Peter Costello CHURCH STATE ACL Peter Costello used an important bridging concept in his speech to those "overly religious folks" at ACL conference yesterday; The word “science”. More here. What keeps our religious worldview in tune with reality is its ability to deal with facts. A good test of how effective your particular worldview is , surely is how effectively it works for you.
Nothing more symbolises the general consensus of functional democracies over the last 400 years than the correctness of having both, but not mixing both . Diversity is accepted not stifled.
The important tension between the 2 must not be dissolved by putting them in the same box ( Church and State)

Australian audiences are very keen to keep its egalitarian culture, but are not quite sure of what ideas and worldviews got it there and keep it there. But whether we want to admit it or not maybe we need both our own "church" and the state , we need diversity with distinction ;diversity and tension between the extreme parts : If some don’t know which way to jump in a crisis of faith like now – they can simply woose out - the good men do nothing apathy that is helping kill our own culture .Do we not all need to decide “which way “is best and seek agreement on what we have in common. None of us like being branded “religious” but thankfully according to the modern science/practice , we all are in the same boat with it anyway .Modern Psychology science says not only that we have to choose the paradigm , but that we have probably already chosen.

There is also all the evidence in our backyard and around the world that democratic traditions require more than mere force and structure to work, They need ideas; they need closely held values , they need faith systems that work .
Mind you Christians have no excuse for doing otherwise throughout history. Jesus clearly stated when he got his disciples to pay their taxes;Very clearly they didn't like that idea and he had to do some powerful persuading .Luke 20 "they have their job and we have ours" . Pity the polys of the time didn't think or practice the same to those courageous men in agreement about the principles of good politics. With Jesus view of power and how it is to be used how could there not be a difference . copyright