Why Prayer Can Never Be Private

On 21 March a group of nine Christians, myself included, held a peaceful prayer vigil in the office of Australian Immigration Minister Scott Morrison. We were praying about and protesting the inhumane asylum seeker policies of the Australian government. Five of the group were eventually arrested for trespassing, though the charges were later dismissed in court. A similar vigil has subsequently been held in Foreign Minister Julie Bishop's office.

Our act of civil disobedience, taking the form of public prayer, generated numerous responses. We have received much support - far more, in fact, than we expected - from church leaders, people of all different faith traditions, atheists, and media. Our action also attracted its fair share of disapproval, ranging from personal abuse to theological diatribes. Much of this centred on our use of prayer.