2007 is a Federal election year in Australia. At the moment the Liberal Party holds power. For the information of international readers, John Howard is the Prime Minister. The opposition leader, who is aiming to win government, is Kevin Rudd of the Labor party.
One of Kevin Rudd's central platforms has been the treatment of workers. This is a traditional Labor party focus. Recently it emerged that Mr. Rudd's wife Therese Rein had underpaid some of her workers. This embarassment resulted in Ms. Rein selling her multimillion-dollar business.
In the media presentations that accompanied these events, Rudd attempted to distance himself from his wife's business. He stated that he and Therese led separate lives apart from sharing their children, cat and dog.
It is natural that Rudd would attempt to demonstrate the fact that he was not responsible for his wife's business. However, I thought his statements reflected one of the sad elements of modern marriage in a post-industrial world. Husbands and wives no longer work together. Their everyday lives are usually separate.
This situation means that it is harder for husbands to fulfill the responsibilities God has given them, as those ultimately accountable for helping their wives to live according to God's word (see Ephesians 5). It also makes it harder for wives to fulfill their role as helpers to their husbands. Rather than helping their husbands with their work, wives are often doing a completely separate type of work that takes up most of their time.
Kevin Rudd also made a statement that was telling in regard to his views of the role of women.
"This is the age of the professional women who run their own companies, who have their own lives and are not simply appendages of middle-aged men," Mr. Rudd said.
I admire the amazing forbearance, initiative and talent Therese Rein must have had to build her company from scratch. I have read several books on starting a business, and all these lead me to the conclusion that it is very hard work! I am not arguing that it is wrong for women to start businesses.
I would, however, argue that a wife's main task is to help her husband in his work (Genesis 2). Whatever she chooses to do should not detract from this primary role. Her aim should not be to further her reputation, but to further his. See the Proverbs 31 Woman, who took care of her household and business so that her husband could lead and be known in the gates. As she did this, she too was recognised. Her recognition, however, came from her faithfulness to her family.
It is offensive to suggest, as Kevin Rudd does, that women who choose to devote themselves to furthering their husbands' goals are "simply appendages of middle-aged men". His comment appears to contradict his statement that he respects the arrangements between Prime Minister John Howard and his wife.
Janette Howard's goal has been to create a strong family life. In The Australian Women's Weekly, August 2004, she stated that she makes no apology for taking a back seat in public life.
"I see my role as a supporting one, not leading the charge", she said.
Janette does not have many accomplishements that can be listed to her own name. She is only widely known because she is the Prime Minster's wife. Yet this does not make her life any less worthwhile, or reduce her to the value of an "appendage".
For me, the discrepancy between Mr. Rudd's views and biblical ideas raised again the issue of his professed Chrisitan commitment. I do not think any judgements should be made on the basis of this latest controversy. Many godly people I know have not thought much about the roles of men and women, and make unfortunate comments.
There are, however, other sources that may be of assistance in evaluating Mr. Rudd's commitment to Christian values. In a Sunday profile from early last year, Kevin Rudd states that he attends an Anglican church but does not care at all for denominationalism and has not forsaken his Catholic background. He also states that he voted for the abortion drug RU486.
For me, this interview was enough to demonstrate that Rudd does not have an evangelical, Bible based Christian faith. He is unlikely to advocate the kind of values I would like to see Australian legislation and policy relect.
For more information about the recent political controversy surrounding Rudd and Rein, see this Sydney Morning Herald article.
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