In this episode, Jonathan is joined by Prof Greg Melleuish for a conversation about conservatism in Australia. They explore the dominant liberal tradition in Australian history and the place of conservatism in that tradition, the reasons why the language of conservatism emerges late in Australian political history, the general conservative nature of Australian settler culture, the evolution of the Liberal Party of Australia into a party with liberal and conservative wings and the recent influence of American conservatism on the developing conservative movement in Australia. Greg Melleuish is Professor in the School of Humanities and Social Inquiry at the University of Wollongong, where he teaches Australian politics. He has written widely on Australian political thought and is the author of Cultural Liberalism in Australia, Despotic State or Free Individual and (with Dr Stephen Chavura) The Forgotten Menzies. The Political Animals is hosted by Dr Jonathan Cole, an academic, writer, speaker and translator specialising in political theology: the intersection of religion and politics. Jonathan was a senior terrorism analyst at Australian intelligence agency the Office of National Assessments where he worked on Islamist terrorism and the global jihadist movement. He is the author of The Reign of God: A Critical Engagement with Oliver O'Donovan's Theology of Political Authority and Christian Political Theology in an Age of Discontent: Mediating Scripture, Doctrine, and Political Reality. You can follow Jonathan and the show on Facebook and Twitter.

How did "Almighty God" come to be mentioned in the preamble to the Australian Constitution? Why and how did a whole provision (s116) find its way into the constitution setting out the Commonwealth's legislative powers in relation to religion? And what are the states' powers to establish religion and pass other laws relating to religion? Jonathan discusses these questions and much more with constitutional scholar Dr Ben Saunders in this episode of The Political Animals. Ben Saunders is an Associate Professor at Deakin Law School. His principal areas of research interest are constitutional law, the history of federation, and law and religion. Ben also has over ten years of professional experience working in private practice and advising the Victorian and Commonwealth governments on constitutional law and human rights. The Political Animals is hosted by Dr Jonathan Cole, an academic, writer, speaker and translator specialising in political theology: the intersection of religion and politics. Jonathan was a senior terrorism analyst at Australian intelligence agency the Office of National Assessments where he worked on Islamist terrorism and the global jihadist movement. He is the author of The Reign of God: A Critical Engagement with Oliver O'Donovan's Theology of Political Authority and Christian Political Theology in an Age of Discontent: Mediating Scripture, Doctrine, and Political Reality. You can follow Jonathan and the show on Facebook and Twitter.

Sociologist Ruth Powell joins Jonathan for a conversation about religion and spirituality in contemporary Australia. They discuss the recent historic census which saw those identifying as religious drop below 50%, demographic trends within different Christian denominations, the growth of non-Christian minority religions, the surprising and growing interest in Christianity among younger generations and what surveys are telling us about spirituality and its connection (or disconnection) with religion. Dr Ruth Powell is Director of NCLS Research and an Associate Professor and Research Fellow at the Australian Centre for Christianity and Culture at Charles Sturt University. She studies the sociology and psychology of religion, with a special focus on Christianity and Christian churches in Australia. The Political Animals is hosted by Dr Jonathan Cole, an academic, writer, speaker and translator specialising in political theology: the intersection of religion and politics. Jonathan was a senior terrorism analyst at Australian intelligence agency the Office of National Assessments where he worked on Islamist terrorism and the global jihadist movement. He is the author of The Reign of God: A Critical Engagement with Oliver O'Donovan's Theology of Political Authority and Christian Political Theology in an Age of Discontent: Mediating Scripture, Doctrine, and Political Reality. You can follow Jonathan and the show on Facebook and Twitter.

