120 SPRING

PERSPECTIVES 2013

PETER CORNEY JIM REIHER PAUL RICHARDSON

ZADOK 120 SPRING 2013

Xiaoli Yang

Carolyn Vimpani Carolyn

poetry Charles Ringma Jean Sietzema-Dickson Reflection Rain The Challenges of Cultural Cultural of Challenges The J Mouw Richard Lincoln Spielberg Steven by Directed Wisdom Ancient the Hear Chimes Cold of Death Discipleship ANNUAL SUBSCRIPTIONS (incl GST): Perspectives magazine $70 p.a. or add Ethos’ Equip and Papers is membership an additional $50 p.a. Zadok for $275 p.a. Perspectives and Ethos membership now use $130 p.a. & reference library for Papers institutions see www.ethos.org.au. non-reference For appr. 100005614 0810-9796 Print Post ISSN ABN 17 344 821 411 is the quarterly journal of ZADOK PERSPECTIVES is the quarterly journal of Society, Christianity and for Ethos: EA Centre PHONE: (03) 9890 0633 Hill 3128 175, Box PO Box WEB: www.ethos.org.au EMAIL: [email protected] help God’s To STATEMENT: ETHOS MISSION biblically in their personal, people live scattered and political relationships community working, and informed modelling civil engagement through publications and forums. through Christian dialogue in articles expressed Views POLICY: EDITORIAL Use Ethos Centre’s. the not necessarily or ads are Articles, articles only with editor’s permission. of the by welcomed are and reviews letters poetry, to encouraged are and reviewers editor. Authors Style Manual. obtain the updated Zadok EDITOR: COMMISSIONING BOARD: EDITORIAL [email protected] Preece Gordon Mick Pope Janet Down, EDITOR: COORDINATING Cronshaw. Darren (reviews), Eymeren, Van CHAIR: Andre ETHOS BOARD: Preece, Gordon Di Brown, VICE CHAIR: Brian Edgar, Denise Cooper-Clarke. Gale, Lindsay [Creative] Bluefish DESIGN: Redfish Openbook Howden PRINT:

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IN THIS IN THIS ISSUE... S W VIE readings columns RE Evangelicalism? of End The E Fitch David World the Change To Politics with Purpose with Politics Tanner Lindsay Provocations: Provocations: Everyday Spirituality: Spirituality: Everyday Editorial Preece Gordon James Davison Hunter James Davison Beyond the ballot box ballot the Beyond good news the and Politics: the bad news bad the Politics: failed failed that A revolution off take to Richardson Paul Why do some Why Green? Christians vote Jim Reiher Peter Corney Peter The future of The future in a post democracy Christian world Paul Tyson Paul Alison Sampson

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2 2 EDITORIAL

The Choice: Rudd’s Bonhoeffer Bonfire or Abbott’s Amnesia About Catholic Social Thought?

Gordon Preece critique of Lutheran Two Kingdoms key parts (albeit coerced by Gillard and theology with its split between the Swan), became his albatross. Here he personal life of faith in the spiritual makes the famous statement about hen self-proclaimed Kingdom and the political life of the climate change as ‘the fundamental ‘God-botherer’ worldly Kingdom. Rather than focusing ethical challenge of our time’, which politicians publicly on privatised issues, Bonhoeffer wanted has become a political football: the nail their colours to a Church engaged ‘in the middle of carbon tax was temporarily shelved; the Christian mast, the village’. Implicit in this is the then Gillard promised not to have Wthey’re almost inevitably hoisted on problem of how Christian politicians one; now Rudd has advanced carbon their own petard. So it gives me no or citizens theologically engage the trading by one year. It is still the great pleasure to examine PM Kevin Rudd’s village marketplace or agora, à la Paul in moral issue of our time, demanding current policies in the light of his boldly Athens, when the market has mastered a courageous, long-term, sacrificial, Luther-esque ‘Here I Stand’ 2006 article and muzzled the conversations of town prudential and bipartisan approach, on Bonhoeffer, now found in my and Ian hall, cathedral and philosophers’ stoa. the equivalent of the World War II Packer’s edited Bonhoeffer Downunder Rudd next sets Bonhoeffer in emergency – but without the violence. (www.atfpress.com). Christian history, with the early (My friend Mark Nation’s new book Rudd’s title, ‘Faith in Politics’, is persecuted church of oppressed shows that Bonhoeffer, was not party to a revealingly unintended double- outsiders before, under Emporer the assassination of Hitler – something entendre. Is it the role of relatively Constantine, they often became Rudd’s new rules re Labor keeping its independent faith in politics, or is it faith persecuting insiders. He sees the church elected leaders has ensured will not in politics itself, politics as pseudo-faith returning to its minority status in the happen again to him). or religion? When planning the 2006 past 200+ years of rising secularism. Guy Rundle, like Robert Manne, once Bonhoeffer centenary conference in This is the natural, default setting for keen on Rudd’s Bonhoeffer platform, Melbourne, I’d seen a line from Rudd Christians, with the prophets; the Jesus rightly said that ‘the degree to which claiming Bonhoeffer as his hero, along who challenged hypocritical religious Bonhoeffer has become someone with his photo in the Zadok office as part leaders; with Bonhoeffer, ‘the Thomas to quote back at Rudd has been of our public servants network. The new More of Protestantism’; and with Labor remarkable’. He did it himself, saying Labor opposition leader, appointed at icon Ben Chifley and his biblical ‘Light that Rudd on Afghanistan was more Billy least partly to neutralise John Howard’s on the Hill’ image. Hughes than Bonhoeffer, the people stranglehold over much of the 10% or The broad brush of Rudd paints smuggler (http://tinyurl.com/luth3t7/). so Christian vote, was a shoo-in as after- Bonhoeffer alongside the Roman Rundle’s Arena colleague, Geoff Sharp, dinner speaker. This speech became Catholic social tradition, (the one Tony asked prophetically in ‘Christian values Rudd’s influential Monthly article in Abbott has amnesia about), balancing and Kevin Rudd’s wedge’, (Arena October 2006 charting an alternative the rights of labor and capital, rather Magazine, Feb. 2007), ‘Can Rudd’s Bonhoefferian and Christian Socialist than just being concerned with a narrow ethics survive the day-to-day demands politics ‘from below’. set of mainly sexual, moral issues of politics?’ i.e. the 24/7 news cycle, For ‘Bonhoeffer is the man I admire and family values (the one Abbott the 24/7 Kevin mythology and the dire most in the 20th century. He was a man remembers). For Bonhoeffer, the Gospel electoral position he’s inherited. of faith … a man of reason … a man is both spiritual and political, inspiring Even I couldn’t resist using Bon- of letters. He was never a nationalist, a comprehensively inclusive socio- hoeffer to measure Rudd’s policies, but always an internationalist’. The economic polity and vision. trying to apply both sides of Bonhoeffer, affinities are obvious, but I’ll focus on For Rudd this leads to a values compared to some one-sided Christian measuring his policies by this original conflict between the progressive social reactions to gay marriage. ‘Rudd might Bonhoeffer platform, not joining Rudd’s democratic vision of Bonhoeffer plus the also ask regarding gay marriage, WWBD? pop-psychoanalyists. (Not only Labor Christian Socialism of his other Christian i.e., “What would Bonhoeffer do?”, faction leaders and cabinet character hero, British Labor founder, Keir Hardie, Rudd could take his bearings from assassinators, but more thoughtful versus the ‘neo-liberal’ individualist Bonhoeffer’s biblically based ‘view commentators: first, journalist David values of Margaret Thatcher and John from below’ – the perspective of those ZADOK 120 SPRING 2013 Marr’s ‘Power Trip: The Political Journey Howard. The former, Rudd says, seeks who suffer; like the Jews, and gays, in of Kevin Rudd’, which helped bring Rudd to identify with those from below and, Germany. Rudd is therefore right to down. This ‘ “thin-slicing” of one aspect redistributing from rich to poor; the seek to minimise gay suffering, and his of his interpersonal experience with latter doing the opposite. government did so with my and most Rudd to confirm a purported broader Rudd speaks for the voiceless: the Christians’ support (including ACL) by pattern’ was well critiqued by Mark planet, workers, next generations, eliminating discriminatory legislation. Bahnisch: http://tinyurl.com/lo6lygf/. Indigenous people, asylum seekers. But Bonhoeffer also clearly upheld (Cf. http://tinyurl.com/kodpnwv/). This moral vision propelled him into Scripture’s prohibition of homosexual Rudd then outlines Bonhoeffer’s office but, upon his backtracking from practice. He saw our embodied EDITORIAL 3

humanity, expressed as male and mums, shifted to or stuck on the paltry be evaluated by the Catholic ethical female, as something not simply subject New Start (or Dead End) are treated as tradition. This includes the broadly to the social re/constructions of ‘man surplus or nothing. progressive Catholic Social tradition come of age’. Instead it is an expression Not only would the internationalist and the more conservative personal, of God’s trans-cultural creation mandate and ‘people smuggler’ Bonhoeffer sexual and bioethical tradition. Abbott’s for all (http://tinyurl.com/lfwprjt)/. (For condemn this but so also has Rudd conservative endorsement of the latter an alternative view see http://tinyurl. confidante and Jesuit refugee advocate, and his continued opposition to gay com/ma8wkw4/. However, I agree with Frank Brennan. Rudd could reply that marriage will comfort conservatives, Rudd that we need greater church- he still takes Bonhoeffer’s ‘view from whether orange or green. I respected state separation on marriage. Secular below’, this time that of drowning the more principled Abbott when health town hall marriages and sacred church/ refugees exploited by heartless people- minister. Yet there is great difficulty mosque etc marriages after.) smugglers. In announcing the Regional implementing Christian bioethics in a Again applying his Bonhoeffer ‘from Settlement Arrangement with Papua pluralist society. Abbott’s opposition to below’ mandate to refugees, Rudd said New Guinea, Rudd said: ‘Australians abortion and the morning after pill have in 2006: ‘Another great challenge of have had enough of seeing people been linked to his ‘misogyny’, in ex-PM our age is asylum seekers. The biblical drowning in the waters to our north’. But Gillard’s strong terms, and ironically injunction to care for the stranger in our the emphasis is on us not seeing it, just to DLP Senator John Madigan’s bill to midst is clear [as in] the Good Samaritan. go and die somewhere else, not on our remove Medicare funding for sex- That is why the [Howard] government’s doorstep (cf.: ‘It’s not about us: Asylum selection abortions, largely of females. proposal to excise the mainland from seekers and the right to belong’, Erin As Ethos’ Denise Cooper-Clarke says: the entire Australian migration zone and Wilson ABC Religion and Ethics 30 Jul ‘equality begins in the womb’ (http:// to rely on the so-called Pacific Solution 2013). But this is not a broad enough tinyurl.com/mj94378.) Yet I cannot should cause great ethical concern to vision for such an internationalist and agree with Abbott’s claim that abortion all Christian churches... The reason we global Christian. For the very fact of is an absolute issue and refugees have a UN convention on the protection asylum seekers still risking ramshackle merely relative. Biblically, much more of refugees is because of the Holocaust, boat trips is a measure of their is said about refugees than abortion when the West (including Australia) desperation and fear of death in their (See my ‘We are all boat people’: http:// turned its back on the Jewish people of homelands, which, as Malcolm Fraser has tinyurl.com/m8kpdtj) though the latter Europe who sought asylum’. But Nazi sagely noted, no deterrent will stop – no is still very significant from a consistent and Holocaust analogies can be turned more than it stopped our boat people pro-life perspective. And Abbott is against their users, especially terms like convict ancestors from stealing food for here as selective in privileging his own ‘solution’ with its ominous overtones. their families. Such disproportionate bioethical tradition over the social But now Rudd’s government has deterrent policies absolutise one tradition as many Protestants are about itself excised the mainland from the element of a holistic approach to justice their Bible. This applies to Abbott’s Australian migration zone and adopted including appropriateness to the alleged defence of work choices in the Howard its very own ‘ “PNG Solution” … a great crime, and rehabilitation or restoration. government where, like fellow Catholic ethical concern to all churches’. As I will only note Indigenous issues Kevin Andrews, he used increased Uniting Church moderator Andrew in passing, for this is an area where quantity of employment (admittedly Dutney asked, ‘What Would Bonhoeffer Rudd has not backflipped from his important) as a cover for poor quality do about asylum seekers Mr Rudd?’ prime ministerial high point, the of employment – in casualisation, and (http://tinyurl.com/mr3yf7t). apology. Nonetheless, the Howard insecure, un-family-friendly work. Rudd’s partial backflips from his intervention, which Labor has largely Abbott says Work Choices is dead and 2006 Bonhoeffer platform have seem- maintained while fine tuning, is, despite buried, but neither the Business Council ingly become a full somersault. His some success stories, a one-size fits of Australia nor some in his cabinet originally more humane refugee policy all approach that disempowers many who are more neo-liberal heard him. has been admitted to be a failure, in functioning communities. Only a Abbott has won plaudits from feminists, stopping the boats and the deaths of full-scale review at its halfway point, though, for his generous maternity boat people. He has now ironically particularly by a range of Indigenous leave scheme. fulfilled his 2010 resignation speech communities, should guide how we are I leave you with the choice. If you about the danger of Labor ‘going right to improve or scrap the intervention. note no mention of the Greens, look on refugees’, brilliantly out-righting his Constitutional change and bridging the to Jim Reiher’s article. Our invites to fellow-Christians Abbott and Morrison. gap in health and education need to other parties were not accepted. Our

