Generational religious change among the Arrernte at Hermannsburg, central Australia

Abstract

This paper traces the introduction of Christian ideas to the Arrernte at Hermannsburg and how Arrernte attitudes towards Christianity changed over a generation from the 1890s to the 1920s. It compares the first generation of Arrernte to encounter Christianity with their children's generation, a number of whom became Christian evangelists. Under the guidance of these evangelists many Arrernte were baptised. We consider why these evangelists succeeded in bringing an acceptance of Christianity to the wider mission community where earlier Lutheran missionaries had only influenced children, young adults and very few mature adults.