Onward Christian voters

There are also various resources from groups with a particular mission, or axe to grind. Examples include Micah Challenge, which has a Report Card on policies to address poverty; the Australian Prayer Network, which convened a 28-day prayer campaign ending on November 24; the Murrumbeena Baptist Church in Victoria, whose members put together an astonishingly detailed Christian Issues Checklist; and the Australian Evangelical Alliance, which offers a valuable selection of articles and reflections on politics and faith, public theology and values as they relate to the upcoming federal election.

If variety and passion are Christian virtues, the people behind these diverse resources are definitely virtuous. Together, all these surveys and publications demonstrate the vitality (some would say virility) of Australian Christian political engagement, and demolish the spurious argument that Christianity and politics, like oil and water, don’t mix. On the other hand, given the enormous effort involved, it is debatable whether these attempts to educate the electorate or sway voter opinion in the lead-up to the 2007 federal election actually worked. Certainly we cannot plead lack of information or advice.

More troubling is the fundamental ideological gulf that exists between certain sections of the Christian Church. If a religious “Left” and a religious “Right” are operating in Australia, there is evidence in these surveys of its shape. But, as I have argued elsewhere, I think it is a mistake to impose wholesale the party and cultural distinctives of United States politics on our domestic situation. Australian public sentiment is more nuanced, less politically partisan and less prone to being duped by vacuous marketing hype.

I expect that some of this Christian commentary and analysis either changed or reinforced voter intention. Intensive Christian interest and focus on public policy is good for the democratic process, good for the churches, and - I would hope - good for the less fortunate and marginalised among us.

But if you’re thinking that the Christian churches and agencies have served up too much conflicting and confusing commentary and analysis in the lead-up to the 2007 federal election, and really must do better next time, I’d be inclined to say, “Me too”.