Brief:
The proportions of Australians identifying themselves as Christian is in decline. But is there much difference between the capital cities and outside the capital cities? Are the rural areas the heartland for the Christian faith, or are they too in decline? There are many rural churches struggling, but is this because of declining populations and a lack of ordained clergy, or are other factors having an impact? Analysis of the 2006 Census data and the 2006 National Church Life Survey throws some light on the trends across the nation.
Description:
Authors: Phillip Hughes, Ruth Powell, Sam Sterland
Citation:
Hughes, P., Powell, R., & Sterland, S., (2007) The Christian Faith in Rural Australia. NCLS Research Occasional Paper 09. Sydney: NCLS Research.