By Rod Benson
The Catholic Church has its papal encyclicals, and Protestants – especially the evangelicals among them – have their declarations. “Westminster 2010” is a declaration of Christian beliefs about life, marriage and conscience, written by Christian leaders in the United Kingdom, seeking to encourage debate in the lead-up to last Thursday’s British general election, clarifying where parties and politicians stand on key moral issues.
Signatories promised to protect all vulnerable human life, from unborn children to asylum seekers to the disabled; to support a traditional view of marriage; and to promote just and fair laws.
Well, will we see a Canberra Declaration, or something similar, as our federal election approaches? Probably. But stating core values and priorities is only the beginning. Those ideals need to be reflected in policy. And of course, after the election, politicians need to be held to account for the promises they make, on moral as well as other issues.
Broadcast on 2CH Sydney, Sunday 9 May 2010.
