Reports from Sections:

1. Growing in Solidarity

2. Growing Together in Europe

3. Growing Witness in Society

4. Growing Fellowship between Churches

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Report from Section 1:

“GROWING IN SOLIDARITY”

In its first session the Section 1 identified the following topics and themes which were considered to be important and relevant when dealing with Solidarity issues in CEC, its members and partner organisations:

Social policy and security systems were also mentioned. However, they were not discussed since Section 3 (“Growing Witness in Society”) had them already listed on their agenda.

After listing these topics and themes the Section identified the most crucial issues that should have a high priority for the work of CEC and its members.

1. Migration

The section agreed that it is an essential and urgent task of Churches to protect the migrants and their human rights in today’s Europe. Churches lobbying is strongly needed so that the European states would reconsider the Ratification of the UN Convention on the Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers and Members of Their Families. So far only one country in Europe - Bosnia & Herzegovina - has ratified the Convention.

The Section also discussed the importance of raising the concerns of Internal Displaced People (IDP) and the matters related to the illegal migration.

Recommendations on MIGRATION:

•  

  migrant, black and Roma Churches need an access to CEC’s and Churches’ decision making procedures;

•  

  CEC should advocate basic Christian principles and values in Europe;

•  

  Churches should have coherence in language when talking about migrant issues

•  

  reasons for migration should be identified and eliminated;

•  

  migration should be a priority theme of CEC;

•  

  CEC and its members should lobby the governments on the UN Convention;

•  

  Churches should enable us to see that our differences are a richness;

•  

  migrants children’s rights should be promoted and taken into account;

•  

  exchange programmes and projects on migration are needed;

•  

  theological principles and studies on migration are needed;

•  

  intra-church and inter-religious and inter-faith dialogue on migration is needed;

•  

  CEC should support in educating members and workers of Churches. The aim is that Churches would make advocacy on migration issues;

•  

  CEC should encourage its members to lobby in migrant issues vis-à-vis governments;

•  

  integration of minority cultures and migrants’ cultures in church and society is needed

•  

  It is important to keep in mind that the encounter and co-living with migrants’ religions in Europe challenges our Churches: which are ways of presenting Christian values in this context?

2. Trafficking

In recent year the issues of trafficking in human beings have affected a lot of women and children, particularly from Eastern Europe. Trafficking is not only linked to the prostitution but also to the “slavery” market where human rights are not respected and financial conditions are not fulfilled in a proper way.

Recommendations on TRAFFICKING:

•  

  CEC should encourage Churches to provide help with women involved in prostitution;

•  

  Churches should avoid the stigmatisation of women, e.g. the use of word “slavery” (this point raised discussion and different opinions were expressed; rapporteurs’ note);

•  

  CEC should explore the theological moral and ethics on this area: how did the Churches influence and even contribute to the trafficking;

•  

  CEC should encourage debate on Christian values involved in the trafficking;

•  

  CEC should provide education on trafficking, especially from children’s and women’s perspective;

•  

  CEC should advocate against and raise social conscience on trafficking of human beings for the purpose of supplying human organs into the “medical” market.

3. Poverty

It is a basic task of all Christian Churches to challenge the rich people, since God came poor in Christ. Therefore, CEC and Churches should give a voice to those people who live in poverty in its wide definition.

Recommendations on POVERTY:

•  

  CEC should lobby national governments on poverty issues;

•  

  Churches should emphasize the social conscience and raise awareness in society;

- the European Social Charter of the Council of Europe should be highlighted by CEC and Churches;

•  

  CEC should co-ordinate and spread information in Europe and in the world;

•  

  CEC should keep eye on processes on international and European level.

4. Indigenous issues

In Europe we have minorities - such as Sami - which are indigenous people and cultures at the risk of loosing their languages, traditions and particular way of practising their faith. Therefore, CEC and Churches need to pay attention to the indigenous peoples’ situation in Europe.

Recommendation on INDIGENOUS ISSUES:

•  

  CEC should celebrate in its work the richness of the indigenous traditions, the spirituality and cultural contribution for the benefit of the whole Church;

•  

  CEC should learn from its contacts with indigenous communities about the environmental issues and the integrity of creation which are strongly present in indigenous peoples’ spirituality.

5. AIDS/HIV

AIDS/HIV is not only affecting the people living outside Europe. Recent statistics show that AIDS/HIV pandemic is becoming a severe disease of “ordinary” Europeans who have been contaminated through heterosexual intercourse. Therefore, AIDS/HIV challenges CEC and its members and partner organisations to act not only on global level but also on European and national level.

Recommendations on AIDS/HIV:

•  

  CEC should support WCC, Lutheran World Federation and Ecumenical Advocacy Alliance in their work with AIDS/HIV;

•  

  CEC should promote discussion on human sexuality.

