EU Commissioner Stresses Need for Dialogue with Churches

The EU Commissioner has told more than 60 European church leaders gathered for a recent conference on the future of Europe that European institutions need to be in constant dialogue with churches, faith communities and civil society to bring the people of Europe together.

The conference "Values, Religion, Identity" gathered more than 60 European church leaders from 28 countries in Brussels from 12 - 13 December.

The meeting closed with an address of EU Commissioner Jan Figel': "One plus one can be more than two; that is not mathematics, that is ethics," he said, offering the insight that the EU is not just an alliance of states, but is engaged with bringing the people of Europe together.

To achieve this, he stressed that European Institutions need to be in constant dialogue with churches, communities of faith and civil society. Together they can develop new ways of serving the people of Europe, which rise above ordinary compromise or simple mathematics, he said, as he encouraged the church leaders and European churches to continue and strengthen their engagement with the European institutions.

Bishop Wolfgang Huber, President of the Evangelical Church in Germany, stated that Christian values and convictions influenced from the very beginning the movement for European unity.

"The story of the European Union is a story of reconciliation and peace", said Bishop Huber, introducing the theme "The future of the European project" on 13 December.

Bishop Huber called for the German EU Presidency, which starts in January in 2007, to prioritise the implementation of human rights, the struggle against trafficking of human beings, the respect of the rights of refugees, the fight against poverty in Europe as well as at the global level, and the search for renewable energy sources.

He also pleaded for the development of a coherent European security and defence policy: "As churches we opt for a non-violent approach to the solution and prevention of conflicts."

Archbishop Anastasios of the Orthodox Church in Albania underlined the interaction of the different spiritual roots of Europe: "Ancient Greek thought contributed the idea of democracy, freedom and beauty; the Roman tradition the principles of organisation, administration and justice; and Christianity the power of faith, forgiveness and love". T

He added that the churches of Europe can contribute to the reinforcement basic spiritual values , emphasising the dignity of each human person, the right to express faith in the public sphere, the biblical belief about marriage and family, and responsible citizenship.

He added, however, that, "the most monumental contribution of Christian faith is and remains the principle of love and the stress on the value of forgiveness."

The Rt Rev Richard Chartres, Bishop of London, joined in a panel discussion exploring the specific contribution of the churches to the European project alongside Gustav Bölcskei, Presiding Bishop of the Reformed Church in Hungary, Metropolitan Michael of Austria (Ecumenical Patriarchate), Mgr Noel Treanor, General Secretary of the Commission of Bishops' Conferences in the European Community (COMECE, Roman Catholic), Jérôme Vignon from the European Commission, and Rev Arlington Trotman, Moderator of the Churches' Commission for Migrants in Europe (CCME).

The panel discussed issues ranging from the protection of the rights of migrants, refugees and minorities to inter-religious dialogue, and the need for churches to closely monitor the European agenda.

The session was moderated by Rev Okrin Antje-Heider-Rottwilm, Co-moderator of the Church and Society Commission of CEC, who stated: "All of these contributions challenge us as churches to sharpen our perception of the issues at stake and how they affect the people of Europe and the whole world. We need to foster the debate on the future of Europe within the Christian family, in dialogue with all who are on the way together with us or alongside us."

The churches' concerns and hopes for the future of Europe were summarised in the "Open Letter from Church Leaders to Political Leaders in Europe", unanimously approved by the participants.

It was organised by the Church and Society Commission of the Conference of European Churches (CEC) and hosted at the State Representation of Baden-Württemberg (Germany) to the European Union (EU). The event was the first of a broader project in co-operation with the Comité Européen de Coordination, the United Reformed Church (UK) and the Evangelical Church in Germany (EKD).