Religion and the secular sacred in the Australian public sphere: a media analysis of the Australian Broadcasting Corporation's (ABC) Q&A program

Up until the 11 September 2001 terrorist attacks in the United States, before religion was thrust into the public gaze, religion has received little attention in the media and academia. This lack of attention given to religion was because of a particular view of secularisation that believed religion will decline in social relevance. Since the attack, however, religion has become embroiled in discussions related to terrorism, politics, security and gender.  While religion has received significant coverage in news media, Australian Census data continue to demonstrate that the nation's main religion, Christianity, is on the decline. Concurrently, research has persistently reported mixed understandings about beliefs and attitudes towards religion in the nation. This thesis suggests that the above contradiction is present because of a limited understanding about religion. It considers that religion needed to be examined from a broader sociological perspective. This was informed by a new and recent sociological consideration of the sacred as a non-negotiable value present in religious and secular forms. Recently, scholars of religion have argued that religion needs to be examined in its mediated articulations. A broadened approach was taken towards the definition of religion and where religion is viewed as a spectrum. This thesis examined religious changes in Australia through a study of sociocultural discussions on the Australian Broadcasting Corporation's Q&A television discussion program using quantitative and qualitative methods. Findings show that certain perspectives about religion frequently emerged on the program, where religion was predominantly perceived through specific interpretations of Christianity and defined by certain gender, class and religious associations. Evidences of inter- and intra-religious diversity were present but more subtly embedded within discussions.