@Ken Behrens, in what ways do you see the USA as being different from Australia in this area?
I am going from Australian TV I watched where churches, ministers, etc. were involved as part of the plot of the programs. Also, from a few things I have picked up here and there. Generally, Australia is more conservative officially.
There is a greater tendency for your PM and other officials to make statements regarding the importance of traditional religion in your country (for example the recent statement about immigrants being free to worship as they choose, but not to try to change the established customs). USA would never make such a statement, as our constitution provides separation of church and state.
I see greater respect for established clergy at all levels in Aussie shows than in America. For example, shows from the late '90's show the level of respect of churches that American shows do not portray past the late 80's. About a ten year time-difference (for comparison, I note that Aussie shows are about five years ahead of us in technology incorporation). This is communicated by the amount of respect and understanding of the church shown, say by police officers chasing bad guys into churches or by interviewing pastors for leads in investigations.
Third, is that Australia lags behind the US in establishment of new types of churches, but then seems capable of catching up and surpassing us in terms of news value. Examples include Hillsong (now one of the world's top worship groups, but based on changes that we saw by 1982), the hilarious church of the flying spaghetti monster website (only a few countries have one), and the recent videos that I have been sent from members of my online fellowship of problems with homosexuality involving Australians, where Australians seem far more outspoken and willing to tolerate the differences in opinion.
I think it is all related to the difference in our histories. America considers itself founded partially to allow for religious experimentation, and this is written into our laws. Australia seems to be more interested in making certain each person has a quality life, which of course, includes religious freedom. It is a difference of which priority comes first.
It applies directly to this topic also. Ordination of women is a very divisive issue here. As Catholics are divided from Anglicans on the subject, we see members of thousands of "little" denominations expressing themselves in public one way or the other. There are more denominations, so there is more competition in public.