News

Finding out who Jesus would vote for

Blue Mountains Gazette 5 Sept 2007

It's a general rule for Aussie blokes at a barbecue that you don't talk about religion or politics.

So when the men's ministry at Springwood-Winmalee Anglican Churches hosted a 'How Would Jesus Vote?' barbecue on August 24, the potential for disaster was high.

Image of voting paper But the organiser assistant minister Craig Schafer said that the result was a great Friday night event that got Christian and non-Christian men thinking and talking about a Christian perspective on the looming federal election".

Gordon Cheng, who writes for the Daily Telegraph and is an Anglican minister, was brave enough to step up to the microphone to tackle the question 'how would Jesus vote'.

Mr Cheng sidestepped the divine endorsement of a particular party, but the 50 blokes in attendance were encouraged to take seriously the challenge to love our neighbours as we form voting intentions to be realistic about what political processes can actually achieve in a fallen world, and to remember that ultimately God's solution to the issues we face in this world is not political but universal redemption and renewal.

Mr Schafer said: "When Gordon opening up for questions after his talk, the first one came within about a nano-second and they kept coming which says to me that the men there were engaged with the things Gordon was saying and really interesting in the question."

This men's event was part of a broader process in the parish to help encourage people to consider Jesus' perspective as they decide who they will vote for.

Springwood Winmalee Anglican Churches was one of the parishes that hosted the recent ACL webcast where John Howard and Kevin Rudd addressed the Christian constituency. Rector Graham Crew is also seeking to organise a forum with the local candidates as the election draws closer.

Mr Cheng's talk is available for anybody to listen to.