The Prime Minister John Howard "appreciates and understands' that churches have a right to speak out on policy issues, says the Australian Christian Lobby.
ACL Chief of Staff David Yates says a recent meeting of churches and senior cabinet ministers shows there is a greater interest in the church to understand its role in politics, and this interest is reflected in a growing recognition of the Christian voice in the ranks of both major parties.
"The PM appreciates and understands the church has a right and an interest in [policy issues]," Mr Yates told Sydneyanglicans.net.
"[And] there has been a greater interest in the church itself to understand its role in politics.
Mr Yates says there is a ‘real recognition that no major party has a monopoly over the church’.
“We as a church feel it is good not be captured by one side or the other," he says.
The Australian Christian Lobby organised the meeting, held in Canberra on September 6, to give church leaders a voice on a broad range of social and moral concerns about policy issues such as immigration, abortion, education and overseas aid before the next federal election.
Archdeacon of North Sydney Terry Dein represented Archbishop Peter Jensen at the meeting. John Bellamy, a researcher with Anglicare Sydney, also attended.
The meeting was split into portfolio areas, so those groups with more of an interest in a particular area could focus on policy issues that most concerned them.
All major denominations except the Uniting Church were represented.
The churches met with the Prime Minister and liberal frontbenchers including Alexander Downer, Julie Bishop, Tony Abbott, Philip Ruddock, Helen Coonan and Sharman Stone.
Mr Yates says rising concern within the Christian community over moral issues such as RU486, stem cells, same-sex unions and internet pornography have pushed churches to make a stand.
"There has been a decline in what we would consider a decline in Christian values," Mr Yates says.
"Churches have gotten to a point that they realise if they don't stand up" things may get worse."
Archdeacon Dein attended sessions on welfare and industrial relations reform and says the meeting was "very worthwhile'.
"An exercise like this is good for government, and good for Christian groups to meet ministers and let them know what they think," Archdeacon Dein says.
"There is a growing public presence [that] Christian issues are sharpening up in society."
A meeting between the churches and the ALP will be held on October 18.