No wonder ‘Whatever it Takes’ Richard- remain on Rudd’s and Abbott’s agenda, provocative columnists raise broader ZADOK 120 SPRING 2013 son applauds this admittedly appallingly for bipartisanship is crucial to advancing questions about politics, and Peter cruel policy of dumping refugees on a on such chronic issues over time. Corney asks how the loss of Christian near-failed state in New Guinea. What’s Compared to Rudd, it is more public influence will affect western more, it’s paid for by further raiding the difficult to evaluate Tony Abbott at democracy. Enjoy and vote responsibly. Aid budget that Rudd had been instru- this stage due to the replacement of mental in raising. Economic responsibil- Captain Catholic by Captain Negative GORDON PREECE ity notwithstanding, the surplus mantra and his relentless small target, policy- Ethos Director and Zadok Editor. means some people, refugees or single free strategy. Nonetheless, he can 4 COLUMNS | EVERYDAY SPIRITUALITY Beyond the ballot box Alison Sampson after the poor? What does it mean if we buy goods made by workers who are are all God’s children? How do we seek treated well. Without any changes to the t election time, I roll my justice, love kindness, and walk humbly law, conditions for workers, both here eyes. At high school I was with our God? and overseas, would radically change. taught that civic engagement For example, if we believed that God If we believe that all children belong is a non-negotiable created the earth and found it good, to God, we might question an education responsibility; and that then we’d think about the ways we sully system where the children of the rich Aschooling still influences me. Yet I am not a member of a political party and, living as I do in a safe seat, elections feel like a waste of time. Every few months I write to a politician about an issue, and after twenty years of letter writing I am yet to receive a response which suggests that anyone has read, let alone taken notice of, my letter. Even my local councillors have made it clear they don’t give a fig for what I think; my letters to them have rarely been receipted. The major parties strike me as corrupt, bowing to the demands of big business and corporations, developing and riding on a politics of fear, and lacking any vision for a kind, generous, big-hearted We think we can live neutrally, but society. I can’t stand the political circus; even disengagement speaks of a certain and I don’t know how anyone can get excited about elections. type of politics. My education tells me I should do something about this: get involved! this precious gift. We’d get out of our and middle class attend privileged pri- Make change! Rock the vote! But I’m not cars, structure our lives around local vate schools while other children attend by nature an organiser or motivator and hubs, and walk, ride and catch the bus; spottily resourced public schools. We I can’t stand groups; I can’t think of any- roads would no longer be at the heart might question the justice of purchas- thing worse. Politics per se is not for me. of every transport agenda; access to oil ing better health care for our children But I have learned something not would no longer dominate international and ourselves while others moulder on taught in my high school civics class: relations; and our health would improve. waiting lists. And we might even decide every action is political. Where we live, We’d switch to 100% green power, and to access services not with the rich but where we shop, how we educate our polluting coal plants would be phased humbly, alongside Jesus’s poor. children, what sort of healthcare we out. We’d think about where our food Some expressions of faith require demand, which institutions we access comes from: how it is grown, what government policy shifts – caring for and support, how we care for our aged, effect it has on the land, the rivers and asylum seekers (closing detention how we treat refugees – just like faith, the air, and how it is transported and centres and eliminating migration politics permeates every aspect of life; packaged; grocery shopping would be excision zones) or doing good to and, just like faith, we often forget this. revolutionised with no intervention from those who hate you (reducing military We think we can live neutrally, but even the ACCC. Australians have the biggest spending) – and for these policy disengagement speaks of a certain type houses in the world, with devastating changes we can and should campaign. of politics. consequences for the size of our cities, But in most areas of life, we can’t wait And so, disaffected as I am by the the ways we get around, and the hunger for fearful, small-minded politicians to political system, I am not actually for energy to heat, cool and light these catch up. Jesus didn’t spend his time ZADOK 120 SPRING 2013 disengaged. I might not think much houses; a thoughtful accommodation lobbying Pilate; he just lived the Way. of elections; but I try to live out a could lead to a different type of city, As his followers, we too are called to politics based on Jesus’ injunction that smaller, quietly bustling, and abounding live out our faith-informed politics in ‘whatever you do for the least of these, in public transport and bike lanes. every aspect of our lives – and not just you do for me’, and influenced by our If we care for the poor, we might at election time. Hebrew roots. challenge economic systems which How this is expressed varies, but the keep people in grinding poverty, ALISON SAMPSON questions are always the same: how do sewing designer clothes in murderously writes about small things at we care for the earth? How do we look collapsing sweatshops. We would only www.theideaofhome.blogspot.com/. PROVOCATIONS | COLUMNS 5

Politics: the bad news and the good news Paul Tyson very cultural life-form is a spiritually forms of legitimated force (often in meaningless frenzy of earning and the form of quality control regulation) he bad news first. Things are spending and of indulgence and can brought against it due to the close much worse that we thought. despair: consumerism. High ideas, sense of commonality that exists In his very important book, genuine values, and an ultimate frame between the makers, interpreters and Propaganda, Jacques Ellul of accountability – things wise and administrators of law and financially points out that democracy humane politics require – are unknown powerful corporations. Tand the increasingly powerful PR to our age and this is reflected in our To sum up the bad news: we are techniques used by our governments politics. by and large willing partners in the are mutually exclusive. The more But it is worse than that. Ellul points spiritual bondage of consumer culture. effective our politicians get at out that in our mass media age we The idea that we as citizens have any controlling their public image via find ourselves saturated in carefully real ability to seriously affect the the mass media – which is to say, the constructed messages which have three entrenched structures of power under better they get at shaping, limiting and overarching purposes: (1) to sedate which we live is, alas, laughable. Civic controlling public opinion – the less the our moral and spiritual sensibilities; politics is dead. very ideas of citizen participation and (2) to deceive us into thinking that we To the good news. Firstly, apart from representation actually mean. are actually happy with our massified the invention of some amazing new But it is worse than that. Because and relationally atomised, existentially technological means, there is nothing we are now – as Nick Greiner famously vacuous and entirely powerless life distinctly new about our political put it – doing politics in a ‘post- situation, and; (3) to assure us that situation as Citizens of the City of God ideological age’, politicians have the powers that govern our lives who live in the City of Man. The powers become the economic management are basically doing as good a job as have always stood over the ordinary class of Aust. Inc. rather than people possible. Thus it is the relentlessly people and the real means of political with clearly identifiable political messaged nature of consumer mass- reform have always been outside of ideals and exemplary humanity who society that Ellul names as propaganda. the overt and established powers. As serve the moral and political will of The means of propaganda are not C.S Lewis explains, Christians who have the people. Nowadays political ideals only the unending desire/satisfaction their own accountability to Heaven in are little more than marketing tools which can be used and discarded by our Politicians have become the economic politicians as ‘fiscal reality’ dictates. management class of Aust. Inc... Likewise, moral commitments – such as lifting our amazingly meagre foreign aid budget – are things we can’t afford priming of advertising and the escapist mind are most effective in changing if there is a budget deficit, even if fantasies and distractions of our Earth. To be in the world but not of we had previously made a ‘non-core’ enormous sports and entertainment the world – and thus a catalyst for commitment to do so (though no industries, but equally the carefully change in the world – requires inward commitment is advertised as non-core scripted agendas of the news, the reformation in the Christian first, and when it is announced). conformist agendas of mass education, reform in the way in which Christians On these matters there is no and the range of expert opinions that live together (the church) rather than distinction between parties. Both post- find their voice in our public forums. socio-political reforms, new parties ideological ‘sides’ simply claim to be Further, so pervasive and effective or better campaigns etc. So, if we can more competent economic managers of is this propaganda that we are repent, because we are salt without Aust. Inc. than the other side. On ‘value’ functionally entirely unaware of it. We savour and have our light under our issues – such as ‘protecting’ our borders are unaware of the real powers that discretely religious bucket, then the – both sides play the electorally safe govern our lives and we are unaware of most staggering disruptive power line of priming and then addressing the power alliances between the vested for change can be released into the the fears and self-interests of the herd financial interests of what Adorno world – the active Christian community mentality of public opinion in, frankly, calls the culture industry and the very guided by the fear of God and an inexcusably immoral manner. structures of political possibility within enlivened by the very Breath of God. ZADOK 120 SPRING 2013 But it is worse than that. consumer society. This is what our politics really needs in Kierkegaard describes the present age What this means for politics is that Australia. as one which is increasingly unable to any serious moral, spiritual or political understand anything other than the threat to the status quo can be easily PAUL TYSON external nuts and bolts of mere animal compromised by incorporating it into Australian Catholic University, Brisbane School of comfort because it has no regard for the mainstream of power, or it can be Theology and Philosophy. the responsibility of the individual de-politicised by excluding it from to stand before God. This means our the mainstream of power; or various 6 • The creeping surveillance and data collection culture The future of that threatens our privacy and freedom. These are all important issues but I have chosen to focus in this lecture on three critical threats to modern democracy liberal democracy today: in a 1. The diminishing influence of Christianity in the West post Christian West and the rise of an aggressive secularism. 2. The growth of hyper individualism and the new understanding of freedom. 3. The threat to democracy from religious extremism.

The first threat comes from the diminishing influence of Christianity in the West and the growth of an aggressive secularism that believes that it alone has the right to occupy the public square. Almost everyone knows Lincoln’s description of democracy that was part of his famous Gettysburg speech on November 19th 1863: ‘Government of the people, by the people, for the people’. Peter Corney But where did that phrase come from? Did it originate in Lincoln’s mind? Well, No! Thirteen years before ore people attend an AFL round on a weekend Gettysburg it was used in a speech by the Rev. Theodore in Melbourne than the combined membership Parker at an anti-slavery convention in Boston. In his of all Australian political parties. In the 90’s speech ‘The Idea of Democracy’ urging Americans to ALP membership was around 50,000. It is abolish slavery, Parker described democracy and freedom now about 30,000 and still falling, and in the in these words: Mlast national party elections only 12,000 voted. A similar pattern affects the Liberal party. The late Don Chipp’s ‘A democracy, that is a government of all the people, by Democrats, that began as a high member participation all the people, for all the people… a government after party, is now a tiny shadow of its former self. the principles of eternal justice, the unchanging law of Some people say that the greatest threat to God…. I will call it the idea of freedom.’ democracy today is voter indifference and cynicism with But where did Parker get it from? Surprisingly the first politics and politicians. occurrence of this phrase is found in the preface by John This year a Lowy Institute survey on Australian Purvey to the first English translation of the Bible by John attitudes to democracy found that 60% preferred Wycliffe in 1384. It says: ‘The Bible is for the government democracy to any other form of government. But most of the people, by the people, and for the people.’ disturbing was that out of 18-35 year olds only 39% Now I mention this obscure bit of history to illustrate answered yes to that question and 15% said ‘It doesn’t how powerful the influence of Christianity and the matter what kind of government we have’. Currently it Bible has been on the development of Western liberal is estimated that about 1.4 million young Australians democracy. eligible to vote have not registered. The quote from the preface to Wycliffe’s Bible also Our English word ‘democracy’ comes from a Greek illustrates the inextricable link between democracy and word meaning ‘the rule of the people’, from demos = freedom and the part that the Reformation and Protestant people and kratos = power – ‘the power of the people’. ideas played. Wycliffe is known as ‘the morning star of Well, if that is how we are to define it then we might be the reformation’ and, like Martin Luther who translated in trouble because the people are switched off, or in the the Bible into common German, they were concerned to case of party members, ‘ticked off’ by being shut out of make the Bible accessible to ordinary people so that they the political process by an increasingly professionalised would be free to make their own judgements that were and remote party machine. neither filtered by authoritarian Popes nor controlled by Commentators point to other issues like: priestly mystification. This thread of influence weaves its • The over-influence of the media and the relentless way through the development of democracy. reporting cycle that politicians seem to allow to In the long struggle for democracy and its evolution