6. Migrant and black churches

In Europe there is an increasing number of Churches which originates from Africa, Asia and Latin America. These Churches are mainly working as free associations since they have difficulties in integrating with the “traditional” Churches in Europe. CEC and its members should pay more attention to the increasing number of these Churches on our continent and find ways to better collaborate and give space to them.

Recommendations on MIGRANT AND BLACK CHURCHES:

•  

  CEC should give voice to migrant Churches and black Churches. They should be included in the life of CEC;

•  

  CEC should provide information on the present situation of migrant and black Churches in Europe;

•  

  CEC should pay attention to the results of the UN World Conference Against Racism, held in Strasbourg, October 2000.

7. Minority and majority

Minority and majority issues have been on the agenda of CEC for years. However, there are no signs that this matter would disappear from the agenda of CEC’s members. Europe in transition has to deal with minority/majority issues on various levels. This poses new challenges to Churches in Europe, too.

Recommendations on MINORITY AND MAJORITY:

•  

  CEC should mediate in countries where Christianity and Islam are present. This should happen in the spirit of Charta Oecumenica;

•  

  CEC should pay attention to new minority Churches in Europe resulting from the increased migration and transition on our continent.

8. Structures and methods of working & implementing

During the section work a special group worked on the CEC structure for the area of solidarity. Major remarks coming from the special group were:

•  

  co-operation needs to be clarified between CEC and WCC and diaconia organisations;

•  

  clear mandates are needed for different CEC desks;

•  

  consultation group is needed to formulate clear mandates.

RECOMMENDATIONS on Structures:

•  

  The CEC Central Committee should establish a “strategy group” to evaluate the solidarity work in the overall context of CEC;

•  

  the group should review the solidarity work and create a definition of CEC’s solidarity work;

•  

  the group should achieve a fundamental strategic view of solidarity work of CEC & Churches including the women’s desk;

•  

  Church organisations working in the area of solidarity – Eurodiaconia, WCC, CCME – should be included in the strategy work;

•  

  the group should work on the co-operation on three different levels: partnership, co-operation and liaison;

•  

  the group should give a clear mandate and a support structure for the work of the “solidarity secretary of CEC”;

•  

  the group should have a maximum of two years time;

•  

  the group should work on a clear mandate;

•  

  participants of the strategy group should be members of the CEC Central Committee and experts, who are working in the solidarity field;

•  

  statement: women’s work should be continued!!!

Report from Section 2:
”GROWING TOGETHER IN EUROPE”

The section had 3 meetings during Saturday 28^th June 2003. Our group of about 70 persons agreed to discuss the following topics: common and different values and identities, the enlargement of EU, the EU Constitution, the profile of EU, Europe in the world. After each session short summaries were presented to the group by the rapporteur. This final report from the recommendations of the section was written by the rapporteurs and handed over to the Policy reference Committee Saturday evening after approval by the Moderator of the section. In addition, some of the recommendations were presented by one of the rapporteurs in the Plenary on Tuesday 1^st July 2003.

RECOMMENDATIONS TO THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY

The EU Constitution

•  

  The CEC general assembly warmly welcomes the draft EU Constitution and its clear inclusion of the Charter on fundamental rights as well as the commitment to the European Convention on Human Rights.

•  

  Especially we welcome the inclusion of article I – 51 with the reference to the status of churches under national legislation and the importance of an ”open, transparent and regular dialogue” between the EU institutions and the churches. CEC is the main partner representing its member churches in this dialogue. Especially the work of the Church and Society Commission and its working groups should be given broad support from the member churches in order to be able to meet this challenge.

•  

  With regard to article II – 10 nr. 1, CEC would underline the need of protecting the collective dimension of freedom of religion or belief as this is recognised by the European Court on Human Rights in its case law and in the OSCE standards on freedom of religion or belief. Also, CEC welcomes the inclusion of article II-10 nr. 2 on Conscientious objection, but would like to underline that this right should be applied to selective as well as total conscientious objection at the national level.

•  

  CEC would like to address the fact that there is no article about the need for limitation on arms trade, and that this should be considered for inclusion in the final version of the Constitution.

Values

•  

  The CEC general assembly welcomes the suggested reference in the draft Constitution for Europe (EU) to the ”cultural, religious and humanistic inheritance of Europe” in the preamble. As churches we recognise that Christianity is one of the major parts of this cultural and religious heritage, while also recognising the impact of other religious traditions.

•  

  The CEC member churches also welcome the reference to the basic values in article 1-2 of the Constitution on solidarity, freedom, justice etc that are in compliance with values of the Christian tradition(s).

