Kevin Rudd

The question of politics and Christianity - and their interaction - is an interesting and important one.

This page deals with matters of Christan faith and behaviour concerning Kevin Rudd, the Prime Minister of Australia. It does not specifically address matters of policy.

Kevin Rudd was brought up as a Catholic and met his wife Therese whilst studying at the Australian National University - at Student Christian Movement meetings and at Burgmann College. She was an Anglican and they attend St John the Baptist Anglican Church in Bulimba, Queensland. He has said he considers himself a "non-denominational Christian".
Information on his background - Source: It's private - the school he wants to forget  - SMH, April 27, 2007.

Early speeches about faith and politics

Kevin Rudd spoke about his faith and politics at the Melbourne Prayer Breakfast in 2003.
He also gave an address for the National Day of Thanksgiving in Melbourne in 2005.

Role of politics and faith in the Labor Party

Prior to his election as the leader of the Australian Labor Party in December 2006, Kevin Rudd began speaking about being a Christian and the role of religion in politics.

After the 2004 federal election he established the "ALP Caucus Committee on Faith, Politics and Values" because of concern about the rise of Family First and the fact they directed their preferences to the Liberal Party.
He was asked about this group in a Compass program called The God Factor in May 2005.

He said he wanted to show that Christianity was not 'owned' by the Liberal Party!

Kevin Rudd's analysis of faith and politics

In late 2006, he wrote two articles in The Monthly.
Faith and Politics
A 5,500 word essay on politics and faith. The Monthly, October 2006.

Howard's Brutopia - The Monthly, November 2006.

He also gave a keynote address to the 'National Forum on Australia's Christian Heritage' on 7 August 2006:
CHRISTIANITY, THE AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY AND CURRENT CHALLENGES IN AUSTRALIAN POLITICS

These articles established the sort of Christianity that Kevin Rudd espouses. He focused on social justice issues and was critical of those considering morality as a defining feature of political involvement.

Article in April 2007 Journal

So we wrote an article, published in our April 2007 Salt Shakers journal, analysing some of Kevin Rudd's statements on faith, Christian socialism, social justice etc. It also looks at how his statements correlate with Labor Party policies. . .

Kevin Rudd - faith in politics
Jenny Stokes, Salt Shakers journal, April 2007
Contains links to articles referred to.

Election 2007

During the lead-up to the federal election in November 2007, Kevin Rudd actively promoted Labor as a suitable party, with suitable policies, for Christians.

He spoke at Make it Count, a webcast presentation by Prime Minister John Howard and himself to Christian leaders assembled in Canberra and up to 100,000 people around Australia that was organised by the Australian Christian Lobby. He spoke of his 'garden variety' personal faith.
Click here for the transcript of that address. Click here for audio downloads.
(It also includes the address by John Howard and question and answer sessions.)

During the election campaign a bystander at a football ground asked him "Mr Rudd, do you believe in Jesus Christ, the Son of God?”
Kevin Rudd replied, "Well, I’m a—I’m a, a person who attends church regularly.”
Hardly a definitive answer of faith.
Andrew Bolt wrote an article highlighting the differing responses Kevin Rudd gives... 

Post-election

30 November 2007 - Making decisions
The week after the election, Kevin Rudd told the media that, although he was a Christian, he felt that decisions regarding running the nation needed to be rational, and advice should be taken from public servants - rather than from God.

Public servants will advise me, not God: Rudd
AAP, The Australian, November 30, 2007
"KEVIN Rudd makes no secret of his religious beliefs, but as prime minister he says he'll take advice from public servants, not God.
The committed Christian says he is not praying for guidance on how to run the country.
Mr Rudd said he would keep religion and politics separate. "I go to church on Sunday like millions of other Australians, and I am always conscious in the business of politics of what I don't know, and therefore the need to seek advice," Mr Rudd told Southern Cross Broadcasting in Melbourne. "That's usually obtained, however, from well-crafted reports from public service advisers."
Mr Rudd said his faith had been part and parcel of his life for 30 years. While it would colour his decisions, it would not play a major role, he said......."

4 December 2007 - Kevin Rudd sworn in as Prime Minister
Kevin Rudd was sworn in as Prime Minister on 3 December in a ceremony at Government House officiated at by Governor-General Michael Jeffery. This was followed by the swearing in of his Deputy, Julia Gillard and then the 28 ministers and 12 Parliamentary Secretaries. They all hold office as members of 'Executive Council'.

