Till death do us part … but we’re keeping God out of it
Tying the knot may be back in fashion — Bureau of Statistics figures say 2008 was Australia’s biggest year for marriage since 1989 — but fewer people are choosing to recite their vows within the context of an organised religion. October 2009 figures from the NSW Attorney-General show around 17,000 civil weddings compared with 9,000 religious weddings for the year to date; a continuation of a trend that’s been growing since civil nuptials first outnumbered religious ceremonies in 2002.
In previous generations, religious marriages were the order of the day; that’s just the way things were done, even if the bride and groom weren’t particularly religious. Apart from giving couples the chance to align their wedding ceremony more closely with their values, the trend towards civil marriage appears to reflect Aussie society’s steady movement away from organised religion. Census datareveal that the number of non-religious Australians rose from 12.9 per cent in 1991 to 16.6 per cent in 1996. There was a slight reversal in 2001, when the percentage slid to 15.5, but the trend resumed in 2006, with a figure of 18.7 per cent.
According to the 2006 Census, this puts non-religious Australians neck-and-neck with those who ticked the ‘Anglican’ box on their Census question — and Anglicanism is the nation’s second largest religious denomination. (Incidentally, I find it ironic that politicians like Kevin Rudd and Joe Hockey are speaking up about religious beliefs in an era when fewer constituents profess to have any of their own. But I digress…)
It seems that for a significant and increasing number of Aussies, the dream of being ‘happy ever after’ does not extend to what — if anything — lies beyond the pearly gates!
Fiona Marsden is a freelance writer based in Melbourne, Australia. Fiona specialises in writing holistic health and wellbeing features for print and online publications. She also provides copywriting/editing services and strategic communications advice to organisations in fields including complementary health care, property and finance. For information on her professional services see www.healthierwealthierwiser.com.au. Or visit her blog at www.writlarge.com.au
