West's history not complete without reference to Christianity

That's the whole point. Liberalism as practised in the 21st century is wholly secular and wholly pluralistic - we don't need to rely on theology to justify universal suffrage or individual freedom.

And, of course, understanding the importance of Christianity in the development of Western thought does not mean we are required to design policy according to conservative Christian values.

Religious arguments for policy should be taken with the same grain of salt as other policy arguments.

The Prime Minister clearly doesn't want Australian kids to read the Bible out of some evangelical fervour. Teaching children about Christianity is not the same as teaching them to be Christians.

Just as the history of the Middle East can't be understood without Islam, the history of Western Civilisation can't be taught without reference to the West's dominant religion.