It has turn into almost a practice for political leaders to release a tell-all book after they leave office, often focussed on talking up their achievements or settling old scores. But, the recently released memoir by Scott Morrison, the thirtieth Prime Minister of Australia, takes a somewhat different approach, taking a look at his political profession through the lens of his Christian faith and delving into the way in which his beliefs influenced his approach to leadership.
First elected to Parliament in 2007, Morrison served as Prime Minister from 2018 to 2022 before quitting politics altogether in February this yr. His premiership encompassed a tumultuous time in Australian politics, including the Covid-19 pandemic and an increasingly fraught relationship with China, in addition to various political scandals.
However, Morrison was also notable for being the primary Prime Minister to discover as a Pentecostal. In a rustic that traditionally has preferred a less demonstrative observance of faith from its elected leaders, Morrison often attracted criticism for his overt displays of religion and public references to practices resembling praying for guidance—his supporters claiming this criticism sometimes crossed the road into religious discrimination.
In his recent book, Plans for Your Good: A Prime Minister’s Testimony of God’s Faithfulness, Morrison takes readers on a fair deeper journey into his faith, and the way in which it shaped his approach to leadership and life. Full of Biblical references and spiritual quotations, the book is in some ways more devotional resource than standard political autobiography.
For example, when discussing his role within the leadership challenge that saw then-Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull ousted before Morrison stepped into his role, he writes:
“I had been praying concerning the situation all week. I had been searching for the counsel and fellowship of Christian friends and mentors. I used to be talking to [wife] Jen. I used to be reading God’s Word. I weighed the sensible possibilities and I had a reasonably good sense of the numbers we could count on.
“I sought the peace of God that surpasses all understanding, and He provided it (Philippians 4:7). At each stage I sought to be sensitive to the promptings of the Holy Spirit … After careful consideration, I made a decision that the trail of obedience was to step up. So I raised my staff and walked toward the ocean.”
Speaking to The Age newspaper within the leadup to the book’s release, Morrison defended making his faith such a central a part of his politics while respecting the varied nature of Australian society, saying he was “all the time quite conscious of attempting to keep this balance”.
“I used to be very conscious that yes, I used to be an evangelical Christian, however the country had no national religion and nor should it. So I didn’t wish to blur those lines. But equally, I didn’t wish to undermine the integrity of my faith,” Morrison said.
“People used to accuse me of peddling my faith, which I discovered outrageous by the way in which. If I used to be peddling my faith, you’d have known. Based on what you’ve got now read, I kept all of that inside.”
Morrison’s book also addresses his personal life and relationships, talking about he and wife Jenny’s IVF journey, and revealing that at one point during his Prime Ministership his mental health suffered so severely under the strain of office that his doctor prescribed medication.
Morrison said that the book’s release might result in more opportunities to share his faith now that he has left politics for the private arena.
“I speak occasionally around Australia at churches and my very own church and I preach there and I’m looking forward to doing more of that each in Australia and overseas,” he said.
The book is published by United States-based religious publisher Thomas Nelson. After an initial launch in Sydney on May 9, a second launch will likely be held on the Australian Embassy in Washington, DC, on May 15, and can feature former prime minister Kevin Rudd and former US President Donald Trump’s former CIA director, Mike Pompeo.
