Christianity and its defence in New South Wales circa 1880 to 1890

Abstract

Christianity in New South Wales in the 1880s was supported by a minority of the population. Widespread religious indifference, militant secularism and scepticism and the secularisation of public life confronted churchmen during this decade. They attempted vigorously to overcome religious indifference, to defend the relevance and reasonableness of Christianity and to assert its authority in political life. But their efforts made little impact on religious indifference. Their response to the challenges of contemporary thought had but slight effect on scepticism, although it enabled Christians to adjust their faith to the climate of the age. But churchmen largely failed to identify Christianity with the struggle of the working classes. They were unable to maintain the authority of Christianity in the political sphere and unsuccessful in their attempts to gain increased recognition for Christianity in national life. Yet the colony remained nominally Christian, and the state still afforded some protection to Christianity.