This episode examines the Australian War Memorial's response to public calls for it to stop imposing Christianity in the national Anzac Day Dawn Service in Canberra. The episode features an interview with David Stephens (01:45), the editor of the Honest History and Defending Country websites. Honest History has long been advocating for reforms on a number of issues relating to the War Memorial, and challenging the misuse of history to serve political or other agendas. It has publicly backed the call for Anzac Day Dawn Services to stop imposing Christianity.
This episode examines the Australian War Memorial's response to public calls for it to stop imposing Christianity in the national Anzac Day Dawn Service in Canberra. The episode features an interview with David Stephens (01:45), the editor of the Honest History and Defending Country websites. Honest History has long been advocating for reforms on a number of issues relating to the War Memorial, and challenging the misuse of history to serve political or other agendas. It has publicly backed the call for Anzac Day Dawn Services to stop imposing Christianity.
The Rationalist Society of Australia is actively lobbying and advocating for secular reform of the Defence Force and military commemorations. Follow our campaign here.
In May 2024, we published an interview on this podcast with Army veteran Sam Proctor, who shared his concerns about the place of religion in military commemorations. Listen to episode 19, ‘How Christianity’s dominance of Anzac Day services excludes Defence personnel and veterans’.
In February 2025, the Rationalist Society of Australia launched an online petition calling for the Australian War Memorial to stop imposing religion in the Anzac Day Dawn Service. Sign the petition here.
In February 2025, journalist Amy Fallon wrote an article for Crikey about the Christian dominance of the Anzac Day Dawn Service. Read the full article here.
For more information about the work of Honest History, visit its website here. For information about Defending Country, visit its website here.
The podcast is hosted by Si Gladman, Executive Director of the Rationalist Society of Australia. To support the work of the Rationalist Society of Australia, become a member or make a donation on our website.
The theme music of The Secular Agenda podcast is called 'Curiosity', and it's by Shimmer.