[Oe List ...] Bonhoeffer makes news in Australian Politics

[frank bremner]

Dear Richard and Maria:

Good noten on Kevin Rudd, Maguires.  I've just finished reading Kevin Rudd's 
article in The Monthly.  Very articulate.

There has been a conference at Whitley College, Melbourne, Vic, Sep 21-24 
titled "Who is Bonhoeffer for us today", and one coming up at St John's 
Ministry Centre, Morpeth, NSW, Oct 27-28.  The former one seems more 
liberal/progressive/ecumenical and the latter more Anglican/evangelical.  I 
think Kevin Rudd was due to be a speaker or workshop leaders or something at 
the former.  I'll try to track down conference transcripts.

On a Compass program on ABC-TV last year various pollies were asked to talk 
about their faith and their political work etc.  As I recall it, Kevin Rudd 
(ALP, Catholic) and John Anderson (at the time National Party and leader, 
Protestant evangelical) were the two with the most articulate statements.  I 
was most impressed with the political conservative John Anderson - he knew 
what he was talking about and was very relaxed about talking about it.  (He 
was also impressive this year, when having resigned from parliament for 
health reasons, he appeared on Enough Rope with Andrew Denton, with his 
wife.  They appeared to be very genuine people.)

Tony Abbott (Liberal, Catholic) was probably on that Compass program - he 
has a sort-of articulate conservative view, with holes in it, the sort that 
Kevin Rudd addresses in his The Monthly article.  John Howard was 
conspicious by his superficial conservative perspective.

Cheers

Frank





>From: Richard and Maria Maguire <unfolding at smartchat.net.au>
>Reply-To: Order Ecumenical Community  <oe at wedgeblade.net>
>To: Order Ecumenical Community <oe at wedgeblade.net>
>Subject: [Oe List ...] Bonhoeffer makes news in Australian Politics
>Date: Thu, 05 Oct 2006 20:51:01 +1000
>
> >The opposition (Labor) shadow foreign affairs minister, Kevin Rudd
> >caused quite a stir this week by publishing an article in a magazine
> >calling on the churches and Christians to take an active role in
> >politics concerning social justice, and not allow the right wing
> >Christians take over the field.  The churches have been critical of
> >the current conservartive government on a number of issues in the
> >past several years, including going to war in Iraq, current
> >windbacks of workers rights, asylum seekers, Aboriginal people and
> >other issues, as has been the Labor party.
>
>
>However it is rare for a Labor person to speak up explicitly in terms
>of his theology, and Rudd does so in an impressively articulate
>manner.  The journalists have had a great struggle with this and
>can't quite understand that separation of church and state doesn't
>mean stay away from politics.  Rudd calls upon Bonhoeffer as a great
>20th century example of someone who engaged in politics as a
>Christian, and by doing so has made Bonhoeffer's name front page news.
>
>It's possible to view what he says in a speech he gave recently at
>the University of New South Wales.  You can view it at
>http://newcollege.unsw.edu.au/lecture_pdf/1131324972742Rudd.pdf#search=%22bonhoeffer%20%22Kevin%20Rudd%22%22.
>The magazine article is not on the web, but this speech gives his
>essential points.
>
>If you would like to see how a journalist has a struggle
>understanding what this is about see
>http://www.abc.net.au/lateline/content/2006/s1753913.htm and
>http://www.abc.net.au/lateline/content/2006/s1753915.htm .
>
>Kevin Rudd is a Catholic and as he rightly points out the Labor Party
>has had a large Catholic representation since its beginning.
>
>To many people Rudd is the most interesting and challenging of the
>Labor front liners, and many think he will one day be the leader of
>the Opposition, and I'd be glad to see him as Prime Minister.
>
>Richard
>
>
>
>
>
>Richard and Maria Maguire, Unfolding Futures Pty Ltd, GPO Box 349,
>Sydney NSW 2001, Australia
>Ph +61 2 9896 3839, Fax +61 2 9896 3904, mail at unfoldingfutures.net,
>http://www.unfoldingfutures.net
>Transforming individuals and organizations toward a future worth living 
>now.
>
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