In a first for the show, Jonathan hosts two guests. The topic? Woke theology. The trio explores the definition of woke theology before embarking on a critical engagement of three articles characterisable as woke theology: one on queering Jesus, one in feminist Christology and one on whiteness and Jesus. The three conclude with a discussion of how best to respond to woke theology. Dr Jacqueline Service is Lecturer in Systematic Theology in the School of Theology, Charles Sturt University. Her research focuses on Trinitarian theology, divine ontology and human well-being. She is on the editorial board of the journal Religion and Development and is a board member of Micah Australia. Dr Amy Erickson is Lecturer in Theology and Ethics in the School of Theology, Charles Sturt University. Her research interests include figural hermeneutics, ecclesiology, Sabbath and church discipline. She has a PhD in Theology from the University of Aberdeen and is a native of Texas. The Political Animals is hosted by Dr Jonathan Cole, an academic, writer, speaker and translator specialising in political theology: the intersection of religion and politics. Jonathan was a senior terrorism analyst at Australian intelligence agency the Office of National Assessments where he worked on Islamist terrorism and the global jihadist movement. He is the author of The Reign of God: A Critical Engagement with Oliver O'Donovan's Theology of Political Authority and Christian Political Theology in an Age of Discontent: Mediating Scripture, Doctrine, and Political Reality. You can follow Jonathan and the show on Facebook and Twitter.

Dani Treweek joins Jonathan for a conversation about the place and role of sex and sexuality in contemporary Western cutlure. They examine Carl Trueman's work on the rise and triumph of the modern self, including expressive individualism, the psychologised self and the politicisation of sex. They then pivot to the place of marriage and singleness in the church, particularly against the backdrop of a culture so intent on defining humans by their sexual desires and encouraging their actualisation. Dr Dani Treweek is the founding director of Single Minded, a parachurch ministry which seeks to resource the Christian church with faithful biblical teaching about singleness. Her book, The Meaning of Singleness, is being published by IVP in 2023. She is ordained as a deacon and serves as the Research Officer and a member of the Archbishop's Doctrine Commission within the Anglican Diocese of Sydney, Australia The Political Animals is hosted by Dr Jonathan Cole, an academic, writer, speaker and translator specialising in political theology: the intersection of religion and politics. Jonathan was a senior terrorism analyst at Australian intelligence agency the Office of National Assessments where he worked on Islamist terrorism and the global jihadist movement. He is the author of The Reign of God: A Critical Engagement with Oliver O'Donovan's Theology of Political Authority and Christian Political Theology in an Age of Discontent: Mediating Scripture, Doctrine, and Political Reality. You can follow Jonathan and the show on Facebook and Twitter.

Jonathan is joined by economist and theologian Paul Oslington for a wide-ranging discussion on the intersection of economics and theology. The conversation begins with Adam Smith, the great father of economics, with a particular focus on his idea of the invisible hand and its allusions to providence. The conversation covers the reception, misreception and new (theological) reading of Smith, plus the virtues and limitations of free markets, the idea of capitalism, wealth and the theological roots of economics. Professor Paul Oslington has PhDs in economics (University of Sydney) and theology (University of Divinity). He currently works at Alphacrucis College, is a visiting fellow at the Australian National University and a Research Professor at the Australian Centre for Christianity and Culture, Charles Sturt University. He was previously a Professor of Economics at the Australian Catholic University and an Associate Professor of Economics at the University of New South Wales. He is currently working on a book for Harvard University Press on the history of economic thinking in the Christian tradition.  The Political Animals is hosted by Dr Jonathan Cole, an academic, writer, speaker and translator specialising in political theology: the intersection of religion and politics. Jonathan was a senior terrorism analyst at Australian intelligence agency the Office of National Assessments where he worked on Islamist terrorism and the global jihadist movement. He is the author of The Reign of God: A Critical Engagement with Oliver O'Donovan's Theology of Political Authority and Christian Political Theology in an Age of Discontent: Mediating Scripture, Doctrine, and Political Reality.  You can follow Jonathan and the show onFacebook and Twitter.

Indigenous commentator Anthony Dillon returns to The Political Animals for a conversation about the mooted Indigenous voice to parliament and other aspects of the evolving culture around the place of Aboriginal people in contemporary Australia, including welcome to and acknowledgement of country, the idea of cultural safety, reconciliation, cancel culture in relation to Indigenous issues and the evolving language used to describe Aboriginal, now First Nations, Australians. Dr Anthony Dillon is an indigenous commentator and behavioural scientist and researcher at The Australian Catholic University. He blogs at www.anthonydillon.com.au and tweets at @Athonywodillon. You can read Anthony's article, discussed in the show, here. The Political Animals is hosted by Dr Jonathan Cole, an academic, writer, speaker and translator specialising in political theology: the intersection of religion and politics. Jonathan was a senior terrorism analyst at Australian intelligence agency the Office of National Assessments where he worked on Islamist terrorism and the global jihadist movement. You can follow Jonathan and the show on Facebook and Twitter.

