Press Release 10/26e02.06.10 13:20
Human rights and social commitment are at the heart of the churches’ calling. This became evident in the first Plenary Meeting of the new Church and Society Commission of the Conference of European Churches (CSC) in Hagenau near Strasbourg from 28 May to 1 June 2010. As its main theme the meeting reflected on the role of religious symbols in the public sphere. Recently, for instance, the Swiss minaret initiative and Italian crucifix case have raised controversy and shown the thin line between freedom from and freedom for religion. It was noted that many conflicts over religious matters derive from a lack of communication but also from an inability to effectively address concerns emanating from increased diversity in our societies. The meeting concluded that there is a need for more and better inter-religious and intercultural dialogue, and religious education both formal and informal. Besides its internal debate, the Plenary had the opportunity to visit the Council of Europe and discuss religious and human rights with several of its high-level officials. Mr Juris Rudevskis from the Court of Human Rights provided a briefing on the Court's case law in relation to Article 9 which stipulates the freedom of religion. He explained that whereas the right to believe is an absolute right, the external manifestation of religious belief can be limited in the name of public safety, public order, health and morals or the rights and freedoms of others, but only as prescribed by law and as necessary in democratic societies. These limitations are applied with a margin of appreciation for Member States in order to accommodate specificities of national contexts. Mr Alfonso de Salas from the Directorate of Human Rights, described the Council of Europe Secretariat as a watchdog monitoring the compliance of the Member States' commitments. According to Director General of Education, Culture and Heritage, Youth and Sport, Mrs G. Battaini-Dragoni, the Council of Europe has, over the last years, developed a new policy towards religious communities. More than before, the organisation is now open for dialogue with religious communities as recognition of their importance in promoting human rights, rule of law and democracy. Mrs Battaini-Dragoni called the Conference of European Churches “a key organisation in making our societies more open, democratic and respectful of human dignity.” The Church and Society Commission is committed to this end. Serge Fornerod, newly elected moderator of the Church and Society Commission, stated: “the Gospel calls us to defend the whole range of human rights and not only the right on religious freedom.” In addition to the topic of human rights, the Commission was received by one its own members, Dr. Verena Taylor. Dr. Taylor, the Head of Protocol of the Council of Europe and former director of the Council of Europe Liaison Office with the European Union, offered the meeting an overview of the history of relations between the Council of Europe and the European Union. The Plenary also heard the report on the Commission’s work since the CEC Lyon Assembly in July 2009 and discussed its work programme for 2010 and 2011. The Plenary agreed the priorities for the year 2011 and took notice of this year's priorities, already approved by the CEC Presidium in its meeting in late April. In the next period of time, CSC will, for instance, continue deepening its dialogue on globalisation with the Latin American Council of Churches, developing the Churches' Human Rights Reader – already partly ready and online – and contributing to the European Year on Combating Poverty and Social Exclusion. Furthermore, CSC will, for example, implement the Education Strategy, adopted by the Plenary, promote nuclear disarmament and debate on human enhancement. The Church and Society Commission elected Pasteur Serge Fornerod (Federation of Swiss Protestant Churches) as the Moderator, and Mag. Katerina Karkala-Zorba (Orthodox Church of Greece) and Rev. Jan Dus (Evangelical Church of Czech Brethren) as the Vice-Moderators of the new Executive Committee. In addition, Bishop Porfyrios Papastylianou (Orthodox Church of Cyprus), Dr. Charles Reed (Church of England) and Dr. Verena Taylor (Evangelical Church AB and HB in Austria) will serve in the Executive Committee. The Sunday worship service was held at the Church of St. Thomas in Strasbourg. On Monday evening the Commission held a reception with representatives of local churches representing Anglican, Orthodox, Protestant and Roman Catholic Churches. In her closing reflection, Mag. Karkala-Zorba recalled the words of Jesus Christ and said the mandate of the Church and Society Commission is what Jesus asked us to do: “to be there for the people in need.” Find the full list of members of the new Church and Society Commission at: The Conference of European Churches (CEC) is a fellowship of some 120 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. The Church and Society Commission of CEC links member churches and associated organisations of CEC with the European Union’s institutions, the Council of Europe, the OSCE, NATO and the UN (on European matters). Its task is to help the churches study church and society questions from a theological and social-ethical perspective, especially those with a European dimension, and to represent common positions of the member churches in their relations with political institutions working in Europe. For more information:
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