ZADOK 120 SPRING 2013 control them, and the media focus on the internal in England from Magna Carta on, Christians and biblical political personality conflict rather than policy – ideas played a key role. For example; the key idea that politics as entertainment rather than real debate over God has established the state as a delegated authority, ideas and vision. not as an autonomous power above God’s law. Laws made • The obsession with minority issues and special by the State should not contradict God’s law. English interest groups that affect only a tiny proportion of jurists from Bracton (1210–1268), to Edward Coke (1552– the electorate. 1634) and William Blackstone (1723–1870) repeated and upheld this idea. This concept lies behind the trial of King • The tendency of governments to attempt to intrude Charles I for ‘crimes against the people of England’ by further and further into areas like freedom of speech. 7 the English Parliament in 1649. He was the first European ‘Only a virtuous people are capable of freedom.’ monarch to be tried and sentenced in such a way. Even (Benjamin Franklin) the King is not above the law. This is the principle on ‘To suppose that any form of government will secure which the International court of Justice in The Hague now liberty or happiness without any virtue in the people is operates in judging crimes like genocide by leaders of a fantasy.’ (James Madison) states, as Geoffrey Roberton’s Tyrannicide Brief shows. During the 16th and 17th centuries and the formation ‘It is religion and morality alone which can establish the of the English Parliament and the Commonwealth, the principles upon which freedom can securely stand. The Puritans were a driving force. They sought to model their only foundation of a free constitution is pure virtue.’ ideas about community and government on the Bible. (John Adams) Puritan scholar, James Harrington, developed a concept The social and cultural critic Os Guinness has recently of republican government with popular ownership of published a new book provocatively titled A Free People’s land based on Israel’s God-given agrarian land laws Suicide – Sustainable Freedom and the American Future. (Commonwealth of Oceana, 1656). They were greatly He makes the point that while freedom can be a long influenced by NT ideas that all Christians are one in Christ and tough struggle to achieve, sustaining freedom is an and all people equal before the Cross and God’s grace. even greater challenge because freedom is its own worst Radical elements like the ‘Levellers’ challenged the whole enemy. When freedom becomes unmoored from virtue aristocratic arrangement of inherited land and privilege. and faith it tends towards license and undermines liberty. They were heavily persecuted for their ideas. All the We begin to believe that whatever lifestyle we desire Protestant Dissenter’s Confessions of faith in the 17th C. we can choose without any cost. Inevitably we begin to contain strong statements about freedom of conscience impinge on the freedom of others as we lose our sense of and the moral limits of the State to compel people in obligation to the common good. He writes: matters of faith and belief. These ideas were then transported to America with ‘only those who can govern themselves as individuals the Pilgrim Fathers and the first English settlers who were can govern themselves as a people. As for an athlete or seeking religious and political freedom and were founda- dancer, freedom for a citizen is the gift of self-control; tional in the new political experiment in the new world. training and discipline not self-indulgence. The laws of Tom Paine (1737–1809), who wrote The Rights of Man the land may provide external restraints on behaviour, and greatly influenced American democracy and human but the secret of freedom is what Lord Moulton called rights thinking, began his public life as a Methodist lay ‘obedience to the unenforceable’, which is a matter of preacher in England in the 1760s. In the late 18th and virtue, which in turn is a matter of faith. Faith and virtue early 19th centuries, the beginnings of organised labour, are therefore indispensable to freedom’ (106). the early union movement and workers’ rights were This is a most perceptive insight. dominated by Methodism and people affected by the The Classical virtues are: Temperance, Prudence Evangelical Revival in England, as E. M. Howse, Saints in (Wisdom), Courage and Justice; the Christian virtues are: Politics (1976) shows. Faith, Hope and Love. Human rights are intimately connected with But these virtues can only be sustained by belief in democratic values and Christians have been closely and a commitment to a source of transcendent values. involved in their development and codification from Hence the formula ‘Freedom requires virtue and virtue the very beginning. Key figures in this process like the requires faith’. anti-slavery campaigners – Thomas Clarkson, William It is no accident therefore that the two outstanding Wilberforce and the French Huguenot and Quaker English-speaking examples of modern liberal democracy Anthony Benezet – were all motivated by their Christian are Great Britain and the United States, both profoundly faith (A. C. Grayling, Towards the Light, Ch. 5). influenced by the Christian faith and world view The first country to give women the vote was New incorporating the classical virtues. In the case of the Zealand, closely followed by the state of South Australia. British example it has now been successfully adopted In both cases Christian women’s organisations like ‘The by Australia, New Zealand, Canada, and a large number Woman’s Christian Temperance Union’ were a driving force. of countries in the Commonwealth, including the largest So from these few brief highlights we can see the democracy in the world, India. (Japanese and Korean profound influence of Christian and biblical ideas on democracies were the gifts of America.) freedom and democracy. The key point here is that To dismiss this influence on world democracy on the democracy in the modern sense has a cultural foundation grounds of personal or ideological prejudice towards the and that foundation is constructed from Christian ideas Christian faith, as many aggressive secularists do, is to say and values, particularly the value and freedom of every the least, curious. But to ignore it as a result of historical person because they are made in the image of God.

amnesia is just irresponsible. To fail to ensure that this ZADOK 120 SPRING 2013 I said earlier that freedom and democracy are history is taught in our educational institutions is to fail intimately connected but as the framers of the American to nurture and sustain the foundations of our culture and Constitution stressed ‘freedom requires virtue and virtue identity and to sustain our democracy. requires faith’. It is striking in their writings and speeches to see how clearly they understood this. While many were The second threat is from the growth of hyper Christians, others were Deists and free thinkers, but they individualism and the redefining of freedom. all understood the essential connection between freedom, virtue and faith. Let me give you just three quotations from Democracy, like community, requires the commitment the many I could have quoted: of its individual members to the common good if it is to 8 flourish. Indeed democracy is a form of community. It MacFarquhar puts it (The Age Good Weekend, 11/8/12): can only remain healthy if its members have a sense of ‘This kind of freedom is really just abandonment. You obligation and duty to the good of others. Rights must be might start by throwing off religion, then your parents, accompanied by responsibilities. your town, your people and way of life, and when later In Pre-Modern traditional societies the good, and the on, you leave your partner and your child too, it seems authority of, the community are placed above those of the like a natural progression.’ individual and their rights; conformity is required, often in ways that are oppressive of individual freedom. I argued earlier that freedom requires virtue or it In Modern societies the rights of the individual are descends into selfish individualism or moral license. But more strongly asserted and a balance or accommodation virtue cannot stand alone in its task of guiding freedom. is sought with the authority and good of the community. Virtue requires faith if it is to be strong enough to resist This is Thomas Hobbes’ ‘social contract’ struck between our selfishness. It requires a foundation in a transcendent the state and the individual. Many of our current public moral source beyond ourselves. debates arise from this tension, like the issue of freedom Until recent times the Western idea of freedom was of speech. greatly influenced by Christianity. In Christian thought In contemporary Post-Modern society the freedom is about becoming free from the negative and emphasis on the individual’s freedom and rights has selfish aspects of my nature so I might become what I now overbalanced so far towards personal autonomy was created for – to love and serve God and others. The that obligation, duty, commitment to the family, the model was the self-giving of Jesus in the sacrificial act of community and the greater common good is falling away. servanthood; ‘I have not come to be served but to serve This is ‘hyper individualism.’ and to give myself as a ransom for many’ (Mark 10:45). In the recent Quarterly Essay, ‘Not Dead Yet – Labor’s This idea also drove Christians to work for the social post-left future’, apart from the occasional undisciplined and political freedom of oppressed people so that they comment, Mark Latham has produced a very insightful also could become what God had made them to be. This essay into not only the future of the ALP, but Australian is why Christians have so often been at the fore-front of politics in general. He argues that liberal democracy with human rights movements. But once this core idea is lost, its emphasis on individual rights worked much better in freedom’s end becomes fixed on the self, the individual, the early 20th century when citizens were tied together my rights, my choice and my freedom from any restrictions morally much more strongly by tradition, common on those choices, including any transcendent or objective culture, religion, family and locality. But such a society values; there are now no limits to my freedom. has now passed. He writes: So duty to others, to the community, to family, to service, to kindness and respect for others falls away. ‘This is the price of modernity: instead of being heavily People are then trapped in a destructive narcissism, inculcated in traditional social norms, our obligations imprisoned in the service of the self. The positive side of have become optional. The challenge for progressive Enlightenment liberal thinking about human rights and government is to maintain the benefits of pluralism and freedoms is corrupted into a culture of entitlement, ugly personal freedom while encouraging solidarity among selfism and hyper individualism. ‘They promise them its citizens… Rights alone are not sufficient to create a freedom, but they themselves are slaves of corruption; for good society. Having the right to do something does not people are slaves to whatever masters them’ (2 Peter 2:19). always make it the right thing to do. More is needed: a These attitudes fundamentally weaken democracy. collective recognition of right and wrong.’ (61-62) The positive ‘power of the people’ rests on a virtuous This is not an entirely surprising view from the Left vision and that rests on faith. This can only be renewed in for those who know its history, as in Alan Wilkinson’s Western culture by a return to its Christian roots. Christian Socialism – Scott Holland to Tony Blair (SCM, 1998). The ‘ethical left’ in English and Australian politics The third threat comes from religious extremism. was heavily influenced by the early English Christian National and cultural identity and forms of Socialists. government have historically been inextricably In this process of social change another critical bound up with religion. shift has taken place: the idea of freedom has been Europe, North America and Australia have been shaped unconsciously redefined. by Protestant and Catholic Christianity. After the collapse The new Post-Modern view of freedom is located in the of the Christian Byzantine Empire the lands of the Middle idea of the right of the individual to unhindered power of East were reshaped by Islam. India has been shaped by spontaneous choice. On this view an act is free when it is Hinduism and Buddhism and so on. in defiance of any restrictions, even of any objective values For centuries these cultures were separated by or duties. The only absolute, Nietzsche said in Beyond Good

ZADOK 117 SUMMER 2012 120 SPRING 2013 distance, geography and limited communications but and Evil, is ‘the triumph of the will’. Once freedom in this they now live in a very different world. Our world has sense becomes an absolute we arrive at the tyranny of the shrunk through globalisation, large people movements individual – this is ‘hyper individualism’. and modern communications. As a result, the old cultural This expresses itself trivially in the social media boundaries have become porous or weakened and in some by unpleasant people who feel it is their right to say cases broken down altogether. Very different cultures, whatever they like and express however they feel without religions and world views now find themselves living concern for others’ feelings. together. Almost all the great cities of the world are now At the most destructive end of the spectrum it reveals multicultural. One of the results of this is a growing sense itself in the desertion of family and community. As Larissa 9 of confusion and anxiety about our identity. Assumptions and tribal marriage of ‘blood and soil’ – the linking of about values, beliefs, rights and forms of governance are race and land in a kind of exclusive covenant of difference challenged. and superiority. Christianity challenged this with its Xenophobia (the fear of difference), and racism doctrine of all nations and tribes being one in Christ. The (the sense of racial superiority) have been with us ever great prophetic visions of the Bible speak of a day when since the Fall and the Tower of Babel. But these human every tribe and nation will be united and living in peace, weaknesses are exaggerated by the current changes we where, in the words of Isaiah ‘they will beat their swords are experiencing. into ploughshares’ (Isaiah 2:4). The UN headquarters in One of the most dangerous developments of our New York has a courtyard garden with a powerful bronze current situation is the growth of religious extremism and sculpture of a man beating a sword into a ploughshare. The ultra-Nationalism. Some examples: Biblical dream is of the Tower of Babel’s confusion being transformed into unity and peace on the Mountain of the 1. Old Europeans feel threatened by large numbers Lord (Micah 4:1-4). of Islamic immigrants to their countries. Right wing The Thirty Years War broke the influence of that nationalism marries religious extremism and feeds unfulfilled Christian dream in Europe, although it did not anxiety and fear. Add economic difficulties and high entirely snuff it out. In a sense the EU and the UN, for all unemployment and you have a volatile cocktail. their weaknesses, are reflections of that dream. 2. In the same way traditional and conservative Islamic We cannot turn the clock back on globalisation and countries feel threatened by modernity, by what they multiculturalism. To support liberal democracy and to perceive to be the West’s permissive and corrupt make it work in this context we need to do the following lifestyle, and its economic and military power. five things: Fundamentalist and Radical Islam grows rapidly in 1. We need the commitment and cooperation of faith this soil. communities who support liberal democratic values 3. The rapid growth of Hindu nationalism in India and who understand that it is not necessary to have a represented by the BJP party threatens to distort state sponsored religion or church to preserve these democratic politics and religious tolerance. There are values. And of course we need religious freedom. regular attacks on religious minorities in India. 2. We need a consensus and acknowledgement from the There is a long and depressing history of Nationalism general community about the importance of religious in its extreme form seducing religion to its cause. This is faith in the sustaining of democratic values and the a great danger to modern liberal democracy. In the tragic virtues that make them work. Aggressive secularists story of ethnic cleansing in the recent conflict in the need to understand and accept that the overwhelming Balkans in the 1990s, the ambitions of Serbian nationalism majority of people in the world have strong religious were supported by elements of the Serbian Orthodox attachments and commitments and have a rightful Church. This conflict is built on historical tensions between place in the public square. Globally secularists are in Islam and Christianity going back to the Islamic invasions fact the minority. of the 17th century. The emergence of fascism in Europe in 3. In my personal experience of working with refugees it the 1930s that led to the rise of the extreme nationalism has become very clear that democratic governments of Hitler and the Nazis, Franco’s Spain and Mussolini’s Italy, need to take far more seriously and intentionally was supported by parts of the Christian Church. In Hitler’s the process of integration and the education of case he managed to recruit the German Lutheran Church to new settlers. People from very different cultures bless what was really his Pagan cause. Only the courageous and value systems who have almost no experience minority Confessing Church formed by Martin Niemoller of democratic values and governance need special and Dietrich Bonhoeffer stood against Hitler. assistance. As I mentioned earlier, education Many wars have been fought under the false flag of in democratic values and the history of their religion. A tragic example is the Thirty Years War that development should also be a compulsory part of the devastated Europe from 1618–48. It is often explained general school curriculum. as a Protestant versus Catholic conflict, but in fact 4. We also need to begin an open public conversation the underlying force was the emergence in Europe about our current problems in this area. When new of the ambitions for independence and power of the settlers fail to adapt to or embrace democratic sovereign Nation state. Catholic France, with its messianic values and become isolated cultural islands, or their pretensions, actually made alliances with Protestant young people are marginalised by poor education, armies to defeat and ruin Austria and defeat Spain, both discrimination and unemployment, serious social Catholic countries. The Treaty of Westphalia that ended problems emerge. For example: If the new settlers the conflict in 1648 created the idea of independent come from a Pre-Modern culture, as they engage national sovereignty as the basis of modern Europe. with modernity in the new culture, the gap between ZADOK 120 SPRING 2013 Some historians believe that it also paved the way for young people and their parents’ traditional values the national ambitions and power conflicts of the 19th grows to a chasm and the parents lose control. The and 20th centuries – it certainly didn’t solve them (David young person’s identity becomes confused; they then Goldman, How Civilizations Die, 2011, Ch. 11). Whatever become vulnerable to extreme religious voices as well the weaknesses of the current EU, it is at least an attempt as petty crime, drugs and street violence. The internet to create a unity against old temptations to national pride provides all the radical resources they need to forge a and megalomania. new identity that seems empowering. This can also be Underlying extreme nationalism is the ancient pagan exacerbated by the xenophobia, fear and right-wing Our past and present experience in responding to the in responding experience present Our past and This modernity. Enlightenment and the of challenges with some other us in our conversations should equip to these respond to constructively yet which are faiths challenges. in the struggle for involvement A long history of and human rights. freedom core to the following commitment Our theological democracy: for underpinning a great ideas that are God with all your the Lord ‘Love love. The primacy of as yourself’; neighbour ‘Love … and your heart your God has fulfilled the loves ‘Whoever enemies’; your in God live love in live Those who is love. ‘God law.’ 13:8-10; I 5: 44; Romans (Mathew and God in them’ John 4:7-12). us commit and forgiveness grace of doctrines The key with all. to reconciliation made in God’s person every of The infinite value Christ took on human and because God in image, us to champion human rights flesh. This value propels individual. every of the sacredness and protect nor is neither Jew ‘There equality. of The community all are you for male nor female, nor free, slave Greek, one in Christ Jesus’ (Gal 3:28). all races that embraces An international community no sacred have We not race. grace by saved are – we language, heart in their own prays everyone language; the Bible in of to the provision committed are and we language. person’s every Jesus, is of the example Servanthood, following our goal. hope and ‘faith Christian virtues of great The three 13). (1 Cor love fit us most aptly to These ideas and commitments the following us need to ask ourselves all of Yet onclusion PETER CORNEY in Melbourne. He was the founding is the Vicar Emeritas at St Hilary’s Kew and speaks and writes on leadership, Australia Leadership Arrow of Director is available including footnotes The full text and the Christian faith. culture at www.ethos.org.au/. Christianity has many unique and rich things to bring to and rich things to has many unique Christianity sustaining democracy: of the process (a) (b) (c) • • • • • • • and sustain actions to forward of be in the vanguard cause. democracy’s with the engagement questions: (i) Is my current sufficient to claim my rights as process democratic at a level engaged can I be more (ii) How a citizen? (iii) As life? of to my abilities and stage appropriate values Christian can I apply the core a Christian how to the various activities and involvements listed above in I might be involved especially where my daily life, of standards, or business professional decisions that affect that the (iv) Given public policy and social structures? with God in Christ is my relationship my life of foundation to bear on this task? can I bring prayer how C

