Tweet
Conference of European Churches
Office of Communications
Press Release No. 07-30/e
20 June 2007
INTERCULTURAL DIALOGUE AND THE ROLE OF RELIGION IN EUROPE: CHURCH AND
SOCIETY COMMISSION MET IN ARMENIA
`The Council of Europe can only achieve its aims together with the churches
and religious communities, not without them and certainly not against them,'
said Ulrich Bunjes from the Council of Europe's Coordination Office for
Intercultural Dialogue in his key-note address at the annual meeting of the
Church and Society Commission of the Conference of European Churches (CEC).
`The consolidated response of the Church and Society Commission and the
Churches' Commission for Migrants in Europe as well as the responses of
individual member churches in preparation of the Council of Europe's White
Paper on Intercultural Dialogue demonstrated in an impressive way how
important the churches' input is. We will study very carefully the
recommendations and suggestions contained in the consolidated response,
especially with regard to the suggested annual encounter between the
Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe and representatives of
religious communities.'
Ulrich Bunjes addressed the CEC Church and Society Commission plenary
meeting at the Mother See of Holy Etchmidazin, 14-19 June 2007. The
Commission met in Armenia upon invitation of His Holiness Karekin II,
Catholicos of All Armenians. In preparation for the 2008 European Year for
Intercultural Dialogue and the Council of Europe's White Paper, the Church
and Society Commission had intercultural dialogue as its main theme on the
agenda. Prior to the meeting, the Church and Society Commission and the
Churches' Commission for Migrants in Europe had responded to a questionnaire
by the Council of Europe in preparation for its White Paper. The White Paper
is supposed to be published later this year.
`Meeting in Armenia, where the church and the people, and where religion and
culture are so closely connected, provided an extraordinary setting for the
Church and Society Commission. This enabled the Commission to study the link
between religion and culture and to discuss the churches' contribution to
intercultural dialogue, which becomes an ever more important issue in Europe
and within European countries. We are grateful for the invitation of the
Armenian Apostolic Orthodox Church. Our hosts brought us into contact with
many Armenian people and introduced us to the life of one of the oldest
churches on the continent,' commented Rev. Rüdiger Noll, Director of the
Church and Society Commission and Associated General Secretary of CEC.
Besides reviewing and adopting the work programme of the Commission, the
role of the churches in the pubic sphere and the roadmap for a
`Constitutional Treaty' of the European Union were among the priority
themes. Summarising the discussions, Rev. Antje Heider-Rottwilm,
Co-Moderator of the Church and Society Commission, stated that `the role of
religion in the public sphere is at present discussed in many European
countries. In the coming year, the Church and Society Commission will
facilitate a dialogue among European churches and between churches and
political institutions on the theological, sociological and legal
dimensions. Churches need an appropriate space in European societies to make
their contribution to today's issues, which are of concern for the people of
Europe.'
In view of the forthcoming European Council (21-22 June 2007), the meeting
reviewed the follow-up to the European Church Leaders' Meeting in December
2006, which highlighted the churches' concerns with regard to a future
Fundamental Treaty of the EU. It endorsed a letter recently sent by the
Church and Society Commission to the German EU Presidency emphasizing social
justice and cohesion, a European of the people and a Europe, which assumes
its responsibilities for a just and sustainable world, as key features of
any future EU Treaty.
The Church and Society Commission also used the opportunity of its meeting
in Armenia for contact with the OSCE Mission in Yerevan to discuss human
rights' concerns in Armenia, including the rights of conscientious
objectors.
The Commission sent a letter of solidarity to the churches and ecumenical
partner organisations in the Middle East who were meeting in Amman and
endorsed a joint statement with Eurodiaconia on ensuring social rights in
the European Union.
See our previous press releases at:
http://www.cec-kek.org/content/pr-cq0729e.shtm l (Social Rights in the EU)
http://www.cec-kek.org/content/pr-cq0728e.shtm l (Middle East)
http://www.cec-kek.org/content/0642e.shtml (Church Leaders Meeting)
http://www.cec-kek.org/content/0643e.shtm l (Church Leaders Meeting)
*********
The Conference of European Churches (CEC) is a fellowship of some 125
Orthodox, Protestant, Anglican and Old Catholic Churches from all countries
of Europe, plus 40 associated organisations. CEC was founded in 1959. It has
offices in Geneva, Brussels and Strasbourg.
