation the power being taken away from these religious establishments.'

First is the matter of money. Faith-based schools in Australia now receive significant government funding. So do universities. So do hospitals. Faith-based charities bid for government contracts. Land for schools and places of worship must be planned and allocated. Grants to faith-based organisations are sought. Some Australians form associations and interest groups along religious and ethnic lines.

Parliamentarians want to know and be able to respond to the demographics of their electorates-including their religious organisations and groupings. Religion and ethnicity are part of contentious public discourse.

Second, consider representation. Accurate demographic statistics help us with what we can and ought to expect in terms of our representation.

The Catholic 'groupers' of the mid 20th century fought for fairer political and social representation of Australia's Catholic minority in education, the legal profession and politics.

Did you know The Religion and Ethics Report is also a podcast? Subscribe on iTunes, ABC Radio or your favourite podcasting app.

Protestant Australians of the 19th century would have been shocked to hear that at one point, the PM, the governor general and the chief justice of the High Court would all be Catholics: Paul Keating, William Deane and Gerard Brennan.

Catholicism had become normal, and Catholic Australians have represented their community in public life for decades. The statistics don't lie: Muslim, Buddhist and Hindu Australians are next.

Third, census data on religion is used to plan better for social needs. In rural and regional Australia, places like Kingaroy in Queensland or Shepparton in Victoria have had noticeable success in the targeted regional resettlement of migrants and refugees.

These new arrivals have helped develop sustainable communities, made industries more viable, and created employment opportunities.

These new settlers require the basic resources for integration if they are to say: familiar places where they can identify and connect with others, including religious associations and places of worship. Virtually every migrant community in Australia uses shared religious identity as its first point of anchor.

The arithmetic matters, no matter which box you tick.

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'Spiritual but not religious': What the census won't say about Australians' beliefs - ABC listen

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Over the last few decades, the number of people who answer the census question about religion with 'no religion' or 'not specified' has been on the rise. But just because someone doesn't subscribe to organised religion doesn't mean they're not spiritual.

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Aboriginal Spirituality & Beliefs | Aboriginal Totems | Australians Together

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Learn about the rich spiritual beliefs and practices of Indigenous Australians, including the connection to land and the importance of storytelling. Discover the deep understanding of Aboriginal spirituality, totems and animals with resources from Australians Together.

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Grace, which comes from the Greek New Testament word charis, is God's unmerited favor. It is kindness from God that we don't deserve. There is nothing we have done, nor can ever do to earn this favor. It is a gift from God. Grace is divine assistance given to humans for their regeneration ( rebirth) or sanctification; a virtue coming from God; a state of sanctification enjoyed through divine favor.

Webster's New World College Dictionary provides this theological definition of grace: "The unmerited love and favor of God toward human beings; divine influence acting in a person to make the person pure, morally strong; the condition of a person brought to God's favor through this influence; a special virtue, gift, or help given to a person by God."

God's Grace and Mercy

In Christianity, God's grace and God's mercy are often confused. Although they are similar expressions of his favor and love, they possess a clear distinction. When we experience God's grace, we receive favor that we do not deserve. When we experience God's mercy, we are spared punishment that we do deserve.

Amazing Grace

God's grace is truly amazing. Not only does it provide for our salvation, it enables us to live an abundant life in Jesus Christ:

2 Corinthians 9:8
And God is able to make all grace abound to you so that having all sufficiency in all things at all times, you may abound in every good work. (ESV)

God's grace is available to us at all times, for every problem and need we face. God's grace frees us from slavery to sin, guilt, and shame. God's grace allows us to pursue good works. God's grace enables us to be all that God intends us to be. God's grace is amazing indeed.

Examples of Grace in the Bible

John 1:16-17
For from his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace. For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. (ESV)

Romans 3:23-24
... for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus ... (ESV)

Romans 6:14
For sin will have no dominion over you, since you are not under law but under grace. (ESV)

Ephesians 2:8
For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God ... (ESV)

Titus 2:11
For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people ... (ESV)

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What Does God's Grace Mean to Christians?

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Learn about the meaning of God's grace in Christianity, plus see examples of the word used in the Bible.

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by Kirsi Stjerna 2016

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excerpt from "Third Things" by Geoffrey Butler

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excerpt from "Third Things" by Geoffrey Butler

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pedagogy of the heart - a Lutheran educator's perspective.

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I'm blogging with the lectionary this year, and this week's reading comes from Matthew 20:1-16:

For the kingdom of heaven is like a landowner who went out early in the morning to hire laborers for his vineyard. After agreeing with the laborers for the usual daily wage, he sent them into his vineyard.

When he went out about nine o'clock, he saw others standing idle in the marketplace; and he said to them, 'You also go into the vineyard, and I will pay you whatever is right.' So they went. When he went out again about noon and about three o'clock, he did the same. And about five o'clock he went out and found others standing around; and he said to them, 'Why are you standing here idle all day?' They said to him, 'Because no one has hired us.' He said to them, 'You also go into the vineyard.'

When evening came, the owner of the vineyard said to his manager, 'Call the laborers and give them their pay, beginning with the last and then going to the first.' When those hired about five o'clock came, each of them received the usual daily wage. Now when the first came, they thought they would receive more; but each of them also received the usual daily wage. And when they received it, they grumbled against the landowner, saying, 'These last worked only one hour, and you have made them equal to us who have borne the burden of the day and the scorching heat.'

