Local Christian Life

Local Christian Life cross

The Contribution of Christianity to Society in Australia

The contribution of Christianity to Australian society ranges from small, local actions of individuals and churches, to the work of major national institutions.

The Impacts of Christianity on Society

We often talk about what Christianity means to us as individuals and how our faith impacts on our own lives and choices. But the effects of Christianity on society are also worthy of consideration, particularly at a time when Christianity is not always well regarded in our wider society. In this article, we’ll explore the question “What are the impacts of Christianity on society?”

The contribution of Christianity to society ranges from small, local actions of individual Christians and local churches, to the work of major national institutions, and the positive effects of Christianity through helping shape our shared moral and ethical beliefs. Australia would not be the society that it is today without Christianity’s input.

Why is Christianity Important to Society?

Local Church Communities

First, Christianity provides warm, welcoming, caring local church communities in towns and villages, cities and suburbs the length and breadth of Australia. In those church communities, people have the opportunity to explore faith and spirituality, share in the life of a loving, supporting community and be cared for through major life moments such as births, marriages, death and serious illness. Even if the importance of the church in society is only measured on this basis, it is enough.

contribution of christianity to society

Social and Cultural Practices and Beliefs

Along with the work of those local church communities though, the impact of Christianity on society extends to significant social and cultural practices and beliefs. Modern Australia is appropriately described as a multi-cultural and secular society, but its Christian heritage and roots have helped shape its core democratic identity, even today.

Christianity, at its best, champions and demonstrates values such as justice, human rights, peacemaking, love and mercy. Christianity, at its best, stands against evils such as corruption, violence and abuse. These ethical and moral principles have contributed to our modern Australian society. The very commitment of our society and government to care for those most vulnerable, for example, could be said to have been inherited from the Christian faith.

The ethical and moral principles that Christianity supports and proclaims are demonstrated in the life of Jesus Christ and in biblical teaching to love our neighbours, care for widows and orphans, practice generosity, and even balance work and rest with regular Sabbath days. These “big-picture” principles are one of the most important contributions of Christianity to society, and they’re one of the strengths of modern Australia. For more, check out our in-depth exploration of Christian beliefs and values.

"Christian heritage and roots have helped shape Australia's core identity."

Practical Care

Physical Support

impact of christianity on society

When considering the benefits of Christianity in society, one particular contribution stands out: the ways in which Christians and Christian churches extend care to the poor and marginalised. While many other people and organisations also contribute, the Church is almost always at the forefront regarding issues such as responding to homelessness, providing financial assistance and food relief, or being present in situations of emergency and disaster. This is true for large Church organisations such as The Salvation Army, St Vincent de Paul or UnitingCare, and for local churches in communities across Australia.

Family Support

This is true too in community service areas such as aged care, disability care, youth and family support and so on. The positive effects of Christianity in terms of helping our society provide practical care are widely acknowledged. Government bodies simply could not provide the level of caring services Australia needs without the co-contribution of the Christian church.

Global Support

Christianity also reaches beyond Australian shores to provide similar support in neighbouring countries through a range of projects addressing clean water projects, health, education and so on.

Charitable giving and practical care are not by any means the sole purview of Christians. Many Australians are committed to support, care and nurture – but the church is almost always on the front lines. Some evidence suggests Christians are up to twice as likely as non-Christians to contribute with time, energy and resources to charitable works of care and support.

Pastoral Care and Chaplaincy

A significant contribution of Christianity to society is in the area of caring for one another in difficult moments. Along with the actions of individual Christians, denominations and para-church organisations provide and fund both paid and volunteer chaplaincy and pastoral care services to the Australian community.

Chaplains are trained and supported by their denomination and local church and are in place to provide care, nurture and support to Australians in difficult times. Many Australians – no matter their religious views or affiliations – will have encountered the caring benefits of Christianity in society through a chaplain. Chaplains are present for Australians in a range of settings including:

  • Schools and universities
  • Hospitals and aged care centres (whether public or private)
  • Emergency services such as
  • Police, Fire and Ambulance
  • Australian Defence Force
  • Workplaces
  • Sporting clubs and community groups
  • Disaster recovery after bushfires, floods, cyclones or droughts
why is christianity important to society

Schools and Education

Education is a significant and growing contribution of Christianity to society. Approx 35% of school students in Australia are now educated in non-Government schools (and 90% of those are in some manner of religious schools).

Parents choose Christian schools for a range of reasons, including faith, ethics, discipline, quality of education and the school’s capacity to develop their students. Noted outcomes of Christian schooling can include high-quality education, together with high rates of civic participation post-school. For more on why parents choose Christian schools for their students, check out our article here.

The Church also provides residential colleges that are home to many Australian university students through a significant time in their lives. These residences are sometimes on-campus, and sometimes hosted in local communities by local churches. The intent of churches providing University residences is a safe, affordable home for uni students founded on Christian principles.

Challenges and Failures

While we want to name the many contributions of Christianity to society, we also acknowledge that the church has not always behaved in ways that are right, helpful or good.

Sexual Abuse

The sexual abuse of children in the care of Church institutions and the church’s response to such abuse, for example, is shameful and completely unacceptable. As with other community organisations, the extent of this evil has been revealed to the church in recent years through the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse. Churches are working hard to make amends for past failings and ensure this behaviour can’t be repeated. New and strengthened child-safe systems and practices are in use in many churches across Australia.

Historical Involvement

The church also played a part in national failures such as the ‘stolen children’ period in which Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children were removed from their families under the then-government policy. Most churches support the federal government’s 2008 National Apology to the children and families impacted by this policy, and many are also working to strengthen their relationships with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people.

Differing Viewpoints

There are also areas where the theology and beliefs of some parts of the Christian church are at odds with wider social views. Areas such as gender and sexuality, for example, remain one in which some churches and denominations hold different views than the wider society. While there may be an ongoing discussion about those beliefs from a theological perspective, nonetheless it is fair to acknowledge that the behaviour and beliefs of some Christian churches may cause harm, particularly to young people.

Many Australians also find it difficult to reconcile Christian beliefs around issues such as hell, condemnation, suffering, evil or even the validity of the bible with their own views. There can be the perception of hypocrisy too regarding the behaviour of church leaders and members when it comes to living out core Christian values such as grace, love, justice, mercy and forgiveness.

The church is not (by any means) a perfect institution, and Christians are not perfect people. It has and does fail, and ought to both correct its behaviours and seek forgiveness when it becomes aware of those failures and the harm they can cause.

importance of church in society

While we acknowledge those challenges, it remains the case that the contribution of Christianity to society in building a stronger, more resilient, healthier society is significant. Individual and community spiritual health, encouraging ethical frameworks, and a commitment to service and justice are hallmarks of Christianity at its best. To dive more deeply into the practical implications of this, check out our story on the role of the Christian church in Australia today.

Scott-Guyatt-writer for Local Christian Life
Scott Guyatt is a writer, speaker, trainer, and facilitator who has served the church in Australia for more than two decades. Scott’s experience includes helping the church explore mission, discipleship and leadership practices in local communities across the country.

Latest Blog Posts