For more information:
Luca Negro
CEC Office of Communications
Phone +41 22 791 64 85 or 791 63 25
Fax +41 22 791 62 27
e-mail: [email protected]
Web-site: www.cec-kek.org
Office of Communications
Press Release No. 07-30/e
20 June 2007
INTERCULTURAL DIALOGUE AND THE ROLE OF RELIGION IN EUROPE: CHURCH AND
SOCIETY COMMISSION MET IN ARMENIA
`The Council of Europe can only achieve its aims together with the churches
and religious communities, not without them and certainly not against them,'
said Ulrich Bunjes from the Council of Europe's Coordination Office for
Intercultural Dialogue in his key-note address at the annual meeting of the
Church and Society Commission of the Conference of European Churches (CEC).
`The consolidated response of the Church and Society Commission and the
Churches' Commission for Migrants in Europe as well as the responses of
individual member churches in preparation of the Council of Europe's White
Paper on Intercultural Dialogue demonstrated in an impressive way how
important the churches' input is. We will study very carefully the
recommendations and suggestions contained in the consolidated response,
especially with regard to the suggested annual encounter between the
Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe and representatives of
religious communities.'
Ulrich Bunjes addressed the CEC Church and Society Commission plenary
meeting at the Mother See of Holy Etchmidazin, 14-19 June 2007. The
Commission met in Armenia upon invitation of His Holiness Karekin II,
Catholicos of All Armenians. In preparation for the 2008 European Year for
Intercultural Dialogue and the Council of Europe's White Paper, the Church
and Society Commission had intercultural dialogue as its main theme on the
agenda. Prior to the meeting, the Church and Society Commission and the
Churches' Commission for Migrants in Europe had responded to a questionnaire
by the Council of Europe in preparation for its White Paper. The White Paper
is supposed to be published later this year.
`Meeting in Armenia, where the church and the people, and where religion and
culture are so closely connected, provided an extraordinary setting for the
Church and Society Commission. This enabled the Commission to study the link
between religion and culture and to discuss the churches' contribution to
intercultural dialogue, which becomes an ever more important issue in Europe
and within European countries. We are grateful for the invitation of the
Armenian Apostolic Orthodox Church. Our hosts brought us into contact with
many Armenian people and introduced us to the life of one of the oldest
churches on the continent,' commented Rev. Rüdiger Noll, Director of the
Church and Society Commission and Associated General Secretary of CEC.
Besides reviewing and adopting the work programme of the Commission, the
role of the churches in the pubic sphere and the roadmap for a
`Constitutional Treaty' of the European Union were among the priority
themes. Summarising the discussions, Rev. Antje Heider-Rottwilm,
Co-Moderator of the Church and Society Commission, stated that `the role of
religion in the public sphere is at present discussed in many European
countries. In the coming year, the Church and Society Commission will
facilitate a dialogue among European churches and between churches and
political institutions on the theological, sociological and legal
dimensions. Churches need an appropriate space in European societies to make
their contribution to today's issues, which are of concern for the people of
Europe.'
In view of the forthcoming European Council (21-22 June 2007), the meeting
reviewed the follow-up to the European Church Leaders' Meeting in December
2006, which highlighted the churches' concerns with regard to a future
Fundamental Treaty of the EU. It endorsed a letter recently sent by the
Church and Society Commission to the German EU Presidency emphasizing social
justice and cohesion, a European of the people and a Europe, which assumes
its responsibilities for a just and sustainable world, as key features of
any future EU Treaty.
The Church and Society Commission also used the opportunity of its meeting
in Armenia for contact with the OSCE Mission in Yerevan to discuss human
rights' concerns in Armenia, including the rights of conscientious
objectors.
The Commission sent a letter of solidarity to the churches and ecumenical
partner organisations in the Middle East who were meeting in Amman and
endorsed a joint statement with Eurodiaconia on ensuring social rights in
the European Union.
See our previous press releases at:
http://www.cec-kek.org/content/pr-cq0729e.shtm l (Social Rights in the EU)
http://www.cec-kek.org/content/pr-cq0728e.shtm l (Middle East)
http://www.cec-kek.org/content/0642e.shtml (Church Leaders Meeting)
http://www.cec-kek.org/content/0643e.shtm l (Church Leaders Meeting)
*********
The Conference of European Churches (CEC) is a fellowship of some 125
Orthodox, Protestant, Anglican and Old Catholic Churches from all countries
of Europe, plus 40 associated organisations. CEC was founded in 1959. It has
offices in Geneva, Brussels and Strasbourg.
For more information:
Luca Negro
CEC Office of Communications
Phone +41 22 791 64 85 or 791 63 25
Fax +41 22 791 62 27
e-mail: [email protected]
Web-site: www.cec-kek.org