'What future for Europe?': open letter of CEC to Churches and partner organisations
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(Vatican Radio) The Conference of European Churches has published an open letter calling on members, in view of the EU referendum in the United Kingdom, to contribute to a discussion on the future of Europe and the role of the Churches in the current situation.The letter emphasizes how Churches have for decades contributed to the European project of unity and cooperation and calls on them to be part of a process of dialogue and consultation in a time in which Europe faces an increasing number of challenges.Please find below the text of the CEC press release:At its regular meeting from 8 to 10 June in Brussels, the CEC Governing Board approved an open letter addressed to its membership and partner organisations on the current situation in Europe, where we are facing an increasing number of challenges.The upcoming EU referendum in the United Kingdom is just one sign of the difficulties facing the continent. Developments in Europe toward more unity and cooperation, so much appreciate...
(Vatican Radio) The Conference of European Churches has published an open letter calling on members, in view of the EU referendum in the United Kingdom, to contribute to a discussion on the future of Europe and the role of the Churches in the current situation.
The letter emphasizes how Churches have for decades contributed to the European project of unity and cooperation and calls on them to be part of a process of dialogue and consultation in a time in which Europe faces an increasing number of challenges.
Please find below the text of the CEC press release:
At its regular meeting from 8 to 10 June in Brussels, the CEC Governing Board approved an open letter addressed to its membership and partner organisations on the current situation in Europe, where we are facing an increasing number of challenges.
The upcoming EU referendum in the United Kingdom is just one sign of the difficulties facing the continent. Developments in Europe toward more unity and cooperation, so much appreciated some decades ago, are now increasingly put into doubt. Churches in many parts of the continent have been contributing to the European project at different stages by raising their voice, highlighting the role of churches in society, emphasising the role of churches and ethics and values, reaching beyond economic wellbeing.
With the particular moment of the UK EU referendum in mind, we address this letter to all CEC Member Churches, Organisations in Partnership and National Councils of Churches. Although the EU has a special role and responsibility for the continent, we are aware that Europe is much more than the EU. We invite all to the discussion on the future of Europe and the role of the churches in the process. We welcome reactions from all CEC Member Churches, within and beyond EU Member States. All of us have a word to say on the future of the continent, shaping Europe as our common home.
This letter launches a broad process of consultation between CEC and its membership leading to the next CEC General Assembly in 2018. Your reactions, which we appreciate receiving by the end of December 2016, will help shape the process of discussion leading to the General Assembly. In the coming weeks we will work on the translation of the document into the CEC official languages and will share with you more information about this process and about preparations for the General Assembly.
Click here for the full text of “What future for Europe? Reaffirming the European project as building a community of values: An open letter of CEC to churches and partner organisations in Europe and an invitation to dialogue and consultation.”
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