Last month’s Federal election has delivered what is being considered as the most progressive parliament that Australia has witnessed for some time; a heavy representation of Independents and Greens MPs on the crossbench, with a Labor government. Such a change represents a shift in values, experiences and priorities held by everyday Australians. Significantly, the major hot button issues said to have motivated voters in this election are climate change, women’s rights and political integrity.
What might this powerful move in Australian society signal for our Church? As the Australian Catholic Church continues its process of self-examination through the Plenary Council, what can it discern from this election result?
Scott Morrison’s underlying message was that there would be no unwanted surprises in keeping the Coalition in government, that it was ‘a safe bet’, a position that was rejected by voters. As has been said multiple times about the Plenary Council, the Church likewise cannot go on with a ‘business as usual’ approach. Australians walked away from a political party that took this stance, and interestingly, the demographic that most highly represented a switch in political allegiance this election, according to pre-election polling and surveys, was professional women.
Not only did professional women change their voting habits, but many stood up as Independents, running for a seat in parliament themselves, being proactive when the government failed to take action on major issues impacting Australians. Men and women, young and old, voted for them, believing them better able to represent their concerns. These women have gained an incredible number of seats, reflecting a secular society that has confidence in women’s leadership abilities.
'Like never before, Australians moved towards justice for people and the planet and a more inclusive society.'
There is no suggestion that the Church makes decisions or takes positions based on popular opinion. In fact, rightly, often the standpoint held by the Church is counter-cultural. However, the Church must also re-imagine its own leadership structures so that female and lay voices are no longer confined to consultative, management or administrative roles. A growing recognition of the need for these voices has been reflected in the initiatives taken by Pope Francis, who has begun to make significant changes by appointing women to some positions of authority in the Vatican previously only held by ordained men.
The Pope’s mid-May Rescript decreed that non-clerical members may be conferred the office of Major Superior in clerical religious institutions. Permitting non-ordained brothers to become the direct superiors of ordained priests is a significant change, arguably separating the link between ordination and the automatic exercise of authority in the Church. This follows the Pope’s Praedicate evangelium, which highlighted that ordination is not a necessity to the exercise of authority in the Church and represents the realisation of the reform of the Curia.
These initiatives have been decisive steps in the Pope’s move towards greater inclusion of the laity and women in positions of authority. Ongoing consideration of change is vital lest the Church also witness its own mass exodus of lay women and the men who are supportive of female leadership. As Christians, we are called to a life of ‘metanoia’ or transformation. As the disciples were before us, we are continually being called into a process of repentance, change and renewal.
‘Walking the talk’ was another key issue in the election. Voting patterns demonstrated that previous Liberal voters stopped trusting that the party’s rhetoric and actions were aligned. At the same time, concern for the Church’s approach to LGBTQIA+ peoples became an issue of increasing concern within the Church, voiced in the First Assembly of the Plenary Council and the preparation for the Second Assembly. The Church professes that all of God’s children are to be cherished and welcomed. Yet, the elephant in the room for the Church has been the exclusion of LGBTQIA+ peoples from our community and their demonisation from the pulpit as ‘intrinsically disordered’.
We assert the fundamental truth that all human beings are made in God’s image and likeness, while concurrently continuing to deny that LGBTQIA+ peoples have the right to live as God has created them, fulfilling their God-given humanity. Perhaps when we instead affirm their full inclusion in the Church, we can truly claim to be a Church of integrity, one that practises what it preaches. To become a genuinely inclusive Church, the embodiment of Christ, with all its many diverse parts, these exclusionary teachings and practices must be transformed.
While the Plenary Council is not, and should not be, trying to win votes, there are lessons that can be learned from this year’s Federal election. Like never before, Australians moved towards justice for people and the planet and a more inclusive society. As the Australian Church continues the ongoing journey of living up to its own mission, is it taking note? Can we, as a Church, dare to venture on the synodal journey towards an inclusive, participatory and evangelising Church with ‘one listening to the others; and all listening to the Holy Spirit’ (Pope Francis 2015)?
Anne Walker is National Executive Director of CRA.
Emma Carolan is Justice Research Officer of CRA.
Main image: Line art of a group of friends talking. (Tetiana Garkusha / Getty Images)