•  

  CEC should encourage further discussions within the member churches on what is meant by ”Christian values” and how these values relate to the values shared also by other groups in the civil society, e.g. by engaging in dialogue with different religious and secular groups, while underlining that attitudes derived from basic values are not static but change over time in relation to different contexts.

•  

  Reconciliation is a value deeply rooted in the Christian tradition, and the churches at the national level as well as CEC on the European level should communicate the positive experiences and examples of reconciliation in different societies.

Healing, reconciliation and mediation

•  

  Healing of memories from the past and reconciliation between groups in conflict is an important part in the integration process of Europe as a whole. CEC should contribute to the reconciliation processes needed between groups and nations in Europe, e.g. on the basis of the experiences of different churches in healing and reconciliation of wounds between themselves and between the churches and specific ethnic / national / indigenous groups.

•  

  Also, CEC should play a more active role in mediation between member churches when needed and requested by these churches, facilitating dialogue between them so that they might reach an agreement on the solution of the problem.

Identity

•  

  In the making of the EU constitution and in the decision-making process of the EU institutions it is important to the churches that the respect for the individual identification with groups and traditions in different contexts is recognised, including religious and ethnical identification as well as identification with political entities and communities at different levels; local, regional, national, European and global. These complex identities should not, however, lead to a lack of solidarity with other groups, but rather be combined with a continuous effort to define and commit ourselves also to the values which can find support both within the Christian tradition and in other religious and even non-religious groups, such as tolerance, freedom, solidarity and justice.

•  

  The complicated issue of defining the ”spirit” or ”identity” of Europe (or the EU), more specifically, raises several questions that should be discussed in more depth by CEC, for instance in the CEC working groups / committees on different levels.

The enlargement of EU

•  

  The process of European integration reaches wider than the process of enlargement of the European Union. The EU enlargement should be understood as a process of growing mutual understanding between nations, churches and individuals in our continent.

•  

  CEC should uphold that the basis for accession to membership in the EU is the acceptance of human rights and other common values and fulfilment of the ’Copenhagen criteria’. A reference to the ”Christian heritage” of Europe should not be used as criteria for excluding countries. Muslims, for example, have been a part of European countries for centuries and Islam is hence an inherent part of the ”religious and cultural” heritage of Europe (as expressed in the preamble of the EU constitution)

•  

  The new member countries and the churches in these countries need assistance in the ongoing integration process. CEC and its member churches within the existing EU member states have a special responsibility in assisting in this, based on the experience in such transition processes.

The profile of EU

•  

  CEC and its member churches should continue and increase the commitment to combat poverty and foster solidarity both within and between the European states as well as with the peoples of the world as a whole.

Europe in the world

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  In an increasingly interdependent world, Europe needs to keep its global commitment warm and its boarders open to avoid the trap of developing a ”Fortress of Europe”.

•  

  Europe needs coherent foreign policies in order to strengthen international institutions like the UN and OSCE and develop effective systems of security.

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  The experiences of September 11^th have clearly demonstrated that there is no security but common security. We are convinced that attempts to establish security by eliminating vulnerability will fail. Because vulnerability is an inhererent part of human existence, any attempt to eradicate it completely might lead to inhuman conditions with violations of universal human rights. This is demonstrated for instance by the limitations of civil liberties in the USA in the aftermath of September 11^th. We therefore recommend that CEC engage in a theologically grounded rethinking of the concept of security on the basis of this insight.

Report from section 3:

“GROWING WITNESS IN SOCIETY”

This paper offers a brief report on the discussions of Section 3 which had the responsibility of considering the topic Growing Witness in Society.

The Group followed the recommended Section process, although at the close of the four meetings of the Section reservations were expressed about the methodology, which many had found unsatisfactory in that too wide an area of topics had to be dealt with in too short a time.

There was general agreement on the issues which came out of the first group discussion and which are outlined in the document Towards a Work Programme for the Church and Society Commission 2003-2009. Mission and Evangelism were added to these issues being an important part of CEC’s work.

Most of the thinking of the Group is contained in the recommendations attached, but also some other themes were identified by the Group as being relevant in the context of Growing Witness in Society. One - Gender and trafficking – was considered in detail by another section, whereas other themes, such as Peace and war andScience and ethics, were not considered through lack of time.

Additional comments on the five areas in which recommendations were offered are as follows:

Social issues

Issues discussed included:

•  

  poverty and in particular the growing gap between the rich and the poor in European society. The possibility of encounters between groups in areas of poverty around Europe was explored;

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  the ‘ageing’ of Europe;

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  unemployment;

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  a recognition that issues of poverty were linked to other issues such as migration and global factors;

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  concerns were expressed about the change from social policies to changes in society being dictated by market forces;

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  discussion as whether or not to ‘welcome’ the enlargement of the EU and the Group’s decision is recorded in the recommendations.

