I wonder what you thought of the memorial service for bushfire victims last Sunday?

The analogy that came to my mind was a kind of Kevin Rudd's 'Big Day In' for those who have suffered in the recent tragedies in Victoria. 

I time-shifted it (because I was in church) and thought it was very interesting in what it teaches about our nation and where it is going. 

1. Civic religion and the transcendent other

It's universal when human beings are suffering deep dislocation and grief to seek some context and resolution in something bigger than themselves to make sense of it and support them. This is what the memorial day service tried to do.  But what was that ‘transdendent other’ in this case? 

God was mentioned very briefly. The Anglican Archbishop of Melbourne had the courage to lead us in the Lord's Prayer and the Roman Catholic Archbishop to mention that God had been revealed in Jesus Christ.

Other than one or two perfunctory 'God bless you's and a vague reference to ancestral spirits comforting you, that was the end of the divine as a source of context to humanity.

There were appeals to the broader reality of our common humanity.

However, the most common big context of transcendent meaning, was Australia. Time and time again it was the appeal to Australians, Australian community, Australian values. The moving song "We are Australians" came as a fitting climax to this service.

Not surprising really when trying to run a service for everybody without wishing to embarrass or choose sides in the religious question, where else can you go but to nationalism? 

I think we saw in the service and in the renewed place of the Australian flag as a symbol of hope and mourning the rebirth of a powerful civic religion in this country. 

The United States of America has had it for a long time living comfortably with the Christian faith.  Here it is a kind of alternative.

2. Ceremony is important

It is clear that ceremony still speaks very powerfully to Australians. 

By 'ceremony' I mean that people did things in a formal and stylised way that otherwise could have been done very simply:  formal entrance, very slowly walking down; the placing of flowers in a large wreath as a sign of grief; the use of music; the use of poetry; the playing of little bells and the brash discordant note of a chauffeur horn. 

At times of grief and a search for meaning, it is clear that ceremonial continues to speak to Australians.

3. Communities of faith on an equal footing. 

This fits the pattern of a multi-faith, secular society. 

It was touching to see the imam being helped down by the Uniting Church minister.

Though the message was a good one of harmony and tolerance in this society, on the other hand, it was one that deeply deceives that all religions are equal and simply different forms of human expression.

4. People clapped at strange places. 

Malcolm Turnbull got a clap for telling the people that "We love you", as did the Princess Royal reminding us that we are not all just simply Australians but that she was personally representing Her Majesty who expressed her concern. 

I was intrigued in these little breakthroughs in what otherwise was meant to be a sombre service.

5. Not a memorial 'meeting' but a 'service'.

Apparently non-churchgoers do understand that services mean solemn occasions of meaning and not what a mechanic does to your car.