We were pleased to see that Kevin Rudd took his oath of office holding the Bible, and concluding 'So help me God'. However Julia Gillard made an affirmation.
In all, of the ministers and parliamentary secretaries, this article says 'about half and half' took the oath and the affirmation. This article lists about a dozen frontbenchers who took the oath.

A video of the ceremony is available on the ABC website. It is 6 minutes long and shows Kevin Rudd and Julia Gillard.
Kevin Rudd and Julia Gillard sworn in by Governor General
ABC News, Monday 3 December 2007.

February 2009 
Kevin Rudd had a long essay in The Monthly on the global financial crisis. He was very critical of what he called 'extreme capitalism' and promoted himself as a 'social democrat'.
The article doesn't mention faith or Christianity but it does reveal a great deal about his 'worldview' - hence its inclusion on this page.
The Global Financial Crisis - Kevin Rudd, The Monthly, February 2009.

Some comments on this:
Kevin Rudd's plan to rescue capitalism: essay
Dennis Shanahan, Political editor, The Australian , January 31, 2009.

May 2009 - Interview in 'War Cry'
In May 2009, Kevin Rudd was featured in an interview in the Salvation Army's magazine 'War Cry'. He mentioned that he uses a devotional book by Oswald Sanders, My Utmost for His Highest.
When asked 'Who's Jesus?' he said "By instinct and training I'm a historian. So when I look at the historical Jesus through the accounts of the gospel writers and the testimonies of his earliest apostles in the book of Acts, and I look at the reflections of Paul-though himself not a disciple-the picture I see is of a person of all-consuming, self-giving love. In an age where there's not a lot of love shown to people and where folk are often judgmental of each other, to believe in a real historical person whose claim was to be the Son of God and who unequivocally and without reservation extends love to you, that is my answer to you as to who Jesus is."
The article: Firm Foundation - War Cry , 23 May 2009.

17 July 2009 - Kevin Rudd, God and Politics
When Kevin Rudd visited Rome recently he had a meeting with the Pope. One of the stated topics of conversation was Kevin advocating for Australian woman Mary MacKillop to be made a Catholic 'saint'. Some commentators said that was going to far and putting too much religion into politics and interfering in church matters. In any case, the Catholic church appears to be well advanced in such discussions.

Since the election, we've noticed that often Kevin Rudd does a Sunday media interview - as he leaves church... We've reported on his friendship with US Christian leader Jim Wallis, who also advises Gordon Brown and Barack Obama. Janet Albrechtsen has written about some of these matters in The Australian. She says "there has been little analysis of Rudd's similar conversion from religion as private belief to religion as a public performance."

Perhaps it's time to look more closely...

Read her enlightening article:
PM proves a convert to the politics of faith
Janet Albrechtsen | The Australian - July 15, 2009.

September 2009 - Bad language
Reports in the media about Prime Minister Kevin Rudd using foul language in a meeting with Labor backbenchers have raised the issue of whether such language is appropriate from a Prime Minister.
The report that broke the news referred to Mr Rudd as 'church-going' - raising the question of whether this is appropriate behaviour for a professed Christian.
Report: Rudd's 'f***ing' rant at factions  - Glenn Milne, The Sunday Telegraph, September 19, 2009.
A more detailed review of this incident, along with links to more media articles is in the page containing our email about this matter.

Bill Muehlenberg noted that we can all make 'mistakes' but pointed out that Mr Rudd, when questioned about his repeated use of the 'f-word', refused to apologise for it.

This isn't the first time Mr Rudd has been accused of swearing and using the 'f-word'. Last year Dr Peter van Onselen wrote a book which mentioned that Mr Rudd regularly swore at staff. Report:  The swearing Kevin Rudd voters won't see - Daily Telegraph, July 13, 2008.

These are significant questions - should we expect more from our PM? Should he be a better role model for our children? Should he apologise for the bad language?
We believe the answer to all of them is yes.

October 24, 2009 - Another comment on Kevin Rudd's Christianity and politics
The following article was written by Chris Uhlmann, the political editor of the ABC's 7.30 Report.
St Kevin's halo may choke him
Chris Uhlmann | October 24, 2009 -  The Australian
"ST John the Baptist Anglican Church is a faint echo of pre-Federation Australia in the national capital. It was consecrated on March 12, 1845, 68 years before a yet-to-be-imagined Canberra would have its founding ceremony.
You may be more familiar with the church than you imagine because for the past two years the Sunday night news has often carried pictures of the Prime Minister leaving St John's.

The practice began with a request from television networks and, when his office agreed, it was on the condition that it was a picture opportunity only; Kevin Rudd was not to be assailed by journalists asking questions. Then one morning, instead of walking past the camera, Rudd stopped and made a statement. Now his post-church sermons have become a regular feature of Sunday political fare.

