Image

Should Christians Be Ashamed Of Joining a Political Party?

"Followers of Jesus should not allow a secular media to shame them out of exercising their democratic freedoms and obeying Jesus’ command to be salt and light in the surrounding culture."

Earlier this month, independent Adelaide news site InDaily ran a scare story entitled The Divine Right: Pentecostal recruitment drive divides SA Libs. Its apparent aim was to spook secular Australians about the increasing involvement of Christians in electoral politics.

“Senior Liberals are actively recruiting Pentecostals,” the article warned. “Adelaide Pentecostal parishioners have been told it is their ‘mission’ to join political parties so they can shape policy and preselections,” read another paragraph.

In its juiciest scoop, the piece paraphrased a state Liberal MP as encouraging Christians to ignore the “separation of church and state” and become more active in the political sphere. According to InDaily, “several MPs have raised concerns about the influx of Pentecostal branch members in recent months.”

At the centre of the story was Rob Norman, the Senior Pastor at Southland Church in Adelaide’s southern suburbs — and Liberal MP David Speirs, who is also South Australia’s Minister for Environment and Water.

At a recent Southland Church service which was live-streamed on Facebook, Pastor Rob gave a message entitled Christians and Politics. He also invited David Speirs, one of four Liberal MPs present that day, to share briefly about the stance he took against the Termination of Pregnancy Bill passed in South Australia earlier this year, and the importance of Christians having a voice on issues like the right to life.

Speirs was very upset with SA’s Upper House in particular. “They just wave legislation through,” Speirs told the congregation. “They’re not interested in undertaking deep analysis or challenging legislation that is presented to it… It’s such a laissez-faire, Left-leaning place — it’s extremely concerning.”

Pastor Rob offered his solution. “It’s really simple — if Christians joined political parties, many of these Bills would not even make it into parliament.” He explained that party membership gives people the right to vote at meetings and to have a say in the preselection of candidates.

Should secular Australians be concerned about Christians becoming more involved in politics? Or should Christians be ashamed of joining a political party?

The answer to both questions is of course a resounding no. Australia is a participatory democracy — the very point of which is to give everyday people a say in how the law that governs them is shaped, regardless of what they believe.

At the event in question, David Speirs was quoted as saying, “this idea of the separation of church and state — forget it”. But in context, he was not arguing for some kind of theocracy. Immediately after these words, as InDaily noted, Speirs went on to say,

If you’re going to use that as an excuse — and many churches do — not to get involved, and not to influence your members of parliament, we are on a sad and slippery slope to a very dangerous place.

In Australia, the separation of church and state was never about preventing religious people from expressing their political will. Quite the opposite: its purpose was to prevent the government from impinging on religious freedom.

Section 116 of Australia’s Constitution explains that “the Commonwealth shall not make any law for establishing any religion, or for imposing any religious observance, or for prohibiting the free exercise of any religion.” Australia’s founders wanted to ensure that the government didn’t favour one denomination over another: Australia was to be a country that Protestants and Catholics alike could call home.

Australia has become increasingly secular since its founding. But as always, Christians are not only permitted but encouraged to make their voices heard through their representatives — or to even become representatives themselves.

As Pastor Rob points out, in South Australia — a state with a population of 1.5 million people — the two major parties only have around 5,000 members each.

This provides an enormous opportunity for Christians to be involved in tangible ways that can ultimately steer the direction of our nation. Followers of Jesus should not allow a secular media to shame them out of exercising their democratic freedoms and obeying Jesus’ command to be salt and light in the surrounding culture.

Now more than ever, Australia’s political parties need Christian voices. Joining a party generally costs less than $100, but it is a powerful way to stand for truth and righteousness, for the benefit of all Australians.

Don’t be intimidated. On the contrary, let articles like InDaily’s inspire you to be more active than ever before.

Originally published at the Canberra Declaration.

Special Request:

For nearly eight years, we've highlighted issues ignored by mainstream media and resisted globalist ideologies eroding Western civilization. We've done this joyfully, without paywalls, despite personal costs to our team. Your support has kept us going, but operating costs exceed donations, forcing us to use ads. We’d love to ditch them, so we’re asking for your help. If you value our work, please consider supporting us via Stripe or PayPal. Every bit helps us keep fighting for our kids’ future. Thank you!

What's New?

Use the blue arrows at the bottom to scroll through the latest.
ACT Pushes Law Mandating Dog Owners Spend Three Hours a Day With Pets

ACT Pushes Law Mandating Dog Owners Spend Three Hours a Day With Pets

"How exactly will the government track whether dog owners are meeting the three-hour requirement? And who will monitor this?"
By
by Staff WriterJul 9, 2025
Victims of Communism Curriculum Mandated in Texas Schools

Victims of Communism Curriculum Mandated in Texas Schools

"SB 24’s requirements will give voice and visibility to Karl Marx’s often marginalized victims by offering kids ‘first-hand accounts, in-person, and video-recorded testimonies.’"
By
by Rod LampardJul 8, 2025
Less Freedom Won’t Fix “Antisemitism”

Less Freedom Won’t Fix “Antisemitism”

"One man cannot threaten another if every man has his tongue cut out—but at what cost? The principle of individual rights must remain intact, even if the removal of some freedoms can reduce the violation of others."
By
by Ben DavisJul 7, 2025
Which Words Matter?

Which Words Matter?

“Words are literally the overflow of who we are, coming out from as down deep as you can go.”
By
by Dr Stephen FysonJul 7, 2025
Keep Building—Even When They Call You Bad Names

Keep Building—Even When They Call You Bad Names

"It is no new thing for the best of men to be evil spoken of."
By
by Ben DavisJul 6, 2025
Australians Could Be Forced to Submit Facial Scans to Access the Internet

Australians Could Be Forced to Submit Facial Scans to Access the Internet

Australia appears to be heading towards a surveillance state.
By
by Staff WriterJul 5, 2025
WHO Flips on COVID Mandates, Declares a Social Distancing Crisis

WHO Flips on COVID Mandates, Declares a Social Distancing Crisis

"New estimates suggest that approximately 871,000 deaths per year are due to loneliness, which, the WHO stated, is linked to social isolation and/or ostracisation."
By
by Rod LampardJul 4, 2025
Was Jesus a Jew?

Was Jesus a Jew?

What does it actually mean to call Jesus a "Jew," and does he truly fit that label?
By
by Ben DavisJul 3, 2025

Image

Support

If you value our work and would like to support us, you can do so by visiting our support page. Can’t find what you’re looking for? Visit our search page.

Copyright © 2025, Caldron Pool

Permissions

Everything published at Caldron Pool is protected by copyright and cannot be used and/or duplicated without prior written permission. Links and excerpts with full attribution are permitted. Published articles represent the opinions of the author and may not reflect the views of all contributors at Caldron Pool.

Caldron Pool does not condone the use of violence, threats, or intimidation for political or religious purposes. We strongly advocate for peaceful, respectful, and free communication and open debate without fear of reprisal or punishment.