Introduction - Christianity in the lead up to an election

It is January 2007. There will be a federal election in Australia this year¹.

The role of Christian people, groups and ideas has been a growing topic of consideration in the last few years in Australia, from the emergence of the Family First party at the last Federal election, to all the commentary about the faith of the leader of the Federal opposition, to general concerns about the rise of the religious right in Australia and it's influence on politics.

In this blog I aim to thoughtfully consider and promote discussion on a range of these issues as they arise in the lead up to the election. I also aim to examine the ideologies of the main parties in Australia and their key policies, as they are announced, and consider a Christian response to them - and more broadly, a Christian response to the whole sphere of Government.

In the interests of an open and honest discourse, I'll put my position on the line now at the start: I'm a Christian. I attend a Christian church in Canberra and work for the Australian Public Service. Combining these two areas of my life, I have a strong interest in how Christianity interacts with politics and Government in Australia.

My impression is that the inter-relationship between Christianity and Government in Australia is often over-simplified in the media or presented as some spectre that 'ordinary Australians' should be afraid of. On the flip-side, it seems to be assumed that all Christians will have much the same socially conservative response to key issues in Australia, particularly ethical issues.

I believe that politics and religion are complex topics in their own rights, and no less so when taken together. It should be an interesting journey - travelling through these various debates, world-views and theologies: I look forward to sharing it with you over the coming year.

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1. Theoretically, it could be held very early next year, by 19 January, but that is highly unlikely.