What do the words ‘religious revival’ mean to you? In the minds of most Australians the religious revival, along with the rise of mega-churches such as Hillsong, are synonymous with conservative, right wing politics. However, in her new ‘Now Australia’ essay, Faith, Money, Power, Margaret Simons argues that the two don’t necessarily go hand in hand. Simons asks the questions: is there a place for religion in Australian politics, and do conservative political parties have religious-that is Christian- agendas? ‘Despite the success of faith-based political parties, there are reasons to doubt that an increase in church-going translates in any simple way to party politics,’ Simons writes. Simons interviews regular church-goers, all of whom claim to be ‘apolitical’, and attends church services. ‘I never once heard an explicit party-political message.’ Simons also points out that many politicians, including Family First senator Steve Fielding, maintain that their faith is separate from their politics-that they had a ‘head over the heart’ philosophy when it came to public life. Simons’ essay is well-researched and thoughtprovoking. It is a must-read for anyone interested in contemporary Australia, and with a federal election looming, this essay is both timely and necessary.

Esther Van Doornum is a freelance writer and works as a bookseller at Readings in Carlton

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