This unit explores the history of the Catholic Church in Australia in the following topics: earliest contact with Terra Australis via European exploration in the 16th-18th centuries; the first permanent, originally lay led community in Sydney; Catholic personalities, spiritual styles and cultures; the foundation of the episcopal hierarchy in 1842 and its extension across the continent; key 19th century issues of the clash of visions between the English-led Benedictines and the Irish secular clergy, the role of Roman decision-making in the resolution of these conflicts and the education question; Catholic participation in 20th century debates surrounding labour controversies, war, conscription, Irish nationalism, the depression and communism; the Church’s relationship with non-Catholic traditions, first sectarianism and then ecumenism; the transformation of the social face of Catholicism under the impact of the Second Vatican Council, post-world war two mass migration and secularisation.
Unit Code: CH9202C
Points: 24.0
Unit Level: Postgraduate Elective
Unit Discipline: Church History
Delivery Mode: Face to Face
Proposing College: Catholic Theological College
Show when this Unit is running| 1. | Situate the history of the Catholic Church in Australia within the context of the wider developments in Australian society |
| 2. | Assess the key themes and personalities that helped shape the growth of the Church in Australia from early colonial times. |
| 3. | Trace the origin of many of the debates in Australian public life that often revolved around the place of religion in society |
| 4. | Interpret the various documents of Church teaching within the context of Australian Catholic history. |
| 5. | Evaluate the distinctive place of religion within the wider context of Australian history. |
| 6. | Analyse and interpret both primary and secondary sources in a critical fashion and demonstrate competence in the methodologies and conventions of advanced research in the discipline of history |
Lectures, seminars and site visits
| Type | Description | Wordcount | Weight (%) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Seminar or Tutorial | 1,000 word seminar paper |
100 | 20.0 |
| Essay | 5,000 word essay |
5000 | 50.0 |
| Written Examination | One hour documents examination (1,000 words) |
1000 | 30.0 |
Unit approved for the University of Divinity by John Capper on 20 Jul, 2017
Unit Record last updated: 2019-10-17 16:42:08 +1100