2005 - Church & State, Christian Lectures, Sydney

2005 - Church & State

New College Lecture Series 2005

Church & State: exploring views on the relevance of faith to politicsby The Hon John Anderson, The Hon Kevin Rudd and Rev Dr Andrew Cameron

The 19th annual New College Lectures were held in October 2005 on the topic Church & State: exploring views on the relevance of faith to politics. New College had three lecturers who shared much on this important topic: The Hon John Anderson, Former Leader of National Party and Deputy Prime Minister, (then) Opposition Leader The Hon Kevin Rudd, (then Shadow Minister for Foreign Affairs, Trade and International Security), and Rev Dr Andrew Cameron the Bruce Smith Lecturer in Ethics and Philosophy at Moore Theological College.

There has been much debate in recent times concerning the role that the Church does and might play in relation to the State. The issue raises many questions: How should people of faith conduct themselves if elected to government? What part might their faith play in their actions? Should the role of the Church be restricted to merely commenting on values, moral issues (etc)? If the latter, what might constitute moral issues? Alternatively, are we a secular State, where religion and church have no relevance and should be kept at arms length?

The 2005 lectures were delivered in a series of four public lectures & discussion over two evenings. Transcripts and audio of the lectures are available in PDF & MP3 formats below. A DVD Video of the lecture series can also be purchased online now.

Church & State – Lecture Summaries

Tuesday 25 October | Separating Australia: Church, State and recent Aussie thought by Rev Dr Andrew Cameron

Tuesday 25 October | Church & State: the role that people of faith have and should play in politics by The Hon John Anderson MP

Wednesday 26 October | A consideration of the relationship between Church and State by The Hon Kevin Rudd MP

Wednesday 26 October | Making it work: Proposals for future engagement between Church and State by Rev Dr Andrew Cameron 

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