extremism they may find in the host culture. in the may find they extremism the of scholar and member the UK this year In March engagement, on intercultural committee UN’s special Lakemba Sydney’s spent a month in Malik, Dr Aftab has the highest concentration which community that the He reported in Australia. Islamic people of is a in Australia Muslims young for identity crisis a public to begin us He urged disease’. ‘growing for He said: ‘Unfortunately issues. these of discussion us to have attack for a terrorist British Muslims it took wait Don’t this. pre-empt to need You discussion… that , (Weekend Australian happens’ till something tragic 13-14/4/13). modern part of is an important Multiculturalism and limits have but its definition democracy, and overly views to naïve sometimes been subject relativism’, ‘cultural of by the philosophy influenced has that every culture the reality that ignores a view wrong. and morally destructive that are some features is partly due to the success in Australia Our naiveté and the post WW2 immigration had with our have we that forget But we enrichment it has brought. cultural with Europe from were those immigrants almost all of to Australia. and culture religion view, a similar world was also a after the Vietnam War wave The second fleeing were as the Vietnamese immigrants success our embraced and enthusiastically communism values. democratic sometimes the make to As Christianity continues as our journey us all it is a continuing for Of course 5. to the modern the Pre-Modern from painful journey and adapt its relationship to negotiate it continues world, as a persecuted its beginning From with the State. to a Empire, Holy Roman Europe’s to controlling minority, nations, and State in some Western Church of separation Soviet former the states like with totalitarian to conflict today, democracy representative Union, to embracing Christianity has to change. continues the relationship Jesus the clear teaching of to at times, in disobedience force into the use of descended Testament, and the New It has and discipline its members. its mission to forward minorities. It has at times confused at times persecuted of or the kingdoms God with the Church of the Kingdom It has had to adapt to scientific and biblical this world. criticism, to secularism, philosophical materialism atheism. and aggressive to consumerism and now their sins, mistakes of Christians, as a result Therefore much to bring to the conversation have and successes, with need to have and cultures that other religions democratic the Enlightenment, modernity and liberal the Christian some sections of are values. Indeed there Extreme that journey! still to make who are community in many and well Christian fundamentalism is alive with the challenges well and sadly does not cope places represented well unfortunately are They facing. are we the Christian right causes. Some sections of in many far to Christendom. a return still hoping for are community and relevant Maintaining an intelligent society changes. and values beliefs and holding on to the core orthodoxy is changing culture in a rapidly the Christian faith of it otherwise must not shrink from but we a challenge or to secularism, extremism the ground concede we authoritarianism.

10 ZADOK 119120 WINTERSPRING 20132013 11

f you ask different Christians that question, you will will explain why. get all sorts of different answers. They will range There are actually a few different kinds of Christians from: ‘Because they are of the devil!’ or ‘Because who vote Green. They don’t all think the same way and they don’t know their Bible!’ to: ‘Because they realise they don’t all have the same motivation for voting Green. that Christ stood with the poor and the marginalised Let me describe to you three different kinds of Christ- Iand the Greens party does that best of any of them’ or followers who vote Green. ‘because that is the party Jesus would vote for!’ The reality is that there are a large number of The first kind: Christians who do vote for that party, and the number seems to be increasing. those whose priorities are social For those who can’t, or won’t, even entertain the justice and environmental care.

possibility, such voting behaviour is insane. After all Not personal moral issues. ZADOK 120 SPRING 2013 the Greens support gay marriage! They supported the decriminalisation of abortion.1 What’s more, the Greens even support a very limited form of euthanasia! They … This group will tell you that for them issues of social they. … even want to give drugs to children! justice and creation care are much more important than Well, other than the drugs to children statement issues like gay marriage, euthanasia, and other personal above, (it is scandalous to suggest that2) they do support moral issues. those positions on those moral issues. These Christians appreciate that other more And yet some Christians still vote Green. This article traditional Christians don’t necessarily have the same 12 priorities as they themselves have, and they accept that. vote for the coalition. How can they be so blinkered? They don’t agree, but they realise that happens between Jesus had so much to say about helping the poor and different Christians. Sadly, they are often not extended not accumulating wealth for oneself. But instead, the the same grace back. conservative Christian will get all upset about the sex lives These Greens voters cannot agree that: unjust wars, of individuals that are not hurting anyone else and is a abuse towards refugees; materialism; environmental decision made between consenting adults (I am thinking of destruction; species being made extinct; greed; political the gay marriage issue here) but they don’t get upset at the deceit; indifference to climate change; indifference unjust distribution of the common-wealth of the nation. towards the world’s poor; and more… are all tolerated The Christians who vote Green will go on and add by fellow Christians, so long as gays are not allowed to that the Coalition is quite ruthless and cruel towards marry! For this group of Christians who vote Green, it is asylum seekers and our Indigenous people. ‘Turn the the other way around. Different views on some personal boats back!’ Really? Those frail shipping boats that are moral issues are tolerated and those other issues are already leaking and look like a heavy storm will overturn deemed to be the more important ones. Those more them? Or keep them locked up off-shore, for years on important issues determine their vote. end, women and children included, creating future mental This kind of person will also argue that every party has illness and psychiatric problems for already traumatised problem areas for the Christian to have to tolerate. No people fleeing wars, persecution, or natural disasters? party fully reflects all that we believe in personally. (Not And yet some Christians shrug their shoulders and mouth even the Christian parties). Once you are in a group of off platitudes about border protection and think ‘at least more than one, you have to bend and you don’t always get gays can’t marry!’ as if that trade-off somehow justifies it, your way. If that is so, you have to choose which things are or excuses it. the most important and which come in second place. Labor does not get off the hook when it comes to It will be pointed out that the Liberal party pampers asylum seekers, either. They have proven to be just as the wealthy with ridiculous tax lurks and breaks, so bad. The race to the bottom has well and truly happened that the very rich pay less tax than the average middle and the bottom of the barrel now has a hole in it and class worker. Mr Abbott has said that he will cut the they are digging into the earth beneath it: both major superannuation tax benefits offered to the three million parties.

Jesus had so much to say about helping the poor and not accumulating wealth for oneself. But instead, the conservative Christian will get all upset about the sex lives of individuals...

lowest paid workers in Australia, but he does not agree Are these not moral issues that should upset Christian with cutting the tax benefits that the most wealthy voters? Australians get when they put money into super. Trust It is pretty clear that some Christians who think on funds, superannuation perks and tax incentives, and these things will decide to vote Green. It is all about more, all help the wealthy to keep accumulating more priorities. And so these people are simply asking us: What and more of the common ‘pie’, and the gap between the issues are the most important that drive you to vote the rich and the poor continues to widen. Furthermore, the way you do? rich send their children to elite private schools that get a disproportionately large slice of the education budget. The second kind: For some Christians, perpetuating these social injustices is seen as deeply wrong – certainly more wrong than two those who believe that the Green’s individuals of the same gender who want to marry. position on those controversial moral And the great irony is that how money is shared in a issues is actually consistent with community is of course a moral issue too. It is one that Jesus and the Christian faith. affects the whole community. If the government forgoes $40 billion a year because of the tax lurks built into This group don’t vote Green despite their stand on (say) the superannuation structures of the nation, that is $40 gay marriage, but actually because of their stand. They

ZADOK 117 SUMMER 2012 120 SPRING 2013 billion that is not going into hospitals, schools, prisons, agree with it. work with the Indigenous, and more. If $2 billion is given This group of Christians have come to a conclusion away each year to people with private health insurance, that they are meant to demonstrate the love of Christ to as incentive for them to be privately insured so as to prop the marginalised and oppressed. For them, that means up the private health industry, that is $2 billion less that giving people equal rights even if they are different to can be spent on public hospitals that care for the poor themselves. and less well-off in the community. Bad democracies are places where the majority rules And despite all the above, none of what has just and minorities feel unsafe or discriminated against. Good been outlined is seen as important by the Christians who democracies are places where the majority rules and 13 minorities are treated equally and feel a welcome part of clear that it is not his mandate to try to judge those the community. outside the church or make them just like us before they This group of Green-voting Christians don’t have to chose to convert. say ‘well my priorities are such that the issues that drive So you and I will make decisions about how we think my vote are social justice issues and environment issues, God wants us to live. We apply those beliefs to our own war as a last resort, and refugee and asylum seeker issues lives. But we do not pursue power and domination to specifically – and I put up with some things I know are force others to live that way. It goes completely contrary wrong.’ No. This group genuinely does not see those to Jesus when he said ‘You know that those who are ‘some things’ as wrong. recognised as rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, This group of Greens voters have put in some time and their great men exercise authority over them. But and effort into exploring the theological and Biblical it is not so among you, but whoever wishes to be great debate behind the gay issue, for example, and they have among you shall be your servant, and whoever wishes concluded differently to others. They have been persuaded to be first among you shall be the slave of all. For even by the arguments that say the half a dozen texts in the the Son of Man did not come to be served but to serve, Bible that list homosexuality as sin, are talking about and to give his life a ransom for many’ (Mark: 10:42-45). perverted sexual behaviour: that is, gay sex that is lustful Indeed, if anyone enters politics, this group of Christians or promiscuous. The scripture condemns heterosexual sex argues that it is for the key purpose of serving others, not that is lustful or promiscuous, and yet faithful expressions dominating over them. Service is the primary objective. of heterosexual sex are acceptable. Likewise this group On the basis of such scriptures and principles and of Christians are convinced that the texts concerned concepts, this group of Christians will vote Green because are about deviant sexual activity, not loving faithful they see that party as the one that seeks to treat all relationships of mutual commitment for life. people equally and with respect and dignity, the party You may or may not agree with their conclusions. that looks after minority groups and all individuals no You may or may not be willing to read the Christian matter who they are or what their worldview is. There will theologians who write the articles that unpack each of still be some things that the whole community deems to the texts and offer that different position. Or you may be punishable by jail or fines, (crimes against children, have read the material and still disagree. But what we for example) but they won’t interfere in areas that the have here are some Christian heterosexuals (usually) community no longer feels are the domain of government agreeing that not all forms of homosexuality are wrong. to interfere in or punish. Instead they will support Such Christians are then able more easily and with a policies and practices that treat all people equally and clear conscience (Romans 14:22) to support policies like with dignity. gay marriage. And vote Green. In conclusion, whatever you think personally, it is certainly time we stopped treating Greens voters as The third kind: if they are evil. They are often caring and thoughtful Those who don’t believe in telling people. You may or may not like their stand on certain non-Christians how to live. issues. You may or may not like their rationale. But it is time to stop judging them and condemning them, and instead, extend to them the same grace you expect to be shown to yourself. A third group of Greens voting Christians might fall into either one or two above, but they don’t start from that JIM REIHER base. People in either of the above two groups might was a full time lecturer for many years at Tabor Melbourne, and then have as their starting point the following: worked for Urban Neighbours of Hope as their training coordinator. He was politically active for many years, but is no longer a member of any political It is important to remember that we are living in a party. He writes and blogs extensively and you can find more of his writings multifaith multicultural, pluralist society. We have to on his web site: www.jimsphilosophy.com/. make decisions about how we will live. We choose to follow our understanding and interpretation of scripture, Endnotes: and that might mean we don’t believe in euthanasia or gay marriage. It might. (It might not). But whether we fall 1. Have you noticed that even with control of both houses of State Parliament, the Coalition has not recriminalised abortion? They into pro- or anti- on those issues, it is all about how I live could. There is no other party able to block it. But they don’t. Liberal- in my relationship with God. This group of Christians say supporting Christians need to be honest about this. The Liberals that it is quite a different thing and a wrong assumption in coalition won’t recriminalise abortion. They have not done so in the three years they have had with full control of both houses in to think we can use power and domination to make non- Victoria. You know why they don’t do that? They actually support Christians live the way we try to. Rather, we are called to the decriminalised position, as does Labor. They all know that be holy and live exemplary lives, but we are not told to criminalisation never stopped abortions. ZADOK 120 SPRING 2013 make unbelievers live the same way by force or threat of 2. The Greens drug policy wants to help people stay alive, not overdose, and eventually get off drugs and have a healthy life. It absolutely does punishment. not want to give drugs to children. Some Christians might disagree I Cor 5:12 (see all of 9-13) is used to support such a with the harm minimisation approach of the Greens party for helping distinction: ‘For what have I to do with judging outsiders?’ keep people alive and helping them get off drug dependency over the long term, but to suggest that the Greens party wants people using Paul in the passage is calling on Christians to live holy drugs is utterly misrepresenting their policy. lives before God, and Paul exhorts and instructs and teaches Christians how to do that – but he makes it very 14 While digital communications aid revolution, religious and ethnic divisions impede their progress. The first revolution in Tunisia occurred in a homogeneous society. Egypt and Syria are more divided and the progress of revolution has therefore been more difficult. Although commentators are talking of an Arab Spring turning to winter, there are still some grounds for hope. Under military rule the mosque was the only centre for opposition so it is not surprising that Islamists have come to the fore in many Arab countries, but power is revealing their limitations. The choice in Egypt and elsewhere is going to be whether to return to military rule or to give the liberals a chance. If the liberals can organise, they A revolution may yet get their opportunity. that failed to take off If the revolutionary outcome remains uncertain in the Arab world, the prospects are bleaker in the West. Paul Richardson The ground once held by Occupy was taken over by the establishment for Baroness Thatcher’s funeral. St Paul’s JP Taylor described the revolutions of 1848 lost its Dean and Giles Fraser shot to media celebrity but it as a turning point when history failed to is difficult to see any long-term political results of Occupy. turn. Starting with the Tunisian revolution This teaches an important lesson. Social media may be of 2010, the world has been living through good at generating protest but it will not produce long- a new period of revolutions, but few feel term results unless there is a program for change. Digital Aoptimistic about the results. The Muslim Brotherhood has revolutions have trouble generating a common policy proved incompetent at running Egypt and the economy because they unite too many diverse elements. The social is in ruins. In Tunisia, where hopes of a democratic future media foster individualism, not genuine community; they were once high, Islamist extremists are gaining influence. can bring people together in a shared space, but they do Libya’s interim government continues to battle with militia. not necessarily forge a common program. Political parties Elections are due this year and a constitution is to be remain the best instruments for change because they put to the voters but the future is uncertain. Syria’s rebel have the mechanism to produce a consensus on policy. forces are split and the longer Assad clings on to power, the Eric Hobsbawm described the revolutions of 1968 as greater the danger of extremists eventually taking control. cultural rather than political. They gave a strong impetus, But revolutions were not confined to the Middle among other things, to the women’s movement and the East. The example of Tahrir Square provoked the Occupy Movement and other protests against capitalism, Europe the internet facilitates and the US. A slogan of the American protesters caught protest but it is also essential on elsewhere: it was the 99 per cent against the one per for business and trade. cent. It is still too early to draw final conclusions about the revolutions that opened the second decade of the 21st century but some tentative points can be made. general view is that the left won the cultural wars that There can be little doubt that all of the revolutions followed 1968 but the right won the economic argument. were aided by the power of the social media. Manuel Could the long-term result of the revolutions of 2011 in Castells, the man who first emphasised the importance of the West also be cultural? the network society, has made this argument in his book Most people want to see capitalism reformed, not Networks of Outrage and Hope. He sees significance in abolished. Ordinary people suffer far more under the the fact that the Arab protests began in Tunisia, a country alternative economic systems on offer. But the digital that has the highest rates of Internet and mobile phone revolution means that people want to have their voices penetration in the Middle East. He is surely right to argue heard. Deference is gone; trust in institutions is at a low the combination of high rates of unemployment among ebb. People know they can challenge the establishment by college graduates and a strong cyber culture is fertile soil connecting with each other and sharing outrage. Internet for revolution. use increases a sense of empowerment and autonomy. Although some predicted discontent would spread Surveys show this is particularly true for people on low to China, it never really did, partly because the Chinese incomes. Political parties need to reckon with this. The government keeps a tight control of social networks. road to political reform still goes through parties but But local protests are growing in number in China and parties need to be connected to a wider network. At the

