Does Christian democracy have a future?

Does Christian democracy have a future?

Author: ABC Australia September 23, 2026 Duration: 29:02
As ethno-nationalists continue their march across much of Europe, what has become of the once predominant political movement in Europe — Christian Democracy?  From its origins in Catholic teaching, with a focus on social welfare, the political ideology swept across Europe in the aftermath of World War II.  It symbolised political stability, social support and the promise of a brighter, united future.  But in the era of identity politics, does Christian Democracy have a future? PLUS Clive Hamilton, retiring Professor of Public Ethics, Charles Sturt University and founder of the Australia Institute, on the end of his controversial career in public life. GUESTS: Jan-Werner Muller, Professor of Politics, Princeton University. Author of the new book, Street, Palace, Square: The Architecture of Democratic Spaces and a recent essay for Foreign Policy magazine.  Clive Hamilton, retiring Professor of Public Ethics, Charles Sturt University and founder of the Australia Institute. This program was recorded on the lands of the Gadigal People of the Eora Nation

Produced by the ABC, The Religion and Ethics Report-Separate stories podcast digs into the complex and often unseen forces shaping our world. Each episode is a deep, standalone exploration of how belief, morality, and spiritual practice intersect with the headlines and the human stories behind them. We move beyond simple soundbites to present nuanced conversations and reported features that consider the ethical dimensions of power, the cultural impact of faith, and the personal search for meaning. You’ll hear from a diverse range of voices-theologians and philosophers, community leaders and activists, artists and everyday people-all contributing to a vital examination of contemporary life. This podcast doesn’t offer easy answers but instead provides the context and depth needed to understand the pivotal role of religion and ethics in Australian society and across the globe. It’s for anyone curious about the deeper currents driving conflict, compassion, and change in our communities. Tune in for thoughtful, independent journalism that treats these profound subjects with the seriousness and specificity they deserve.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 50

The Religion and Ethics Report - Separate stories podcast
Podcast Episodes
An uncertain future for Christian Democracy in Europe [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 8:47
As ethno-nationalists continue their march across much of Europe, what has become of the once predominant political movement in Europe — Christian Democracy? While it might share a religious origin, it is worlds away fro…
Clive Hamilton on the consuming fire of identity politics [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 23:48
In the early 1990s, a young economist and philosopher anticipated the end of Labor's era in government and asked what came next for Australian politics. Clive Hamilton then set up the Australia Institute. It became the c…
The Christian women making their mark on US politics [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 29:36
Who are the real leaders behind the current MAGA movement in the US? There's no doubt that Trump has amassed a significant, largely male support base. But there's a growing movement of politically-engaged conservative Ch…
Should we rethink liberalising surrogacy laws? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 29:53
Australia’s Law Reform Commission is due to release its review of surrogacy laws this week. Surrogacy advocates have lobbied hard to allow commercial or compensated surrogacy for women who bear children for couples who c…
The continuing Sudan conflict threatens Christians in Nuba region [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 7:37
As the war in Sudan continues into its fourth year, with a death toll as high as 400,000, violence has come to the last refuge. In the Nuba mountains, Christian and Muslim Sudanese have traditionally lived in peaceful co…
The German far right and the Christian church fall out [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 17:16
For the first time since the 1930s, a far-right party is poised to take government in a German state. In the weekend elections in Saxony-Anhalt, the Alternative for Deutschland won 44 per cent of the vote. The party’s un…
Plans to liberalise surrogacy laws criticised by UN [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 14:31
Australia’s Law Reform Commission is due to release its review of surrogacy laws this week. Surrogacy advocates have lobbied hard to allow commercial or compensated surrogacy for women who bear children for couples who c…
Personal identity or religious liberty? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 10:46
Almost every UN member country has signed covenants to guarantee human rights. But what happens when there’s a clash of rights, such as personal identity versus religious liberty? Some battles end in the courts but offic…
Afghan women face a "femicide" under Taliban rule [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 17:23
It’s five years since the Taliban seized power in Afghanistan, erasing, almost overnight, the human rights gained in the previous 20 years. A western occupation had its problems. A Brown University study found it cost al…
Nepal flood relief a challenge for aid agencies and government [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 6:51
“The scale and suddenness of this flood have left many families facing immense uncertainty and hardship.” says Roslyn Gabriel, World Vision’s National Director in Nepal. The death toll from the floods that have swept the…