The University of Sydney has recently announced that it is considering closing its religious studies department; a decision that comes off the back of major cuts to government funded universities, and a doubling of the cost to study degrees in the humanities. This closure, however, is not the first of its kind. Opportunities for Australians to pursue theology and religious studies at the tertiary level are shrinking, and many are looking to overseas institutions as a result. If this trend continues, it won’t take long for Australia to lose its ability to meaningfully contribute to global and local religious thought.

Enrolment in religious studies has always been comparatively low, even before the rise in degree price. In 2018, the faculty of Theology and Philosophy at the Australian Catholic University saw a total of 1,310 enrolments across their seven national campuses. The faculty of Education and Arts, on the other hand, saw 11,517. This discrepancy is felt in the lecture room, as many theology units are attended primarily by teaching students completing the requirements for working in Catholic schools. As for the secular University of Sydney, religious studies units were available only through a Bachelor of Arts, following the more anthropological tradition of studies of religion — as opposed to the typically faith based tradition of theology.
Although it may be easier to understand why a secular university is more willing to liquidate its religion department than a religious university, the fact that very few public universities in Australia offer a PhD in theology or religion indicates that this is a problem that transcends the divide between religious and secular universities. This is a problem of a lack of forward thinking that stems from the misplaced priorities of Australia as a whole.
The current government has made no attempt to hide the fact that it views investing in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Maths) as more lucrative for the Australian economy than the humanities. While this is ultimately the driving force behind cuts to funding, the culpability for reacting to these cuts by terminating studies of religion lies with universities. The closure of an entire faculty not only affects students, but narrows the job market for academics who are already short on opportunities.
In Australia, there are few avenues open for religious study graduates who are not looking to go into ministry or pastoral care; the predominant option being academia and research. Further limiting these by closing academic faculties decreases the research coming out of Australian institutions, incentivising religious thinkers to invest their expertise in other countries. Fortunately for them, and unfortunately for Australia, there are many which do see the value in religious study.
Universities across Europe and America are still seeing steady enrolments into world-class religious study programs. Closer to home, the University of Otago in New Zealand offers a theology PhD programme, which a number of my theology teaching assistants opted to undertake remotely. The diversity of topics covered by current candidates is indicative of the broad application of theological studies, but what is particularly unique is the prevalence of Maori and Pacific Island theology, indicating that Australia is missing an opportunity to enrich its own Indigenous theology.
'Treating studies of religion as disposable dismisses the constructive influence religions have on conflict, legislation and community relations. Religious studies provides people with the tools and knowledge needed to engage in these areas and fosters a sense of individual and collective morality.'
The tertiary level is designed to promote change and innovation. If there is no tertiary level, there is no growth in our understanding of global religious systems, and no emerging individuals who possess critical thinking skills and historical knowledge of these systems. Without these individuals, there’s a risk that religious institutions will become more insular, regressive, disconnected and, most disastrously, unchecked.
This is because religious studies is not just the abstract study of religion. It is the study of culture and the nature of existence. Theology directly created both mathematics and science out of the desire to explore religious concepts through different models and language. Religious study fosters skills in reason, argumentation, ethics, intercultural dialogue and critical reflection, and there is just as much reading, writing and textual analysis as any English degree. Theology is the oldest university subject — the first universities were created by European Christian monks in the Middle Ages for the purpose of examining religion at a deeper level. This is not an area of study that can, or should, just be forgotten.
Treating studies of religion as disposable dismisses the constructive influence religions have on conflict, legislation and community relations. Religious studies provides people with the tools and knowledge needed to engage in these areas and fosters a sense of individual and collective morality. Religious studies programs have the potential to produce graduates who are equipped to positively engage in charity and advocacy, as well as interreligious dialogue and relations.
But being aware of the wider value of religious studies is not enough. The reality is, recent high school graduates are not going to invest their time and money into studying religion only to be left without career options upon graduation. As a result, those who are concerned about the prospect of being jobless never pursue theology, while those who are dedicated enough to pursue it are left with limited employment prospects. This then results in both low enrolment and fewer qualified staff, and so the faculty is the first to go when funding is cut.
None of this is unknown to those who are doing the cutting. Scott Morrison himself even considered studying post-graduate theology in Canada, but the need for a steady job won out. But if the primary concern of Australian institutions is immediate return, not long-term cultural and moral enrichment, theology and religious studies is only going to continue on this downward trajectory.
This trajectory can only be diverted through innovative thinking. This starts by looking to the ways other countries are flourishing through their contributions in the humanities, with religious study being the meeting point of sociology, anthropology, philosophy and art. Australia as a whole must begin look to the far future, and the best way to do this is by learning from the past.
Caolan Ware is currently studying a double degree in Theology and Philosophy at ACU. His primary concern as a writer and academic is the integration of political philosophy and Studies of Religion.
Main image: Empty auditorium (Nathan Dumlao/Unsplash)