Kjell Magne Bondevik, Prime Minister of Norway
Reconciliation is like the warmth of the Gulf Stream
Speech at the opening session
Trondheim, 26 June 2003

I welcome you all with the old pilgrim’s greeting: Pax et Bonum.

I congratulate you on your choice of theme for the conference: “Jesus Christ Heals and Reconciles”.  It is a great pleasure and an honour that the 12th Assembly of the Conference of European Churches takes place in Norway.

Trondheim’s identity as an important church centre and a place of pilgrimage dates back close to a thousand years, to the months shortly after King Olav Haraldsson fell in the battle of Stiklestad in the summer of 1030. Ever since, St. Olav has been Norway’s patron.

This year celebrates the 850th anniversary of the establishment of the Archbishop’s See of Nidaros here in 1153. Four hundred years later the See was abolished, at the reformation in 1537. During the centuries of the Archbishop’s See of Nidaros, Norway became a part of medieval Europe - religiously, culturally, administratively and politically. This was a fundamental inspiration to our country. We were part of the faith of the age, of the Western European church tradition under Rome.

Not even in their highest visions or wildest fantasies could the first archbishop – Jon - and the three kings of the time - Øystein, Sigurd and Inge - have imagined an assembly like you gathered here these days: 126 European churches and 43 affiliated organisations. Nor could they have imagined all the upheavals that have taken place since: Victories and defeats, schisms and uprisings, wars and sufferings, knowledge and science, peace building and democracy, terrorism and fear. And no more are we able to look into the future from this point.

History has shown that the uniform society they belonged to could not endure. The Church is one by virtue of Christ, not by virtue of its organisation. God’s justice is built on the power of mercy. The justice of countries is built on human law and the power of the sword. And we have, through the history of Christian faith, finally learned that when we believe that God and the World belong together, we do it in a different way than Europe did 850 years ago.  Faith is a source of wisdom and insight into justice and hope. Faith is not a basis for secular power.

Many societies struggle with the problems of corruption and dishonesty. Let us brace ourselves to the task of honesty, to that ancient teaching of the Church.  As you can see, this is a beautiful country, although a cold one. However, the Gulf Stream brings sufficient warmth for us to build and live in this country. This may be true also for the belief in the reconciliation and healing granted to mankind by God through his Son, bringing inspiration and hope in a cold world.

We share this belief with all who came – and again come - here as pilgrims. We share it with those who established the Archbishop’s See. Like the Gulf Stream, this belief is the basis for the evolution of the cultural, ethical and political lives of our peoples.

The belief is not to uniform societies, but to build societies where everybody has freedom and responsibility for his own belief. We seek God and his will, not in the strength of earthly power, but in the strength of healing and reconciliation.

Your theme “Jesus Christ Heals and Reconciles” is central, both religiously and politically. This work is essential to our churches and to our societies.

The churches can contribute to reconciliation in conflict-ridden areas. On some of my travels abroad I have invited religious leaders to meetings, as I did in Sarajevo and Bethlehem.  The challenge is to develop a climate were religion is not a part of the problem, but a part of the solution.

I wish you all the best in your deliberations.

Once more:  Pax et bonum!

Thank you.