ZADOK 120 SPRING 2013 maintaining total surveillance of the Internet is not easy. moment the parties are too unrepresentative, made up of What will be decisive is whether Beijing can continue to members of the same elite. Occupy wasn’t just protesting achieve high levels of economic growth. against capitalism. It was also voicing disquiet with the Egypt’s government attempted a total cyber blackout way politics is practised today. but it had to backtrack because of the economic cost. The Internet facilitates protest but it is also essential for PAUL RICHARDSON business and trade. The OECD estimated that a five-day was previously Anglican bishop of Wangaratta Diocese in Victoria. This Internet shutdown cost Egypt about $90m in revenue, article was first published in the Church of England Newspaper 5/5/13. around three or four per cent of GDP. REVIEWS | ZADOK 15 ZADOKREVIEWS of political contributions to build an open, Politics with Purpose: fair and friendly society. One shouldn’t get Occasional Observations on Public too obsessed with government decisions and Private Life and what finally gets funnelled through politicians, parties, and parliamentary debate Lindsay Tanner, Scribe, 2012 into legislation. His view seems to be that an advocate of ‘politics with purpose’ should Reviewed by Bruce Wearne avoid getting too obsessed about their own public contribution. This could be called n this volume, Lindsay Tanner, former Labor the other side, the ‘personal’ dimension of parliamentarian and minister in the Rudd- his political contribution: ‘politics without IGillard governments, has brought together obsessiveness’. At least that is what comes a collection of his speeches and writings. It is across as a recurrent ‘style’ or ‘theme’ in all of Politics with Purpose: an easy-to-read volume providing a witty and Occasional Observations these 73 essays, the first of which, ‘Labourism’s on Public and Private Life reflective account of his views on a wide range Last Days’, was published in June 1990 by of subjects, all with some political significance. Australian Left Review (277-282). They tell us why he got involved in politics and First, however, what are we to make of by following his accounts we also discern why this term ‘purpose’? In Tanner’s view it seems he decided not to stand as a Labor candidate to have everything to do with a person’s for the seat of Melbourne at the 2010 federal motivation but it should not be equated with election. that in some purely subjective way. ‘Politics The book takes its title in positive contrast with purpose’ means being and remaining with one concluding chapter ‘Politics without conscious about a movement that is wider than Purpose’, written especially for this volume. one’s own immediate horizons. It is to be part It describes Tanner’s view of Labor’s malaise. of a critical, progressive, historical movement. The final section, ‘Part VII – Labor’, contains And in that respect, to join the Labor Party as ten essays that are a timely contribution to one who is committed to a social democratic the party’s reflection on its ‘malaise’. The political vision, means accepting one’s own final essay, a five page account of the Rudd place in that same movement in both historical Government’s successful containment of the and global terms. For Tanner, the social Global Financial Crisis in 2007-8, also tells us democratic movement has to be kept alive, and Tanner’s view of why the Labor caucus made a that was why, years ago, he joined the Party to mistake by dumping Rudd to replace him with make his contribution and do what he could to Australia’s first female Prime Minister. ensure that this be so. Before we consider Tanner’s view of Labor’s Now at this point we can suggest that for current predicament – which I suspect will Tanner ‘politics with purpose’ is not just a nice be what occupies the minds of most of the personal formula that can conveniently adorn book’s readers – we should first note the way one’s electoral advertising when soliciting votes he values and relativises what we call politics. from electors. Yes, ‘politics with purpose’ is what His ‘relativisation of politics’ is present in a political party, particularly a social democratic his more political essays but it is confirmed party, should be promoting. But it should also by his willingness to reflect on all kinds of be a matter of living it, not just mouthing it as a social things that are important to his readers cliché. And just as an individual party member whether football, the problems of young males, should look beyond the personal horizon and the monarchy or bigotry. These too have a get involved in the wider movement, so also political side to them. the party, through its membership, organisation For Tanner there is always more to the and educational program, should always be governance of public life than what one person looking beyond itself to the wider movement can achieve by concerted political effort. In his to which it claims to belong. In these terms, as ZADOK 120 SPRING 2013 terms, his post-parliamentary public career we shall see, Tanner’s vision for Labor’s style of will be just as purposeful as the 18 years he party politics is very much about being part of a sat in parliament concerning himself with the movement for social justice that is world-wide. business of the Commonwealth. He will be The Labor Party should be looking at itself in lending his expertise to higher education at global terms as part of a world-wide movement Victoria University, to public finance and to and reconfiguring its local contribution with making his friendly contribution to the lives that very much in mind. Hence he concedes of African refugees. For him it takes all kinds that winning elections is important but not all- 16 ZADOK | REVIEWS

important. If the election result is the purpose the self-image of those who actively support of politics then politics has been drastically it. The Labor Party was founded by and is reduced. He reminds us that the party was still notionally based on ordinary people built by many who were deeply suspicious who see themselves as workers and whose about winning elections. For them it was more lives are dominated by their participation as important to retain their purpose as a party and employees in the production process and the maintain the vision for a just social democracy. various consequences of that involvement I guess, however, there will be those (‘Labourismn’s Last Days’, 1990, 279). reading this book who will find it difficult to It’s not wrong for a party or a person to have see any logical connection between Tanner’s a self-image. Tanner is in favour of developing affirmation of ‘politics with purpose’ and his a positive self-image both in personal and ‘early retirement’ from the Parliamentary organisational terms. But he is completely arena. Isn’t anyone’s career these days a matter opposed to the idea that a party’s self-image of being kept perpetually on their toes ducking should be about choosing between alternative ‘the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune’? narcissisms that will project its own form of Well actually, says Tanner, if politics has simply arrogance to the electorate. But it is Labor’s become a venue to work out one’s own career arrogance, its tendency to talk down to the then perhaps one has already embraced electorate and its political opponents, that ‘politics without purpose’. Consider his frank is actually part of its undoing in his terms. assessment. He has been active in the Labor Party as So what has happened to the Labor Party I one who believes its ‘culture and approach knew and loved? Why have things changed is in need of radical overhaul’. And thus his so fundamentally? writings document his attempts to apply his own medicine in his own contributions as a After escaping the barren world of parliamentarian. permanent opposition, we have slowly ‘Politics with purpose’ is therefore joined by drifted to the opposite extreme. In the old themes of ‘politics without obsessiveness’ on the days, winning elections didn’t matter. Now, personal side, and ‘politics without arrogance’ nothing else matters. Noble idealists tilting when dealing with politicians and citizens with at windmills have been replaced by cynical whom he politically disagrees. But this does not manipulators massaging polls and focus mean he avoids making sharp criticism of his groups. Historically, Labor has been a fluid opponents, or even of those on his own side, amalgam of ideals and interests, sometimes when he judges that such criticism is warranted. narrow and particular, other times broad and Of Southhampton Solent University’s decision general. Both have long since been swamped to grant an honorary doctorate in business by careerism. Too many leading figures in administration to Shane Warne the party are now so unfamiliar with the idea of the public interest that they don’t … the message was clear: higher-learning even bother to ask themselves where it lies is all a bit of a laugh, just funny people in (‘Politics without Purpose’, 2012, 334). funny hats. … I’m a serious cricket fan, like many other Australians, but I’m even more Tanner as a government minister may have passionate about learning. When sporting had to support some policies that left him and celebrities proudly announce they’ve his party susceptible to the criticism that their never read a book, they’re telling young ‘third way’ was simply a matter of adapting Australians that learning is for nerds (‘Labor socialist rhetoric to neo-liberal economics. is for Learning’, 307). But he has a very clear idea of why he called it a day. The careerism which says ‘you can do Justice is not just a word to be used in courts

ZADOK 120 SPRING 2013 anything you want with your life’ (my phrase or in parliament when framing new laws. For not Tanner’s), the neo-liberal misunderstanding Tanner, justice requires him to speak out like this of public service, has now rooted itself too when actions like these mean that something he deeply within the Labor Party’s raison d’etre. values is not given its due respect. The Labor Party’s self-image, as a party, has In that earlier 1990 piece, Tanner identifies been transformed into what is in fact a denial the struggle between ‘rationalists’ and of its true purpose. ‘traditionalists’ over issues that were already being transformed by ‘international forces The ultimate factor that shapes and sustains beyond our control’ (278). In itself, that analysis the features of a major political movement is REVIEWS | ZADOK 17

is interesting and suggests that the new term resources were limited (13). ‘economic rationalism’, applied by Paul Keating I guess that in looking back Tanner will be to the national economic reform, may have disappointed. There is no evident interest in arisen from within the Labor Party itself, out such a reform to our system of government. of the way in which the contending sides We might have occasional ‘vision statements’ formed their respective understandings of their distributed by the Business Council of Australia membership, their respective ‘self-images’. (14), but what party is going to put its electoral But in that pertinent essay, Tanner’s critical appeal to the test by suggesting the electorate view is that what was then occupying the party rethink its approach to politics? To Tanner’s organisation was somewhat ‘out-of-synch’ credit he put such ideas forward in our Federal with what was happening in the wider world. Parliament. But there was that anti-discussion The ‘culture of Labor politics’ was losing the that took place when we endured the ‘republic common touch, and the union base of the debate’. There has been a chronic lack of movement was eroding. There was also the momentum with respect to ‘reconciliation’. And danger-sign that party membership was in the political organisation Tanner believed was steep decline. Tanner was then concerned that best suited to give national leadership on such the major struggle that was preoccupying the important topics has found itself hamstrung by party was between options that were not truly its own internal uncertainty about its mission. relevant. Hamstrung at its own hand. Inevitably, much of the debate will focus on But can we push Tanner’s analysis a little an apparently immutable status quo or a further to ask a rather critical question: What mythical and glorious past. The real value is the purpose of a political party? Should that to be obtained from such a debate, however, question be left to political parties to sort out? is a serious consideration of the future that Don’t we need to develop some clarity about faces us (282). this matter? From the beginning of his parliamentary The reforms brought in by the Hawke- career, Tanner showed he was not worried Keating Governments certainly saw the about any electoral fall-out from using trade union movement transformed across the Parliament as a forum for advocating the country with significant amalgamations. structural reform of our political life. Calling Whatever ‘organisational impact assessment’ for the abolition of the States from the was commissioned by the party machine at the Federal parliament is itself a very provocative time in the face of these changes to unionism, political act. After all he had taken his seat it does not seem to have led to the kind of via an electoral system that presupposed the rethink that Tanner said was needed. federation of states. Does Tanner intend to get involved in local politics and might we see him elected at the The complexities of the distribution third-level of government? The relevance of of powers between the states and the such a question derives from what he says in Commonwealth cause many anomalies and ‘The Values of Humanity’, his maiden speech to many problems that lead to an inadequate the federal parliament, May 6th 1993 (5-14). approach by government at large to issues in the community (14). [I] desire to see the abolition of state governments… it is critical that we examine Yes, and one of the anomalies in our these issues while attention is focused on our political life is precisely the fact that we structure of government. can have energetic and visionary political representatives like Lindsay Tanner, putting The States are as much an anachronistic forward vigorous suggestions like this, and

