Tony Abbott has momentarily put aside political slogans about boats and trousering for something more reverent.
The prime minister was preaching to the converted at the inaugural interfaith parliamentary prayer breakfast in Canberra on Wednesday, telling a room of religious leaders and other politicians that believing in something greater than ourselves made us better people.
It marked a change from Tuesday's question time when he, and other senior government figures, labelled Opposition Leader Bill Shorten a "trouser bandit" for wanting to raid the pockets of wealthy retirees superannuation by limiting tax concessions.
Harking back to his seminary days as a trainee priest, Mr Abbott said faith was all people had in their most difficult times.
"Faith doesn't make us good but by God it makes us better," he said.
"There is a judge over us who is greater than those who are sitting in judgment of us today."
Mr Abbott also joked he was having breakfast with those trying to lift him up, and dinner with those seeking to drag him down - a reference to the press gallery's annual Midwinter Ball on Wednesday night.
"I have been both a trainee priest and a journalist, no prizes for guessing which gathering I'd rather be in," he said.
Mr Abbott earlier had remarked on the reception he received on his arrival.
That's because he was late and everyone else was praying.
"Never have I ever entered a gathering to the kind of reverential silence that greeted me as I walked in a few moments ago," he said.
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