Mission

To assist the discussion the Group welcomed Prof. Dr. Viorel Ionita who presented the work which had already been achieved. Areas of consideration included:

•  

  what is the context of mission;

•  

  clarification of the distinction between mission and evangelism;

•  

  interaction with other groups such as youth movements and the Evangelical Alliance Europe;

•  

  the recent CEC/CLAI consultation.

Warm note was also taken of the recent appointment of Rev. Darrell Jackson and it was noted that advice would be welcomed on future priorities in this area. Issues discussed included:

•  

  the line between mission\evangelism\evangelisation and proselytism;

•  

  the importance of theological discussion in mission;

•  

  the place of unity in mission with the need for a Code of Conduct;

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  the importance of not separating the Gospel message from social action and service.

Globalisation

Issues discussed included:

•  

  Europe is larger than the EU and the work of CEC must reflect the whole of Europe;

•  

  there was a recognition of the positive as well as the negative aspects of globalisation;

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  Europe should be a ‘fair and just actor’ in the world both by undertaking studies and by remembering the two thirds of the world who do not benefit from globalisation;

•  

  CEC should be the channel for questions from the worldwide church to the EU;

•  

  Consideration was given to a detailed proposal from Dr. Ulrich Moeller and this was passed on to the Policy Reference Committee.

Sustainable development

Issues raised included:

•  

  the issue of church finances and the way in which discussions might assist churches in Europe to make investments that encourage sustainable development;

•  

  the need to promote Fair trade and other schemes; all set in the context of a recognition that the lifestyle enjoyed by many in Europe has an effect on others throughout the world;

•  

  the importance of ensuring that we practise what we preach;

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  we are called to celebrate creation, so this area of work should not be difficult for the churches;

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  the need to be informed and a recognition that within the churches there are experts who can assist in the process.

Human rights

Issues discussed included:

•  

  the place of human rights in education;

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  the place of human rights for indigenous peoples;

•  

  the development of the work of CEC in the Council of Europe;

•  

  issues of human rights are raised by the enlargement of the EU.

RECOMMENDATIONS

The following recommendations were offered:

Social issues

Under the topic of Social issues, we:

1.  

   Accept the ongoing and foreseen enlargement of the EU, urging CEC and its member churches to monitor this process, in the present member states as well as in the accessing countries, so that new barriers are not at the same time raised between those on the inside and those on the outside of the EU.

2.  

   Encourage CEC and its member churches to monitor political, economic, social, and other changes in our states, continually reminding politicians of their responsibility to ensure economic security for such groups as the young unemployed, the poor, the disabled, and the marginalized, and to implement a strategy of social and economic inclusion.

3.  

   Encourage the member churches of CEC to help such groups as the aforementioned and to integrate them in the activities of the churches.

Mission

Under the topic of Mission, we:

1.  

   Recognise that witnessing today, by both word and deed, must be to individuals as well as to society and that issues of mission and issues of Church and Society are not mutually exclusive but closely related since they both belong to the heart of the Gospel.

2.  

   Recognise the need to have respect for one another which should lead to mission in collaboration rather than in competition, with the possibility of CEC facilitating the production of a Code of Conduct.

3.  

   Encourage CEC and its member churches to continue work in progress on mission.

4.  

   Encourage CEC and its member churches to give a platform for a dialogue on the line between mission/evangelism/evangelisation and proselytism.

5.  

   Encourage an interchange of strategies and resources for the renewal of the established churches for mission in 21^st century Europe.

6.  

   Recommend that CEC tries to clarify the understanding of mission together with the Orthodox Church taking into consideration the special problems of Eastern Europe.

Globalisation

Under the topic of Globalisation, we:

1.  

   Recognise that globalisation is not only about economics but has cultural and spiritual dimensions as well.

2.  

   Recommend that CEC should primarily be concerned with the role of globalisation in Europe and the European Union while staying in dialogue with other regional ecumenical bodies.

3.  

   Urge that CEC and its member churches should not advocate in discussions with other bodies what they are not ready to implement themselves.

4.  

   Recommend that CEC provides a platform for member churches to analyse the whole concept of globalisation, at the same time giving especially the weak an opportunity for their voice to be heard.

5.  

   Recommend that CEC provides tools for member churches to participate in national and international discussions (including the European Social Forum) about globalisation.

Sustainable development

Under the topic of Sustainable development, we:

1.  

   Recognise a widespread agreement among the member churches of CEC on this topic, encouraging the different confessional bodies to engage in fruitful cooperation in this area.

2.  

   Recommend CEC to encourage member churches to engage in a process of learning and of educating its member churches, taking into consideration expertise that might already exist within the churches.

3.  

   Encourage an interchange of strategies and resources for the development of existing networks and partnerships, new structures and lifestyles in accord with sustainable development.

Human rights