relic of colonial times as are our links with yet, there is no concerted effort either by his ZADOK 120 SPRING 2013 the British Crown… The boundaries of the own party, or even by his political opponents, states have about as much relevance and or any other prominent party for that matter, logic as the boundaries imposed on Africa to develop the discussion about the long-term by the colonial invaders in the 19th century. political reform that is needed to our system It is not necessary to be a genius to work of government. Tanner is right. Political parties out that the Murray River was adopted as a are so concerned with their own electoral boundary in the days when no one had heard successes or failures as parties that the very of pollution and it was thought that natural political purpose that brought them into 18 ZADOK | REVIEWS

existence has receded from view. Politics is by abolishing the states, but is there no implicitly defined as what politicians do via improvement we can make to our electoral governments in response to economic and system of representative government? Do we financial demands. In this minimalist view, have to continue playing what seems to be a political parties are simply a means of getting silly, childish game in which our parliaments a crop of ‘good guys’ elected. And to do so they become the servants of political machines that produce sound-biting material that focuses have lost their purpose? Is this not the way upon the ‘others’ – ‘don’t vote for them they’re in which the purpose of public governance is useless’. And hence… eventually lost as well? Tanner’s call for ‘root-and-branch We are slowly transforming from a party of rethinking’ from within the Labor Party is political initiative to a default party, which well taken. And I guess that if Labor can get seeks power on the basis of managerial its act together, overcome its comatose state competence and arbitrating the competing under the régime of managerial careerism, claims of economic and social interest- it will surely attract a trickle of new voters. groups (335). But the real value of this call for ‘root-and- In the face of Labor’s struggle to hold onto branch rethinking’ is to be found in its address 30% of the primary vote, Tanner is plain: to fellow citizens who have lost interest in politics, not least because of Labor’s There is only one way to deal with this entrenched inability to promote serious challenge: a complete root-and-branch rethink political reform. The Labor Party should heed about why we exist. What is our purpose? Tanner’s appeal. Admittedly, the reform of What is it we are seeking to achieve? When our one party commanding 35% of the primary answer to these questions no longer contain vote might not on its own bring reform to the empty shibboleths of a bygone world and our system of public governance. But the vacuous appeals to defeat the conservatives, question for those who, with Tanner, hold to we’ll know we are on the way back. We cannot a social-democratic vision is this: can they blame particular individuals for modern envision serious reform of our system of public Labor’s malaise, because it is part of a systemic governance, the just overhaul of our electoral global phenomenon. We are all under the system of representative government, without sway of politics without purpose. And politics their vital contribution? without purpose is pointless (338). After reading Politics with Purpose we I certainly would not chastise Tanner for find that Lindsay Tanner has left us with his open frankness. But his bitter comments some pertinent political questions, questions directed at The Australian Greens, (‘The Greens: without notice. ignore at one’s peril’, 323-325) need to be kept What is the purpose of the political in context by remembering Labor’s complete party? How should we understand the failure during the Howard years to join with the purpose of parliament and of parliamentary Greens and fight elections on an electoral reform representation? And then of course we basis. Do not our Parliaments need to more confront: what is the purpose of public justly represent the wishes of electors? The governance? How is the Government and its principle is a simple one but it would mean that arms to do its work and what is its purpose? our absurd and unbalanced political preference This book does not answer those questions, is for a system of public governance in which at least not directly. Its many chapters give electoral choices are perpetually reduced to us instances of how this parliamentarian which of two political machines will do a better answered those questions in the push-and-pull job of financial management. That is simply of everyday political life. It is not a book that politics without purpose. develops a systematic political theory although ZADOK 120 SPRING 2013 If a party receives 40% of the primary vote at one point a theory can be discerned in the shouldn’t it get 40% of the seats? Why does a background of Tanner’s reflections. I think party commanding 30% of the vote get 50% that the purpose of the book comes down or even 60% of the seats while a party getting to encouraging further reflection on basic 20% gets none? It’s quite surprising, when questions like these. The answers that are I think about it, how little Tanner discusses developed in response to these questions the anomalies of our system of parliamentary will then become part of a comprehensive representation. He may advocate a ‘hairy- framework for political reflection, action and chested’ overhaul of the federal system analysis. I suspect that Lindsay Tanner will be REVIEWS | ZADOK 19

keen to keep on rethinking his approach and these ideas are ‘Master-Signifiers’ in Žižek’s it will be rather interesting to see how his terminology; that is, slogans of allegiance thinking develops. I hope it does. which are ultimately empty of real meaning. Fitch relies on George Marsden’s assessment Bruce Wearne resides in Point Lonsdale from where he forms of the fundamentalist-modernist controversies his contribution to the world-wide renewal of the Christian of the 1920s, when ‘liberals’ came to represent way of life by means of writing about sociological theory, everything that evangelicals opposed, to show contributing to political debate, advising students and conversing with the many friendly people he meets along the these rallying points were adopted at that coast. He is married to Valerie and has two adult sons. time. In this antagonistic process evangelicals abandoned the core of their belief and in Fitch’s view ceased to stand for anything. Fitch is basically saying that evangelicals The End of Evangelicalism? The End of ceased to journey and have become bunkered Discerning a New down defending their meaningless slogans. Faithfulness for Mission: Evangelicalism? Towards an Evangelical While I think that he is not right to claim that Political Theology Discerning a New Faithfulness for everyone using an historical-critical biblical Mission: Towards an Evangelical exegesis to explore the original intensions of the biblical writers is reflecting a belief in Political Theology ‘the inerrant Bible’, most of his assessments David E. Fitch: Cascade Books, 2011 do hit their mark. Word studies, after all, were severely constrained by James Barr’s Semantics Reviewed by Christopher Davey of Biblical Language (OUP, 1961). Having defined the problem, Fitch explores hen Condoleezza Rice became the recovery of ‘the core of our politics for Secretary of State I remember some mission’. His analysis of the evangelical attitude Wof my non-Christian colleagues to scripture draws on Barth, Balthasar, Vanhoozer groaning because she was an evangelical, and Christopher Wright and the salvation ‘another war-monger’ they said. While discussion examines N.T. Wright, Gorman, attempts to discuss the negative image of Milbank and Willard. His treatment of the evangelicalism in Australia have been fruitless, national aspects of evangelicalism seems less this has not been so in the United States. successful, beginning with the Eucharist-centred In this book David Fitch takes seriously the theologies of de Lubac and Cavanaugh, but when assessment of David Kinnaman and Gabe turning to John Yoder’s Body Politics (Herald, Lyons in unChristian (Baker Books, 2007) 1992) he gets back on message. The point being, that evangelicals are thought to be ‘arrogant, if God is sovereign, why do Christians need to judgmental, duplicitous and dispassionate’. take control? Fitch is a pastor and sees politics Fitch notes that in the wake of the ‘failed Bush through a ‘church meeting’ focus; however, it presidency’, many Christians do not now want is this custom that has generated many of the to be recognised as evangelical (3). evangelical political attitudes that are now so Fitch rejects the approach of scholars unpopular. He does not explain the practicalities like Wells and Carson who seek to regain a of his idea that the church will have a better idea Protestant (reformed) orthodoxy and sets of justice than anyone else and be able ‘to set all out to examine the way evangelical doctrine things right’ (170). and practice have functioned. In an unusual A concluding chapter critically reviews approach he applies the formative political allied writers including Peter Rollins, How theory of Slavoj Žižek, a Slovenian philosopher (not) to speak to God (Paraclete, 2006); Brian and critical theorist working in the traditions McLaren, Everything Must Change (Nelson, of Hegelianism, Marxism and Lacanian 2007); and Michael Frost and Alan Hirsch, psychoanalysis, to analyse evangelicalism ReJesus (Hendrickson, 2009). It is probably ZADOK 120 SPRING 2013 and to show that it is an ‘empty’ politic. The ‘horses for courses’. Fitch, Rollins and general view seems to be that he actually pulls McLaren write for the church goer, while it off and although his style is inclined to be Frost and Hirsch will be more relevant to repetitive, I found myself reading it avidly. those developing missional churches outside Following the characterisations of traditional structures. evangelicalism by Bebbington and Noll, Fitch Fitch’s approach is founded on the incarnate discusses ‘the inerrant Bible’, ‘the decision for Christ and it aims to promote ‘an inclusive, Christ’, and ‘the Christian nation’, showing that hospitable, authentic, faithful, compassionate, 20 ZADOK | REVIEWS

and vulnerable incarnational engagement in inculcate a ’Christian worldview’ in young the world’ (175). The book is complete with a people’s minds through Christian education useful glossary and an up-to-date bibliography. from pre-school to graduate school. The shared An increasing number of books document the premise is that once the battle for ordinary recent history of evangelicalism, but this book people’s hearts and minds is won, the culture will be valuable to evangelicals wanting to will change. They are mistaken. understand why things went wrong and who The common view is mistaken, as want to identify a way forward. Andy Crouch summarises, ‘because of its individualism: it ignores the central role Christopher J. Davey, Director, Australian Institute of institutions in transmitting culture. It is of Archaeology mistaken because it is not just institutions that matter, but institutions at the cultural “centre” rather than the “periphery” – so that an op-ed in the New York Times is of vastly To Change the World greater importance than one in the Sacramento The Irony, Tragedy, & Possibility Bee. It is mistaken, perhaps most of all, in of Christianity in the Late its egalitarian assumption that the hearts and minds of ordinary people matter – in Modern World fact, cultural change is almost always driven James Davison Hunter, Oxford by change among a small élite who occupy powerful positions in those culturally central University Press, New York, 2010 institutions’. Reviewed by Gordon Preece The failure of the common individualistic view, changing the culture one person at ver found yourself saying to God, yourself a time, is demonstrated in the massively To Change the World or others, ‘I want to make a difference’. disproportionate influence and visibility in EIt’s a fairly standard Christian, and also, public culture of miniscule minorities like suspiciously, non-Christian line. It lines up Jews and gays (pp. 20-21). Despite the green with other common Christian statements longing with which Australian Christians like ‘redeeming the culture’, ‘advancing the may look at the gold of American Christian kingdom,’ ‘building the kingdom,’ ‘transforming resources, Hunter shows through a vast the world’. All of them, according to James variety of statistics of key granting bodies Davison Hunter, are wrong. Hunter is a and institutional influence etc, that it is sociologist based at the University of Virginia very marginal, not mainstream, despite the who has spent much of his academic career numbers. Christians run a parallel popular analysing Evangelicalism and the ‘culture wars’ culture of schools, music, sport etc. But the to which it has been wed in the US. The preface parallels are in ‘lower and peripheral areas’ of reveals that he is influenced by people like the culture. In a wonderful ‘culture matrix’ diagram doyen of American sociologists, Peter Berger, on page 90, using Plato’s classic typology of and the doyen of American pastors, Tim Keller. the True, the Good and the Beautiful, Hunter It also reveals that the title is ironic. Hunter shows the largely low-brow nature of Christian does not believe we can or should ‘change the influence. Our strengths are in primary and world’, despite giving that impression for the secondary schools instead of Ivy League first hundred or more pages. (think the Big Eight in Australia) graduate In the first of the book’s three essays, research; pop culture not high culture; bandaid Hunter shows how we cannot change the ministries rather than preventative policies. world if we keep on doing what we’re doing. At worst they produce Christian kitsch. As The strategies adopted by so many Christians John U’Ren has said, ‘You used to get trinkets ZADOK 120 SPRING 2013 who want to make a difference make little at the Catholic bookstalls and theology books difference where it really counts, in the key at the Protestant ones; now it’s reversed.’ institutions of our culture. Hunter’s focus is (Further, in launching Acorn Press’s John W. more on conservative Christians, given they are Wilson Publication Fund, Tom Frame lamented the bulk of Christians in the US, but he doesn’t the current parlous state of theological ignore mainline and progressive Christians. publishing in Australia and the inability of Fundamentalists focus more on personal and theological works to penetrate mainstream national revival, while the more theologically publishers and bookshops.) Reformed and intellectual groups seek to In Chapter Four Hunter presents seven REVIEWS | ZADOK 21