But he replied to one of them, 'Friend, I am doing you no wrong; did you not agree with me for the usual daily wage? Take what belongs to you and go; I choose to give to this last the same as I give to you. Am I not allowed to do what I choose with what belongs to me? Or are you envious because I am generous?' So the last will be first, and the first will be last."

In Matthew's account, Jesus tells this story right after the apostle Peter demands, "We have left everything to follow you! What's in it for us?" and just before the mother of James and John requests special privileges for her sons, who have "borne the burdens of the day" by joining Jesus in his ministry. So we may rightly understand this parable as a gentle rebuke to the disciples regarding their ongoing tangle over who will reap the most prestige in the Messiah's new Kingdom, one they still imagined comes complete with money, glory, and power.
This isn't that sort of Kingdom, Jesus says with this parable. You don't earn your way to the top. There is no top.
But there's even more at work in this story when we pay attention to the details.

Notice that the landowner finds his workers in the marketplace. This means that whether they arrived early in the morning or late in the afternoon, all were looking for work. All were tapped on the shoulder and recruited to the vineyards by a micromanaging landowner who just keeps on coming back...and back...and back to hire the people no one else wanted. Anyone who wants work will get work, even if they show up late, even if they stumble into the marketplace tired, hungover, uncertain, or sick, even if no one else wants them. This isn't about being qualified; it's about being called. It's about being invited to join in the work, if just for a few dusky hours.

Notice too that the landowner pays a fair day's wages. No one in this story is deprived or shortchanged. What scandalizes the workers who arrived early to the vineyard isn't that they are cheated by the landowner but that their coworkers benefit from his generosity without earning it. Funny how something good can suddenly seem like less simply because it is shared. It's such a universal and familiar reaction it's hard not to see ourselves in it, particularly those of us who operate within a culture that idolizes success and self-sufficiency, where even gifts are expected to be deserved.
This isn't that sort of Kingdom, Jesus is saying. It's not about the pay; it's about the work. You don't pull yourself up by your boostraps; you simply take my hand.
And here we get to the punchline of the parable: "Am I not allowed to do what I choose with what belongs to me?" asks the landowner. "Or are you envious because I am generous?

Are you envious because I am generous? Let that question soak down to the marrow.

Really, this parable isn't about the workers. It's about landowner. This is God's Vineyard, God's table, God's Kingdom and God's world. We don't make the invitation list and we don't dole out the gifts. And it's a good thing too because no doubt we would try to make it all fair. No doubt we'd make sure everyone got what they deserved. But God isn't fair. God is irrationally and irresponsibly generous. His mercies are infinite, offensive, new every morning.

We think the miracle is that our coworkers get to share in the reward, but the miracle is that any of us get to share in the work. The miracle is that God comes to the marketplace, pulls us out, hands us shovels and baskets and clippers, and puts us to work. If we want in on this Kingdom, if we want in on this work, we best set aside our small notions of what it means to deserve, what it means to be fair, and what it means to earn. Because what makes God's grace offensive isn't who it leaves out, but who it lets in...starting with you and me. Fair's got nothing to do with it.

We serve at the pleasure of a generous master; there is plenty of good work to do. So let's do it.
What makes this the kingdom of God is not the worthiness or piety or social justicey-ness or the hard work of the laborers...none of that matters. It's the fact that the landowner couldn't manage to keep out of the marketplace. He goes back and back and back, interrupting lives...coming to get his people. Grace tapping us on the shoulder...And so, I reminded those seven pastors specifically, including the man who introduced me to grace, that the kingdom of God was just like that exact moment in which sinners/saints are reconciled to God and to one another...In the end, their calling, and their value in the kingdom of God comes not from the approval of a denomination or of the other works, but in their having been come-and-gotten by God. It is the pure and unfathomable mercy of a God that defines them and that says, 'pay attention, this is for you."
In her marvelous book Pastrix, Nadia Bolz-Weber writes about preaching from this passage to a group of Luthern pastors at an event honoring those gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender clergy that had previously been denied ordination in the ELCA because of their sexuality. Not wanting her sermon to veer into progressive self-congratulations-"We've been last, but now we get to be first [fist pump]!"-Nadia focused too on the landowner:

We have been come-and-gotten by God. So let's stop looking at one another to decide whether everything's fair and in-control and safe.

Because it's not. Not even close.

Instead, let's get to work.

P.S. Another great quote from Pastrix we've been discussing on the Facebook page is this one: "Grace isn't about God creating humans as flawed beings and then acting all hurt when we inevitably fail and then stepping in like the hero to grant us grace--like saying 'Oh, it's OK, I'll be a good guy and forgive you.' It's God saying, 'I love the world too much to let your sin define you and be the final word. I am a God who makes all things new.'"

In response, Kay wrote: "We visited a church recently where the pastor asked us to turn to each other and say, "I don't deserve God's love." Andy turned to me, saw my face, and said, "You're not going to say that, are you?" "Nope," I said. Not because it's not true, but because it's not The Truth. It's not the Gospel. Me being undeserving is just the set-up for the real Story, the Deeper Magic like CS Lewis said. There is this great redemption that has nothing to do with what I deserve and don't deserve. There's this Love that obliterates every sin. That's the Story. That's The Truth."

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I'm blogging with the lectionary this year, and this week's reading comes from Matthew 20:1-16: For the kingdom of heaven is like a landowner who went out early in the morning to hire laborers for his vineyard.

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What’s important

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