Pause for a moment and imagine what the reaction would have been if John Howard had done that.

We have some idea what Rudd would make of it because in two essays for The Monthly in 2006 he railed at "how right-wing Christian extremism has become John Howard's religious handmaiden in his political project to reshape Australia". It is hard to imagine that Rudd would have stayed mute if Howard had appropriated a church as a backdrop for political statements.

Much was made of the rise of the religious Right in the Howard years and some ministers, such as Tony Abbott, did wear their beliefs on their sleeves. Howard did not. He was old enough to remember the great divide in Australian history was sectarianism and, save for funerals, he scrupulously avoided pictures at church.

But Rudd has made a parade of his beliefs and is given to cloaking political arguments in moral garments. He calls climate change "the great moral challenge of our generation". The financial crisis is not just a market failure but "a fundamental failure of values. We've seen the triumph of greed over integrity."....."

October 26, 2009 - Kevin Rudd and being 'unapologetic'
Several commentators have noted Kevin Rudd's latest favourite expression - 'making no apology' or being 'unapologetic'.
This article by Annabel Crabb in the Sydney Morning Herald explains more.
PM makes no apologies for being unapologetic
SMH, The Age, Oct 27, 2009.

December 2009
Kevin Rudd has again spoken about the canonisation of Roman Catholic nun Mary MacKillop.
[It appears that she is likely to be canonised by the Catholic Church - see article: Mary MacKillop 'likely' to become saint - SMH, Dec 14, 2009.]
Mr Rudd visited the Roman Catholic Mary MacKillop Chapel in Sydney and actually took communion - this caused a dilemma for the priest as only full Catholics are supposed to take communion!
In the end, a nun gave him communion.

Kevin Rudd's communion at Blessed Mary MacKillop's Chapel troubles church
The Australian, December 16, 2009.
"KEVIN Rudd's decision to take holy communion at the Blessed Mary MacKillop's Chapel in Sydney on Sunday posed a dilemma for the chaplain and the Sisters of St Joseph.
The Australian Online has confirmed that the chaplain and sisters at the chapel were caught unawares by the Prime Minister's visit, which sparked criticism by Coalition Catholics, including Tony Abbott, that Mr Rudd was exploiting Mother Mary's expected canonisation.
The chaplain had to decide whether to refuse him communion or allow it and risk being asked to explain his actions to Cardinal George Pell. . ."
Other articles:

February 2010
Kevin Rudd believes in evolution
Kevin Rudd was recently asked about his views on evolution....
He told Channel 9, "I have always believed in evolution. The reason is it's an empirical science. It's been established. It has been, therefore, fundamental to the great innovations in science and technology for the last two hundred years since Darwin was around. And that's my view - always has been."
See article from the West Australian - click here.

The question to Mr Rudd came after Opposition Leader Tony Abbott, when questioned about his belief about evolution, challenged Channel Nine's Laurie Oakes to ask Mr Rudd what he believed on the subject. Source.
By the way, Mr Abbott has said, on his blog, "I don't say that evolution is a complete and entirely satisfactory scientific explanation of the origin of man. Still, I think it's more plausible than treating the Adam and Eve story as literal truth (if that's what creationists say)." But he engaged in a lengthy and ongoing discussion with a person writing on the subject.

April 2010 - Easter - An article by the 7.30 Report's Chris Uhlmann
God, the Christian socialist and the mad monk
By Chris Uhlmann, ABC. Thu Apr 1, 2010
"Over Easter the Prime Minister and the Opposition Leader will participate in rites that many see as ridiculous.
They will be reflecting on the last days of a Jew who died in Jerusalem about 2,000 years ago. On Thursday they ritually recreated his last meal and today they will remember the moment he was executed. Then they will celebrate the impossible; that this man rose from the dead.
Under the confessions both follow this cannot be explained as a metaphorical resurrection, a rebirth in the minds and hearts of his followers. As Paul wrote: "If Christ did not rise, your faith is vain".
So is faith a vanity, a delusion? Maybe it is. To many the story of Christ is just another fable. The atheists are right. Faith, of any kind, has always been absurd. It defies logic and offends science. Yet people believe.
The older I get the less certain I become and the more bewildered I am by the unshakable convictions of both strident believers and atheists.
However, I am certain that I have little time for those who hold believers in contempt. And I have begun to suspect that, in the West, science is assuming the altar once carved out for God….

He then goes on to talk about Mr Rudd and Mr Abbott in more detail…