suggestive propositions on what culture is: Hunter’s second essay shifts from the 1. a system of truth claims and moral irony of unintended consequences to the obligations tragic hubris of adopting a primarily political model of change. He critically analyses three 2. a product of history key Christian social movements of today, and 3. intrinsically dialectical uncovers a common obsession with politics, 4. a resource, and as such, a form of power and a form of tunnel vision focused on 5. cultural production and symbolic capital … narrowly political power. stratified in a fairly rigid structure of ‘centre The Christian Right is a too obvious though ’ and ‘periphery’ necessary illustration in its various rises and falls, the latest being the (Mad Hatter’s) Tea 6. generated within networks Party which threatens to bring the US economy 7. neither autonomous nor fully coherent. and much of the world’s crashing down with Hunter is fortunately not an idealist and its debt default brinkmanship. Its nostalgia does not lapse into mere ‘history of ideas’. for Christendom and a mythological ‘Christian Nor is he a Marxist materialist. His cautious America’ and distortion of the dominion maxim is that under specific conditions and mandate into one of theocratic domination circumstances ideas can have consequences not shows the perils of ‘Christian politics’. because of their inherent truth but ‘because of Second is the Christian Left, exemplified the way they are embedded in very powerful by Jim Wallis and Sojourners. This is driven institutions, networks, interests, and symbols’ by an identification with the poor, longing for (44). He provides four provisional observations economic justice, and despair at the dominance of this: of the Christian Right. For all Wallis’ attempts at maintaining political neutrality, it is subject 1. Cultures change from the top down, rarely to co-opting into the Democratic Party at if ever from the bottom up. Prayer to break the Republic monopoly on the 2. Change is typically initiated by elites who Evangelical vote. are outside of the centre-most positions of Thirdly, though there is some overlap with prestige. the Left concerning pacifism, there are the 3. World-changing is most concentrated “neo-Anabaptists”, whose creative patriarch when the networks of elites and the[ir] is John Howard Yoder, and their enfant terrible institutions … overlap. is Stanley Hauerwas. However, they are less 4. Cultures change, but rarely if ever without a sanguine about liberalism and its institutions fight. than the Left and abhor the coerciveness or ‘democratic policing’ (Hauerwas) of market and Hunter sums up ch. 4: state structures. Hunter is much more nuanced [E]vangelism, politics, social reform, and the in his treatment of the neo-Anabaptists than creation of artifacts – if effective – all bring H. Richard Niebuhr who depicted Anabaptists about good ends: changed hearts and minds, as exemplifying a ‘Christ against Culture’ changed laws, changed social behaviors. But model. He realises that they believe in they don’t directly influence the moral fabric indirect social change through the church’s that makes the changes sustainable over acting out an alternative politics. However, the long term, … implicit[ly] … Form[ing] the he astutely argues that the neo-Anabaptists presuppositional basis of social life. Only end up collapsing the public into the political, indirectly do evangelism, politics, and social defining themselves in political terms (hence reform effect language, symbol, narrative, Yoder’s The Politics of Jesus) like the Right and myth, and the institutions of formation that Left they in many ways oppose. ‘In a context change the DNA of a civilization (p.45). in which traditional pragmatic definitions of politics prevail, it is a bit naive to imagine ZADOK 120 SPRING 2013 Key examples of culture change on the one can use the word so promiscuously and Christian side include the Clapham Sect or be free of those traditional and pragmatic elite network, not just Wilberforce as in the meanings. The use of the language of politics is individualistic Evangelical great man view of a bid to translate social marginality into social history; and the Enlightenment on the non- relevance. The problem is that this language Christian side, again, not just a case of pure comes with all sorts of baggage and cannot rid ideas, but of networks and resources shifting itself of this baggage’ (163). Hunter critiques remarkably over a century. its relentless negativity, a kind of ‘passive- 22 ZADOK | REVIEWS

aggressive ecclesiology’ (Charles Matthewes, provides them disproportionate material and 164). discursive power. By virtue of their vocation The tragedy which all three perspectives and station, they themselves perpetuate are prey to is their over-politicised view of asymmetries in power. culture and its distinctive cultural power; Much better to put our cards on the table their resentful negativity, where grievance and be honest about the relative power we dominates grace (whether the enemy is secular have. This is where those who underplay the and theological liberals, fundamentalists, or creation commission distort the balance of the the American empire); and their loss of vision Bible. As Hunter shows: of a genuine common good. The third and most possibility-laden of To be made in the image of God and to be Hunter’s essays calls for a positive Christian charged with the task of working in and posture of ‘faithful presence’ – salting every cultivating, preserving, and protecting the social structure with the flavour of covenantal creation, is to possess power. The creation Christian community. This community would mandate, then, is a mandate to use that particularly display the virtues of justice and power in the world in ways that reflect God’s peace, for Jew and Gentile alike, even in exile, intentions… The question for the church, praying for and seeking ‘the shalom of the city’ then, is not about choosing between power (Jer 29:7). and powerlessness but rather, to the extent These words are a mantra of the Christian that it has space to do so, how will the community tradition but Hunter takes them church and its people use the power that beyond nostalgic, Christendom-based they have. (181-4). privileges and divisions of Left and Right. Hunter reflects well ‘the core teachings In our new situation where ‘the ground has of Jesus as they bear on ‘social power or shifted in ways that most Christians have not ‘relational power’, the power one finds in recognised’, Hunter uses Jeremiah 29:7 as the ordinary life. It is exercised every day in paradigm of ‘a new city commons’ where God’s primary social relationships, within the scattered, exiled people, in post-Constantinian relationships of the family, neighbourhood, modernity’s neighbourhoods and workplaces, and work in all of the institutions that surround settle down for the long haul, seeking to share us in daily life and therefore it is far more God’s shalom (peaceable prosperity) with their common to people than political power [which] neighbours and workmates through ‘faithful tends to be experienced as an abstraction presence’, (175-6) so that the community they (187). Hunter has nailed the problem on the have in common – pluralistic and secular as it head: ‘an abandonment of the call to faithful is – may not merely survive, but thrive. presence – irrespective of influence. … the Contrary to rumour, there are many cultural matrix is a visual demonstration of examples of people providing a sense of where the church is not healthy. A healthy ‘faithful presence’ in various places and body exercises itself in all realms of life, not positions of relative social and cultural power, just a few. The failure to encourage excellence in all spheres of society. For Hunter, ‘Only by in our time has fostered a culture of mediocrity narrowing an understanding of power to political in so many areas of vocation’ (95). Hunter’s or economic power can one imagine giving humble image of ‘faithful presence’ provides up power and becoming “powerless” as many us with a way forward beyond the hubris of admirable advocates of voluntary poverty do. messianic change and the totalism of H.R. When voluntary poverty is voluntary it is not Niebuhr’s Christ Transforming Culture. We powerless, nor is it really poverty. We all have would all do well to listen. It might change us. various forms of softer or social, symbolic, culture forming power whether in workplaces, ZADOK 120 SPRING 2013 families or neighbourhoods as opposed to Gordon Preece is Director of Ethos: EA Centre for Christianity and Society strong or coercive and violent power’. Further, Hunter again notes: the very theologians and pastors who champion powerlessness have disproportionate life-chances (through salary, status, health care, and opportunities) and symbolic capital that REVIEWS | ZADOK 23

together, particularly by readers who have The Challenges of not read Mouw before. The larger volume Cultural Discipleship: helps us understand Mouw’s view of the denominational, philosophical and higher Essays in the Line of Abraham Kuyper educational context in which he has tried to promote what he calls Kuyper’s ‘theology Richard J Mouw, Eerdmans, 2012 of culture’, while clearly trying to avoid the unhelpful constraints of the American- Dutch-reformed sub-culture. He calls the Abraham Kuyper: collection the ‘back story’ of his many ‘cultural A Short and Personal Introduction discipleship’ publications. The shorter volume is another example of ‘his efforts to make the thought of … Abraham Kuyper accessible to The Challenges of Cultural Richard J Mouw, Eerdmans, 2011 Discipleship: Essays in the average Christians’, a series of reflections that Line of Abraham Kuyper takes its starting point from ‘Kuyper’s robust Kuyper in America: Calvinism’. He tells us that Kuyper’s Lectures provided: ‘This is Where I was Meant to be’ … a vision of active involvement in public George Harinck (ed), life that would allow me to steer my way Dordt College Press, 2012 between a privatised evangelicalism on the one hand and the liberal Protestant or Catholic approaches to public discipleship Three books reviewed by Bruce C Wearne on the other hand (page ix).

ichard Mouw (1940– ) has been speaking Kuyper’s famous L. P. Stone Lectures were and writing about ‘the challenges of delivered at Princeton University in 1898. They cultural discipleship’ for at least forty have since been reprinted innumerable times, R along with many of his other works. Some years. From 1968 until 1985 he was professor of Christian philosophy at Calvin College. questions immediately arise for the reviewer Since 1985 he has served as president of of these two books, which should also arise Fuller Theological Seminary. Wikipedia tells for the culturally sensitive reader: why should us he intends to retire in 2013. By his own it be necessary to make Kuyper ‘accessible to account, he was a confused evangelical average Christians’? Kuyper in his own country student who overcame a ‘faith crisis’ after was the renowned leader of the Calvinistic reading Kuyper’s Lectures on Calvinism. His two working class, the ‘little people’. So why is recent publications, The Challenges of Cultural he so inaccessible to American Christians? Discipleship and Abraham Kuyper when read There is not any direct attempt to explain this together can help us understand the ‘line’ situation and its cultural dimensions in these Mouw takes with respect to ‘Abraham the two volumes. But could it be that Kuyper has Mighty’ (Abraham de Geweldige), the Dutch been made inaccessible by the very same Christian ‘multi-tasker’. attempts to commend his ‘world view’ to North Americans? And if that be so, why should [Kuyper] founded a newspaper, a university, Mouw think his latest efforts ‘in the line of a political party, and a denomination.… Abraham Kuyper’ should fare any better? Could During his career …he regularly wrote it be that all the disputes and arguments that articles for his newspaper; he taught have preoccupied American Kuyperians, which theology at the Free University; he led Mouw extensively covers in his larger work, are his party both as a member of the Dutch part of the problem of Kuyper’s inaccessibility? parliament and, for a few years, as Prime Clearly Mouw wants to avoid disputes ZADOK 120 SPRING 2013 Minister. And … [he contributed] by writing but he has also been called upon to make major theological books and essays a contribution in that complex sub-cultural (Abraham Kuyper page x). context. And so that is why I tend to interpret arrière pensée Mouw views Kuyper and the Kuyperian his two works as evidence of his perspective in terms of his own calling about the Kuyperian perspective. His books presuppose to promote ‘cultural discipleship’. This is that Kuyper continues to be also why these two volumes are best read inaccessible. And that, I guess, is this reviewer’s attempt to identify the ‘back story’ to Mouw’s 24 ZADOK | REVIEWS

larger volume ‘back story’. Challenges reads as strongly affirmed. Mouw’s notes from his long-term ‘ethnographic But, questions remain, and the question field work’ within the sub-culture of North that Mouw doesn’t really address is this: was American Dutch reformed churches and it Kuyper’s theology, even his ‘theology of educational ventures. In that sense his ‘back culture’ that he (Mouw) received when he story’ writings function as explanations to first read Kuyper’s Lectures? As a theological fellow North American evangelicals, and student Mouw may very quickly have come to particularly those disposed to a ‘reformed the conclusion that what he had to do by way perspective’, why Kuyper’s ‘world view’, for all of response as an erstwhile theologian, was its liberating potential, is embroiled in complex to develop his own ‘theology of culture’. And controversies that mean that his valuable that he has sought to do ‘in the line of Kuyper’. insights, and even Mouw’s own ‘take’ on them, But Kuyper’s Lectures on Calvinism are about don’t always ‘grip the rails’. Calvinism as a ‘worldview’. The equation which Mouw wants to help readers understand Mouw seems to be making between ‘world view’ the challenges facing cultural discipleship. I and ‘theology of culture’ is not self-evident would have thought that the next step ‘in the and it is not sufficiently explained by Mouw in line of Abraham Kuyper’ would have been his book. (Maybe it is just an oversight, but his to examine this inaccessibility in terms of picture of this ‘world view’, at Abraham Kuyper Kuyper’s own ‘world view’. Could it be that (41), inexplicably leaves out any indication of Kuyper’s world view has been captured by God’s rule over His church.) the very cultural context in which it is now Christians around the English-speaking being made available? This matter needs world will attest to the fact that the to be investigated with utmost urgency. To ‘Kuyper-publishing industry’ is alive and take Kuyper’s ‘world view’ seriously means well. Moreover, it should also be noted that reckoning with the fact that the appropriation following a Princeton Seminary celebratory of any Christian thinker’s contribution must conference marking the 100th anniversary always take place in the context of an ongoing of Kuyper’s Stone lectures, the Seminary has spiritual struggle, between ‘two world views … established ‘The Abraham Kuyper Center wrestling with one another, in mortal combat’. for Public Theology’. This too should also Kuyper’s understanding of the ‘antithesis’ is, be kept in mind as we read these two books after all, his version of Augustine’s view of the by Fuller Seminary’s President. Fuller and battle between two cities. Princeton seem set to maintain their respective Cultural discipleship means a willingness to association with the name of Kuyper. ask difficult questions even if that challenges The other volume in this review, Kuyper in American confidence in its own civil-religious America, is a collection of letters written to piety and its assumption that the US seed-bed his wife and children during Kuyper’s two- of inclusive democratic civility is where any month trip to the United States in 1898. It Kuyperian seeds are destined to germinate. is a pertinent addition to the literature. The It means broaching the question of whether 84-page volume tells us that for all his ‘cultural Kuyper’s Lectures on Calvinism has been discipleship’, for all his ‘multi-tasking’, for received within the US because they imply a all his stature, prominence and reputation, neo-Calvinistic commendation of America’s Kuyper was both an ‘average Christian’ Calvinistic character? And this is not simply to husband and father. His weaknesses, fears refer to Woodrow Wilson, Princeton’s professor about gossip, enthusiasm, self-understanding, of jurisprudence at the time Kuyper was Dutch arrogance, worries and loneliness, are granted an honorary doctor of laws in 1898. It all on display. Our appreciation for what the is also to refer to President George W Bush’s letters tell us about Kuyper might have been 2005 Calvin College commencement address in deepened by the inclusion of letters and ZADOK 120 SPRING 2013 which he presented his own vision of society’s post-cards Kuyper received from ‘back home’ autonomous self-creating power ‘in the line but they may not now exist. What we do have, of Abraham Kuyper’. I jest not. That made the in its own way, gives us a glimpse of Kuyper’s front pages of The New York Times. And the confession that his domestic life also belonged Grand Rapids gathering applauded warmly. Nor to His Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. This is am I descending to cynicism. Indeed Mouw’s not to ‘take’ these letters as mini-theological efforts to subvert the widespread cultural treatises; we leave them as they are – everyday cynicism within his own country and polity by letters of everyday discipleship. They confirm promoting Christian discipleship needs to be his earnest longings as husband and father, REVIEWS | ZADOK 25

