The polarization of faith and politics
16th April 2006
Just came across an opinion piece from the Sydney Morning Herald that warns Australia against following the polarization of faith and politics that has taken place in the United States and a recommendation for Australians to strike a balance between the separation of church and state on the one hand and the integration of moral values and public policy on the other. In so doing, the article, which is co-written by Tim Costello, and Jim Wallis suggests politicians will be able to help satisfy “the two greatest hungers in the world today [which] are for spiritual integrity on the one hand and for social justice on the other”. Tim Costello is the chief executive of World Vision Australia, who is also a Baptist minister as well as brother of Australian Liberal Party Deputy Leader and Treasurer Peter Costello. Some choice passages:
It is crucial that religion be ideologically free and non-partisan, maintaining moral independence to critique both the left and the right.
After all, religion does not have a monopoly on morality. The issue is not whether a political leader or party has a personal faith but whether they have a moral compass.
The article goes on to suggest that the marrying of right wing politics with faith and religion has clouded the public morality reducing it to big “hot-button” issues such as abortion and gay marriage. Read the rest of this entry »
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