After Julia Gillard became Australia's first female Prime Minister after a shock ‘palace coup’ last week, Christian leaders are now considering how this will impact the Government's relationship with churches.

The Australian Christian Lobby, which hosted a forum with Opposition Leader Tony Abbott, Kevin Rudd and Australian Christian leaders on June 21, three days before Ms Gillard took the top job, is expecting the new Prime Minister to continue addressing issues that are of concern to the Christian community.

"[We are] expecting to see Labor under Ms Gillard confirm its concern for the poor and the disadvantaged, as well as the values in society that proved attractive to many Christians throughout Australia under Mr Rudd," the ACL said in a statement.

In Kevin Rudd, Christians had a PM who had engaged with the churches and seemed to understand the issues which affect them. With Julia Gillard now at the helm, Christian's might need to prepare themselves for a more cagey leader on faith issues.

Looking at public statements while in office, Ms Gillard has been very guarded on her view of religious belief.

In an episode of the ABC program Compass, broadcast in 2005 Ms Gillard was supportive of Kevin Rudd as he discussed the needs of Christian voters.

"I think Labor has to learn how to connect with many of the elements of our new and growing communities. And certainly the evangelical or Pentecostal churches is one of those elements. And I don't think we should be shy, even for those of us that value the sort of secular tradition that's grown up within the Labor Party. I don't think we should be shy of forging connections with those sorts of community groups," she said.

In a recent address to Christian school principals she talked vaguely of the importance of ‘morality’ in education.

As she herself admits, she values the secular tradition of the Labor Party.

Whether this means a Latham-style ‘secularist’ agenda will resurface now that the former, openly Christian leader of the ALP gone, is a completely different matter.

The factual evidence for such a thesis is miniscule.

When Ms Gillard was sworn in as Prime Minister, she took an affirmation oath, rather than swearing on the Bible. Most media commentators have taken this as a sign she doesn’t believe in God, with some reports saying she identifies herself as a "non-practicing' Baptist.