The ABC Boyer lectures have hit the bookstores, and in his final lecture this Sunday, the Archbishop of Sydney offers his strongest criticism yet of the individualism he says is distorting Australian political life.
In lecture six, broadcast on the Radio National at 5pm on 18 December, Dr Jensen says Jesus' teaching on human freedom confronts the secular emphasis on human goodness, individuality and choice champioined by Western liberalism and politicians.
"Human freedom has become a major cultural issue" [but] the teaching of Jesus on human freedom challenges elements of the prevailing liberal ethos," he says.
"Jesus Christ sets before us the choice between finding freedom in the service of others or living for ourselves alone. These choices are immensely important for the quality of our social life."
Dr Jensen says Jesus would dispute recent comments by Liberal MP Malcolm Turnbull that Australians don't want to be told how to run their lives but instead favour "individualism and choice'.
"To [Mr Turnbull] it is people who distrust human nature who want to restrict freedom. He accuses them of not trusting people to make the right choice," Dr Jensen says. "But that's not quite right."
"The real issue is, can we trust each other to use our freedom well? Will my freedom to bargain, be at the expense of your ability to look after your family? Will my freedom to open my shopping mall on weekends, be at the expense of your freedom to have a weekend off from work, at the same time as the rest of your family?
"If you want a free society, you must attend to its moral health."
Dr Jensen says voluntary euthanasia is one area in which "we are asked to exercise a freedom we do not have'.
He warns that ignorance about Jesus threatens to pervert the original high ideals of both the Labor and the Coalition, which were both shaped by Christ's teaching.
Dr Jensen calls on both major political parties to look carefully at their notions of contemporary liberalism and to re-examine their parties' origins, values and the freedoms they advocate.
"This discussion is not anti-Liberal Party; if anything it is calling that Party to debate its origins and to be aware that the society in which it exists has changed its nature in a way which endangers true freedom.
"The Labor Party and other parties could benefit from a debate about exactly the same issues."
This year marks the 46th anniversary of the Boyer Lectures.
Former speakers include Chief Justice Murray Gleeson, author David Malouf, historian Manning Clark and former Prime Minister Bob Hawke.
In a recent edition of Southern Cross newspaper, Dr Jensen said there was no way he could "do justice to Jesus' in the lectures, but was hoping to generate a national discussion, reminding listeners that Jesus could not be written out of history and must not be written out of Australia's future.
"It would be so helpful to move away from (largely sterile) jibes about the "religious right' and the "loony left' and actually engage with something as significant as the greatest life that was ever lived and the greatest words that were ever spoken."
"I would be delighted if they led to all sorts of people reading the gospels for themselves."
The final Boyer lecture will be broadcast at 5pm and repeated on Tuesday 20 Dec 1pm (4pm in WA).
The Boyer lectures " the Future of Jesus " are now available in book and audio formats at ABC Shops.
They are broadcast on ABC Radio National, Sydney 576AM and for those outside Sydney, listen online or find your frequency at [url=http://www.abc.net.au/rn]http://www.abc.net.au/rn[/url]
