Subject description

Spiritualities, Religion, and Meaning is a 10‑credit or 20‑credit subject at Stage 1.

Australia is a land of many spiritualities and religions. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander spiritualities are at least 65,000 years old, forming part of the oldest continuous cultures on the planet. Since Australia was colonised in the late 18th century, spiritualities and religions have arrived with many different groups of migrants, making this country one of the most multicultural and religiously diverse in the world. 

While their definitions are widely contested, spirituality and religion both invite engagement with the transcendent, and provide meaning, purpose, and a sense of belonging. Spiritualities and religions can inform an individual’s identity, as well as their interconnection with creation.

In this subject, teachers and students use one or more ‘big ideas’ to frame inquiry questions; to explore issues, concepts, and ideas; and to reflect on personal and shared meaning within one or more spiritualities and/or religions. 

At Stage 1, students develop and demonstrate their understanding of the influence of spiritual and/or religious perspectives on a local, national, or global community, by engaging with one or more images, artefacts, texts, documentaries, or feature films. They collaborate with others to develop, apply, and reflect on their understanding of some spiritual and/or religious principles that underpin social‑justice actions within the school or broader community; and they investigate a contemporary issue linked to one of the big ideas.