Intellectual historian Sarah Irving-Stonebraker joins the show for a conversation about the history of religious liberty, exploring the emergence and development of the concept from its first explicit usage by the third century church father Tertullian to its more recent secular evolution towards the present. Key moments in the history of religious liberty are covered, including the medieval period, the Reformation, colonisation, the American constitution and the French Revolution, conscientious objection and the Australian context.  Dr Sarah Irving-Stonebraker is Senior Lecturer in History at Western Sydney University and co-editor of the Journal of Religious History. She was awarded her PhD in History from Cambridge University (2007) and has been an Assistant Professor at Florida State University and a Junior Research Fellow at Wolfson College, Oxford University. Her first book, Natural Science and the Origins of the British Empire (Cambridge), was awarded The Royal Society of Literature and Jerwood Foundation Award for Non-fiction. She has two current book projects: Forgotten Histories of Religious Liberty in Australia, 1788- Present and The Death of History and the Hope of Christianity. The Political Animals is hosted by Dr Jonathan Cole, an academic, writer, speaker and translator specialising in political theology: the intersection of religion and politics. Jonathan was a senior terrorism analyst at Australian intelligence agency the Office of National Assessments where he worked on Islamist terrorism and the global jihadist movement. He is the author of Christian Political Theology in an Age of Discontent: Mediating Scripture, Doctrine, and Political Reality. You can follow Jonathan and the show on Twitter and Facebook.

Jonathan is joined by historian David Furse-Roberts for an exploration of the faith, political philosophy and political career of Australia's longest serving prime minister, Robert Menzies (over 18 years). They explore the Christian theological influences that shaped the faith of Menzies and his worldview, the way his Christian faith shaped his understanding of and approach to politics, society and civilisation, significant moments in Menzies' political career, particularly in the area of education, Menzies' liberal philosophy and the founding of The Liberal Party of Australia, and the contemporary fight over Menzies' legacy on the centre right in Australia today. Dr David Furse-Roberts is a Research Fellow at the Menzies Research Centre and works for a member of the NSW parliament. He is the author of God & Menzies: The Faith that Shaped a Prime Minister and His Nation, The Making of a Tory Evangelical: Lord Shaftesbury and the Evolving Character of Victorian Evangelicalism and the editor of several collections of political speeches by Australian prime ministers, including Menzies, John Howard and Tony Abbot. He has a PhD in history from the University of New South Wales. The Political Animals is hosted by Dr Jonathan Cole, an academic, writer, speaker and translator specialising in political theology: the intersection of religion and politics. Jonathan was a senior terrorism analyst at Australian intelligence agency the Office of National Assessments where he worked on Islamist terrorism and the global jihadist movement. He is the author of Christian Political Theology in an Age of Discontent: Mediating Scripture, Doctrine, and Political Reality. You can follow Jonathan and the show on Twitter and Facebook.

Intellectual historian Wayne Hudson rejoins the show for a fresh look at the thought and impact of Karl Marx. They look at Marx's philosophy of freedom, the German intellectual tradition in which Marx arose, Marx's view of utopia, the negative impact of eschatology in Marx's thought, his poor philosophy of history and politics, his reception (or misreception) in Russia, China and the West, the Christian engagement of Marx, Marxist corruptions of Marx's thought, and the relevance of Marx to a critique of contemporary capitalism. Wayne Hudson is an adjunct professor at Charles Sturt University, the Australian National University and the University of Tasmania. He is a world authority on the philosophy of East German Marxist philosopher Ernst Bloch and author of The Marxist Philosophy of Ernst Bloch (1982) and Reforming Utopia (2003). He is also the author of The English Deists: Studies in Early Enlightenment (2009), Enlightenment and Modernity: The English Deists and Reform (2009), Atheism and Deism Revalued (2014) and Australian Religious Thought (2016).  The Political Animals is hosted by Jonathan Cole, an academic, writer, speaker and translator who specialises in political theology: the intersetion of religion and politics. He is the author of Christian Political Theology in an Age of Discontent: Mediating Scripture, Doctrine, and Political Reality. You can follow Jonathan and the show on Twitter and Facebook.