and tell us of his not inconsiderable irritations Lectures on Calvinism because of Kuyper’s when so far away (When are you going to write evident tendency to interpret their ‘land of to me? Surely it’s not that difficult to pick up a the free and home of the brave’ as a Christian pen and write me a few lines!). nation? Could that be part of the reason why He was in the US to receive an honorary the North American Kuyper publishing industry doctorate and to deliver the prestigious has been promoting Kuyper? And could such Stone Lectures at Princeton University. The a ‘take’ on Kuyper, reading his contribution letters tell us how he interpreted everyday in terms of a ‘theology of culture’ or a ‘public life in the US and confirm his positive view of theology’, have the unanticipated consequence America’s ‘Calvinistic’ character, an attitude we of facilitating a secularised Kuyper for the can also find clearly affirmed in his Lectures. masses, as with President Bush’s Calvin These were the days before the US took on its College ‘line’? The jury may still be out on ‘exceptional’ global mission as formulated by that, but at the very least we would have to President Woodrow Wilson (1913-1921). But at say that the results of North American Kuyper that time near the turn of the century, Wilson publishing efforts have not always subjected was, as I have said, professor of jurisprudence the emergent American way of life to the kind at Princeton and Kuyper was awarded the of search and self-critical examination that honorary doctorate of laws. This is significant one would expect from those adhering to the for our understanding of Kuyper and his place ‘world view’ set forth in Lectures on Calvinism. in the American scheme of things. This is not the place for an historical In Kuyper in America there is a photograph account of the trials and tribulations of 20th of a news report from the Holland Daily century Presbyterian and reformed efforts to Sentinel of 29 October 1898 reporting on commend Kuyper’s ‘world view’ to a North Kuyper’s lecture to Third Reformed Church American readership. Some of that is covered, in Holland Michigan. ‘Be Americanized: Was indirectly, in Mouw’s larger volume. But Kuyper’s Advice to Hollanders Here – A we can say that these three works indicate Masterly Address’. Perhaps Mouw’s ‘Abraham there has been no let up. Kuyper still evokes Kuyper’ could have given more attention to interest. The Kuyper publishing industry seems Kuyper’s view of the American way of life as alive and well. These works, read in context, an expression of the Calvinistic world view. suggest that despite all the commendation He might have drawn attention to the fact that Kuyper’s work is receiving, despite Fuller and Kuyper had called upon American-Hollanders Princeton joining Calvin and other Christian to ‘yank the hyphen’ a decade or so before Colleges in promoting Kuyperian virtues, US Wilson had made that call. Mouw might also evangelicals still finds it difficult to take hold have given more attention to the fact that of Kuyper’s world view without Americanising the Kuyperian perspective these days, for all it. These books lead us to ask: Has the failure its ‘robust Calvinism’, has to deal with the of Kuyper’s world view to ‘take hold’ among ongoing, relentless spiritual secularisation North American evangelical and reformed of the American way of life including its own Christians anything to do with the traditional understanding of its Calvinistic past. tendency, endorsed ambiguously by Richard And though American Kuyperians like Mouw Mouw, that a ‘Christian world view’ is primarily and Nicholas Wolterstorff have been very adept a matter of theology? Does Kuyper’s exposition at critically distancing themselves from alleged of a Calvinistic world view actually provide Eurocentric tendencies in the neo-Calvinistic guidance to those wanting to understand why world view and philosophical contribution, his views have not really caught on? they have not seemed so eager to identify and distance themselves from America-centric Bruce Wearne resides in Point Lonsdale from where he forms tendencies found in ‘Abraham the Mighty’. his contribution to the world-wide renewal of the Christian This is a curious lack of self-criticism and it way of life by means of writing about sociological theory, ZADOK 120 SPRING 2013 contributing to political debate, advising students and raises some urgent questions. Because of their conversing with the many friendly people he meets along the ‘antithetical’ spiritual character, such questions coast. He is married to Valerie and has two adult sons. may well sound to many Americans as lacking in true ‘civic virtue’. But they have to be asked. Is not the honour of the Person confessed to be Lord and Master at stake here? Could reformed and evangelical Americans like Richard Mouw have embraced Kuyper’s 26 ZADOK | REVIEWS

that was to forever cement the town in our consciousness, made later in 1863, are already the stuff of history as is made clear in the opening of the film – a scene so uncomfortably earnest that it almost diminishes the whole film, as two soldiers recite Lincoln’s words back to him, during a break in battle. To do justice to the standing of Abraham Lincoln and these critical moments in history, Spielberg brings us actor Daniel Day-Lewis. Like Lincoln among his contemporaries on Lincoln the political stage, Day-Lewis bestrides today’s thespian world. His approach is in the Directed by Steven Spielberg contemporary vein of inhabiting rather than Reviewed by Darren Mitchell mimicking a character, although a remarkable physical likeness is achieved. Early criticism emerged during production over the voice with It eluded us then, but that’s no matter – which Day-Lewis chose to render Lincoln, a mix tomorrow we will run faster, stretch out our of homely drawl eliciting a comforting authority arms farther ... And then one fine morning when addressing family and small meetings – So we beat on, boats against the current, of political comrades, and a reedy strain that borne back ceaselessly into the past. struggles to be full voiced when confronting (The Great Gatsby by F Scott Fitzgerald) opponents. These criticisms did not survive the opening of the film as Day-Lewis’ performance n the 150th year since Gettysburg, the won over audience and critics alike, and he defining battle of the American Civil received every award available. War, one could expect a grand response, I Inevitably, the towering central performance especially from any filmmakers aiming for overshadows other actors, even those who carry release this year. Steven Spielberg is renowned significant credentials. Sally Field as Lincoln’s for his epic scale, and the knowledge that the wife has rarely given a worse performance man behind Saving Private Ryan and Amistad (and I can remember her in The Flying Nun!), was developing his Lincoln biopic for 2013 showcasing a histrionic, but unconvincing suggested he would once again present a shrew. Tommy Lee Jones presents awkwardly seminal war story. as a man of bearing who unfortunately comes However, the sesqui-centenary Lincoln across stilted, struggling with the accent, as he brings us not the epic sweep of the four year lumbers through a number of wordy set piece battle for the heart and soul of America, but a speeches in Congress that leave little room to small picture, an intimate portrait of America’s craft an actual performance. iconic President and, for many, its saviour. The man who set new standards for Spielberg’s film centres not on battlefield battlefield realism and authenticity in his 1998 re-enactments but backroom dealings, not on recreation of the landing at Normandy in Saving an abstract white versus black analysis of the Private Ryan, trips up surprisingly in the few Civil War period, but on the personal greys battlefield scenes – there is little fighting but of political realism. In fact the war itself is a the stage-like renderings of Lincoln’s surveying distant drumbeat at a time when its end could of the dead, and of the opening sequence paradoxically prevent the full freedom of the referred to earlier, confirm that Spielberg wants southern slaves, and its prolongation would us to focus not on the battles but on the hard with certitude continue the slaughter. For it work and passion of those whose activities are is a story of the political struggle in the early ZADOK 120 SPRING 2013 best re-enacted in the medium of film. months of 1865 when the war was lurching Ultimately, Spielberg’s small story to its end, and Lincoln was ascendant, having delivers an overly earnest film, prone to the won re-election, to finally pass the Thirteenth sentimentalism that has worked perfectly for Constitutional amendment outlawing slavery. him in films like Saving Private Ryan, but in this As one reviewer puts it, the ‘title suggests instance veers closer to the mawkishness of a monolith, as if going to this movie were Warhorse. tantamount to visiting Mt Rushmore’, but what However ponderous, the film is a faithful we get ‘befits a chamber piece’. and at times engaging illustration of the Gettysburg and the Lincoln address REVIEWS | ZADOK 27

compromises and small victories conceded Ringma – Emeritus Professor of Missiology at in the quest for a greater prize that typify Regent College – is one of Australia’s premier the reality of lawmaking. In this respect, it is Evangelical theologians. Secondly, there is timeless like its eponymous hero. a growing movement afoot where English But what of the incidents themselves 150 speaking Evangelicals are recovering their years on? How should we remember the past? knowledge of the rich ancient heritage of the We have a century and a half of continuous Church. In the US, one face of this interest is claim and counter claim about the causes of connected with Robert Webber’s work and the war and the outcomes of the war. We also is called the Ancient-Future movement. I say have endless battlefield re-enactments in that ‘recovering’ here, for Evangelicals have not peculiarly American way of honouring the always lacked knowledge or interest in the sacrifices of the past. pre-reformation heritage of the Church. John Spielberg prefers on this occasion to avoid Wesley, for example, was a fine Patristic scholar. Hear the Ancient Wisdom: A Meditational Reader for a spectacle in the nature of Australia’s own Professor Ringma has written this reader the Whole Year from the sentimental filmmaker Baz Luhrmann, who has for some very interesting reasons. Western Early Church Fathers up to with the worldwide hit of the mid-year, The Modernity has brought many valuable things the Pre-Reformation Great Gatsby, also ironically told a story about to the world – one of which is the form of the past. religious freedom which we Evangelicals were When Lincoln rides slowly among the dead, so intimately involved in producing – but it is the enormity of the slaughter that pained him now clear that there are also many dangers to oversee and to prolong, is vividly evident to and inadequacies in what can be broadly viewers. And it is this story of anguish, delivered called Modernity. We are ransacking the earth, superbly by Day-Lewis, that transcends the need we have a global economy embedded in the for battlefield re-enactments. exploitation of the world’s poor, we have a Day-Lewis’ portrayal will be how this rapacious consumer culture that knows the generation recalls Lincoln, and we should be price of everything but the value of nothing, grateful to him and to Spielberg that we will our relationships are in disarray, our wondrous remember a driven, but compassionate man, a technological capacities are increasingly guided thoughtful but decisive, leader of leaders. by a frighteningly amoral instrumental logic, The importance of film in helping us our workplace environments are often governed remember the past cannot be overstated. by highly impersonal and callously pragmatic Without such powerful renderings of our structures of power. history for a visual age, we, like Gatsby, will And then there is the frenetic pace of be borne back ceaselessly into a romanticised our lives, the complexity of constructing and past, even as we strive to run faster, to build integrating our multiple functional identities; our modern world. and there is always noise. Noise that incapacitates us from the patient and quiet Darren Mitchell is a senior public servant, member of St. disciplines of the soul: contemplation, inner Barnabas Broadway and Zadok film reviewer. accounting, wonder, meditation, silent prayer. Theology and church programs grounded in the Modern World do not offer much in the way of helping us overcome the noise, the Hear the Ancient Wisdom: relentless technical activity, and the absence A Meditational Reader for the Whole of wisdom that our Modern life-form has embedded us in. Professor Ringma discerns Year from the Early Church Fathers that in this context the ancient wisdom of up to the Pre-Reformation the Church, is a storehouse of exactly the treasures we now need. Charles Ringma, Cascade Books, 2013 This book is beautifully written, and richly ZADOK 120 SPRING 2013 Reviewed by Paul Tyson and quietly accessible. For those with no knowledge of the pre-reformation saints and iven that Zadok largely has an thinkers, this is the most delightful and useful Evangelical readership, it may seem a introduction one could hope for. Each reading Glittle odd to here review a meditational is one page long, starting with a brief Bible reader drawing on the pre-reformation text, a short paragraph outlining the theme, wisdom traditions of the Church. But this is not and then the main text which includes a quote odd for at least two reasons. Firstly, Charles from a past great exponent of Christian life and 28 ZADOK | REVIEWS

thought embedded in the text. It concludes we are better equipped to live as Christians with a short prayer-like thought. The prose is within the Modern world, but in some ways, as clear and refreshing as a mountain stream. not of the Modern world, this is very helpful. Indeed, it is so good to read that we are reading As an opportunity to find avenues of further it for our family devotions at present. Whilst pursuit, this text opens the world of the pre- my children need some ideas explained, the reformation wisdom traditions of the Church to directness of the prose and the clarity in which an Evangelical reader most helpfully. This is a the meditative motif is expressed makes very fine, and very timely text. it accessible even for young children. As a place of introduction to the treasures of our Paul Tyson Australian Catholic University, Brisbane past, this work is outstanding. As a catalyst to School of Theology and Philosophy. building our contemplative disciplines so that

ZADOK POETRY Chimes

From the poetry editor: bell chimes peal out From the smallest things of everyday life, we can discover and create traversing the treed valley a poetry kingdom. The eyes of the artists will perceive the fascination intermingling with in the ordinary. peppermint fragrance For poetry submissions, please email the Poetry Editor at [email protected]/. chimes, forged not in foundry brass Xiaoli Yang rather in the passion cries of assemblies unseen plighting their voices to the very trees Rain Reflection Carolyn Vimpani Rain drop A zero in between Death of Cold circles

not a word On the footpath or sound a dying plane leaf. within Anything but plain the sphere it is a hand that begs

In an inverted world I pick it up A mute is gesturing turn over this dark walnut to see tan inside ZADOK 120 SPRING 2013 anxiously to pedestrians the intricate design of veins the charm Was it loneliness or the cold of winter of another world that shrivelled this abandoned leaf?

Xiaoli Yang Jean Sietzema-Dickson 120 SPRING Subscribe PERSPECTIVES 2013

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Membership of Ethos: EA Centre for Christianity & Send SUBSCRIPTION REQUESTS to Society ($275 or $120 low income) Ethos, PO Box 175, Box Hill 3128 Organisations becoming Ethos Affiliates (see www.ethos.org.au for price) Freedom and democracy are intimately connected but, as the framers of the American constitution stressed, ‘freedom requires virtue and virtue requires faith’. It is striking in their writings and speeches to see how clearly they understood this. While many were Christians, others were deists and free thinkers, but they all understood the essential connection... Peter Corney, ‘The Future of Democracy in a Post-Christian West’