(3) 2000-2006

Having rejoined the Australian Family Association (AFA) as National Secretary early in 2000, Muehlenberg was later appointed National Vice-President of that body (Muehlenberg, letter to Age, 27 Mar. 2002) although his responsibilities - writing of articles, media liaison etc. - seem to have remained the same.

Having soft-pedalled the origins of his Bible college degrees for most of the 1990s, Bill suddenly became very up-front about them. He began reviewing books for Amazon and in one such review (Scott Hahn Hail, Holy Queen, 31 July, 2002), Muehlenberg referred to having graduated from Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary in Boston (fifth review) ‘with highest honours’. He has since referred to his outstanding performance in this degree on a number of occasions. - www.christian-witness.org/archives/Entre/authors.html (second last entry)

By 2004 (at the latest) Muehlenberg was working as a part-time Library/Administrative Assistant, Department of Business Law and Taxation, Faculty of Business and Economics, at the Caulfield Campus of Monash University. He was described as having ‘worked in libraries in North America, Europe and Australia’, which is why I feel that he may have worked as a librarian during the 1970s before embarking on his tertiary studies. I can find no reference to him holding specific library qualifications but these may not be necessary in his Monash position.

In July 2004, he was appointed by the Canberra-based Australian Christian Lobby (ACL) as a part-time research officer ‘focusing on pure research in family policy‘. - (ACL National Newsletter, Jul. 2004, 2). In the following month, Muehlenberg played a leading role in the National Marriage Coalition (NMC), an alliance between the AFA, ACL and Warwick Marsh’s Fatherhood Foundation. The NMC held a ‘National Marriage Forum’ in Canberra on 4 August. The Forum is regarded as having spurred the Howard Government to pass legislation barring same-sex marriages in Australia. (Bill Muehlenberg ‘Faith and family wins’, New Life, 19 Aug. 2004)

Ever since 1992, Muehlenberg has made several references to his PhD studies at Deakin University. As of 2004/5, Muehlenberg’s PhD thesis topic was entitled: A current assessment of recent philosophical/theological responses to the problem of suffering and evil, School of Social Inquiry, Deakin University. (link no longer available).

As far as I know, Muehlenberg is still working on his doctoral studies. Unless leave-of-absence has been granted (perhaps more than once) I simply observe that there seems no obvious reason why a part-time student should take 15 years to complete a PhD degree.

By the second half of 2005, Muehlenberg was clearly beginning to drift away from the AFA, possibly owing to the divisions taking place at that time within the parent National Civic Council (p.2). Bill began to describe himself as ‘an independent commentator on cultural, social and religious issues’ and ‘a cultural missionary with a mandate to stand up for God’s standards in the secular world‘:

Bill works freelance, speaking up for Biblical values in society as an independent consultant/contractor. He is often contracted to various Christian organisations as a researcher or speaker …
- Link-Zone.net

Muehlenberg also receives gifts from well-wishers. For example, in November 2005, the Victorian General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church of Victoria revealed that it ‘gave ongoing financial support for Bill Muehlenberg, Saltshakers and the Australian Christian Lobby.’ (Australian Presbyterian, Nov. 2005, p.19)

At the end of the year, Muehlenberg finally left the AFA although he still contributes to publications run by the NCC stable of organisations. As Bill explained to some of his supporters:

…[A]t the end of last year I resigned my 3-day-a-week paid position at the Australian Family Association … My focus will continue to be working as a Christian apologist, ethicist and ‘culture warrior’, speaking up for Biblical values in society … Our family has similar financial needs to most others in Australian society, with 3 teenage boys and a sizeable mortgage to pay … I have gathered around me a Board of Advisors who can help me in wise stewardship, creating a new ministry that would be spiritually, ethically and financially responsible. Seven or eight godly men and women - Christian leaders in their own right - have agreed to be my spiritual counsel and advisors … ( ‘Bill’s new ministry‘ - 10 Jan. 2006)

Around this time Muehlenberg began operating his own ‘CultureWatch‘ website.

[To be continued. Comments and contributions are welcome.]

Filed in: Christian Right, People