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David Ben-Ariel
Europe's State Religion
Some things never change.
By Wik Heerma
Historically, political and social upheaval has tended to yield new thinking as to how society should be organized. This was the case leading up to the Protestant Reformation of the 16th century. Debate about religious reforms led to foundational liberties being recorded in the laws of many Western European nations.
____During recent bickering over the proposed European Union constitution, we again saw a debate about the role of religion. Few realize this debate is intent on undoing 400 years of religious freedoms and civil liberties—returning Europe into a dark age.
____The issues surrounding the mention of religion in the constitution have evoked much emotional response from leaders in Europe. In November, almost two dozen influential Europeans, including former statesmen and Nobel Prize winners, urged the EU not to ignore the Continent’s Christian roots in drafting its new constitution. “The question of religion is central because Christianity is at the root of the fundamental notion of the person in Europe,” they declared in a statement printed in Le Monde (Reuters World Report, Nov. 13, 2003).
____The most authoritarian and vocal objections however, have come from Europe’s most prominent statesman, Pope John Paul II.
____On November 7, the pope appealed to the drafters of the European constitution: “A society forgetful of its past is exposed to the risk of not being able to deal with its present and—worse yet—of becoming the victim of its future” (Associated Press, Nov. 7).
____Why all this debate over religion in the context of drafting a political document? What are the real intentions? Are we seeing a push for a state religion in Europe—as has been the case throughout the Continent’s long history?
For the rest of the story:
http://www.thetrumpet.com/geo/na/docs/issues/200401/state-religion.asp
Some things never change.
By Wik Heerma
Historically, political and social upheaval has tended to yield new thinking as to how society should be organized. This was the case leading up to the Protestant Reformation of the 16th century. Debate about religious reforms led to foundational liberties being recorded in the laws of many Western European nations.
____During recent bickering over the proposed European Union constitution, we again saw a debate about the role of religion. Few realize this debate is intent on undoing 400 years of religious freedoms and civil liberties—returning Europe into a dark age.
____The issues surrounding the mention of religion in the constitution have evoked much emotional response from leaders in Europe. In November, almost two dozen influential Europeans, including former statesmen and Nobel Prize winners, urged the EU not to ignore the Continent’s Christian roots in drafting its new constitution. “The question of religion is central because Christianity is at the root of the fundamental notion of the person in Europe,” they declared in a statement printed in Le Monde (Reuters World Report, Nov. 13, 2003).
____The most authoritarian and vocal objections however, have come from Europe’s most prominent statesman, Pope John Paul II.
____On November 7, the pope appealed to the drafters of the European constitution: “A society forgetful of its past is exposed to the risk of not being able to deal with its present and—worse yet—of becoming the victim of its future” (Associated Press, Nov. 7).
____Why all this debate over religion in the context of drafting a political document? What are the real intentions? Are we seeing a push for a state religion in Europe—as has been the case throughout the Continent’s long history?
For the rest of the story:
http://www.thetrumpet.com/geo/na/docs/issues/200401/state-religion.asp
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