Although Christians are an extremely diverse group, successful political lobbying depends on common priorities. But Christians, who share many basic beliefs, rarely agree on what they really want from government. They can occasionally be successful as individual churches, but agreement between churches is still the exception.
That was the context for the Make it Count 2010 forum hosted by the Australian Christian Lobby (ACL) at Old Parliament House last Monday night. The theme was 'What values will define the nation after the election'? Kevin Rudd, in one of his final public appearances, and Tony Abbott addressed Christian leaders with a webcast live to churches around the country. This follows the successful formula used by ACL for Rudd and John Howard in 2007.
The winning formula depends on organising ability and credibility. Political leaders go where they see voters.
Then a group needs the clout to bring its leaders to Canberra to be part of the political theatre. Religious leaders take the risk of submerging their own identities within a carefully crafted Christian consensus.
They must also ask themselves how this event fits in with their own election plans. Each of the major churches, Anglican, Catholic and Uniting, issue its own election advice directly to its members, as do other Christian groups.
Reconciling priorities is always difficult. Ultimately, whether it is beliefs or values, priority is what matters. Rodney Smith of the University of Sydney has calculated that the various 2007 Christian election guides raised as many as 47 separate issues. He concluded, in How would Jesus Vote? that, 'rather than speaking in unison, churches and para-church groups were competing to draw attention to different issues'.
The final factor is establishing links to churches across Australia who can sign up their own congregations. The chance to be involved is marketed as an opportunity to 'weigh up the major political parties' policies and to pray as a church for the election'.
Last time the ACL followed up with meetings at the grassroots level in 52 federal electorates. It also consulted its own Christian membership, advocating that the top five Christian priorities, a mixture of social justice and social conservatism, were: support for traditional marriage and family; fighting poverty in Australia; opposing abortion; addressing drug and/or substance abuse, and ameliorating third world poverty.
This year's forum was again a technically sound and well-organised occasion, though the elevation of Julia Gillard means that the Christian lobby jumped the gun and