The Left and Christianity

The title of this post could well precede a rant from the likes of Bolt, Henderson or Blair, but let me assure you my gentle readers that this is not the case.

Last week I had a stand up argument with someone who would regard themselves as Left wing, and expressed reservations about Kevin Rudd's leadership of the ALP because of his very public Christianity. I regarded this argument as lacking substance (or as I put it - "crap") for these reasons:

1. Christianity does not equal Family First/Exclusive Brethren/Danny Nahlia - the same group of people who would defend Muslims from attack from the right on the basis of rants by extremists, should not then extend different standards for Christians in politics - and by extension Kevin Rudd and the ALP.
2. Kevin Rudd has expressed a belief in a Christianity which professes a "social Gospel". His articles in the Monthly here and here are good examples of this.
3. A progressive stance that seeks to exclude people of faith in favour of a stale secularism - a secularism that rather then co-opting religion (render unto Caesar what is Caesar's....) - is a political movement designed to fail. The Left of politics and society in Australia has drawn upon men and women of faith more moral leadership since settlement.

There has been much talk of a religious right in this country, but there is a small - if potentially influential - religious left as well. Progressives should embrace people of faith, not reject them or cast them into the same camp as right wing extremists