Minsk, Belarus, 2 to 6 June 2014
The
IV Catholic-Orthodox Forum on Religion and Cultural Diversity: Challenges for
the Christian Churches in Europe was held in Minsk, Belarus, from 2 to 6 June
2014. The Forum was organized with the support of the Belarusian Exarchate of
the Russian Orthodox Church under the co-chairmanship of the Metropolitan Gennadios
of Sassima of the Ecumenical Patriarchate and Cardinal Peter Erdő, Archbishop
of Esztergom-Budapest, President of the Council of the Bishops'
Conferences of Europe.
Following the positive experiences of the first three
gatherings of the Catholic-Orthodox European Forum (Trent, Italy, 11 to 14
December 2008, Rhodes, Greece, 18 to 22 October 2010 and Lisbon, Portugal, 5 to
8 June 2012) participants from the Catholic and the Orthodox Churches in Europe
discussed the challenges which face European Christianity in an increasingly
polarized cultural environment.
The
forum participants express their gratitude to the Belarusian Exarchate of
Russian Orthodox Church and the CatholicArchdiocese of Minsk-Mohilev, to the
Belarusian State and local authorities for the hospitality and excellent level
of organization.
After
presentations, discussion and due consideration, the Forum adopted the
following message.
1.
1.
The theme, “Religion and cultural diversity: challenges for the Christian
Churches in Europe", was chosen in response to a request coming from our
communities who feel strongly challenged by the on going cultural and moral
shifts in Europe. Over the last twenty years, globalization on the world scale
and secularization in European legislation on moral issueshave raised questions
that call for common answers. Our concern is growing also because we see that
the process of estrangement between Europe and its Christian roots seems to be
speeding up.
2.
2.
Our message wants to be first of all a sign of joy and hope for all those
engaged in the mission of the Church. We share the life conditions of all
Europeans in this economic and cultural crisis, and we know that many are
suffering and are in search of a word that gives sense to their life.
Indeed where Christian faith and morality have been dismissed, a feeling of
emptiness leads many to despair and nihilism. The Churchoffersconsistent values
by incorporating humanity in Christ, the source of all true values. Thus, the
Church calls the world to be transformed by prayer, worship and Christian
witness.
3.
We share with Europeans of today our conviction that Christian faith is
the primary source for European culture and morality. Centuries of history
witness both in the East and the West the extraordinary richness of cultural
achievements in our continent through the contribution of Christian faith.
Indeed faith has begotten culture and culture has been constantly challenged by
faith. We pay tribute to the Christian heritage of Europe that shaped our
worldview and gave moral principles to the peoples of Europe.
4.
In their diversity European cultures have all drawn from common Christian
roots. As in other cultural contexts, we must recognize that a considerable
part of human cultures relies on religious inspiration. Christian anthropology
has deeply impacted on European culture. Recognising God as Creator does not
annihilate human reason but rather brings it closer to the Truth. Christianity
never opposes reason and faith. God is the eternal Reason that creates all that
exists. In revealing Himself he has not eliminated but rather has affirmed
human intelligence. The highest contribution of Christianity to human history
is precisely the alliance between faith and reason that produced the vision of
the dignity of each human person, the need for freedom and solidarity, and
openness to the mystery of our existence.
5.
We stress that Christian faith guarantees rather than takes from our quest for
freedom and happiness. Christian faith means total acceptance of Jesus-Christ
present in his Church through the Holy Spirit. “For God so loved the world,
that he gave his only Son” (John 3:16). Therefore, Christ is not a product of
human cultures. As God incarnate, He challenges human history and human
cultures. Our Christian Churches bear witness to the coming of Christ as an
event in the cultures of our peoples. Faith in Christ does not abolish human
diversity. It enriches and promotes the elements of truth and goodness already
present in human cultures.
6.
Our Christian Churches of the East and the West do not fear cultural diversity.
Since its foundation, the Church was culturally pluralistic. There were
different cultural approaches among the disciples of Christ, for instance
between those who spoke Aramaic and those who spoke Greek. “There are
diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit” (1Co 12:4).Christianity proclaims
Christ’s Gospel in the variety of human cultures.
7.
Religious freedom is an essential element of Christian faith. For us religious
freedom means the freedom to search for and adhere to the truth. It is based
not on the subjective attitude of an individual or a group, but on the
transcendent dignity of each human person made for the Absolute, for Truth and
for God. Legislation that promote religious indifference, relativism or
syncretism even in terms of tolerance tends to reduce to the private sphere a
right that is fundamental to the person’s dignity. Fostering religious freedom
means for Christian Churches entering into ecumenical dialogue without
proselytism nor fundamentalism nor moral permissiveness.
8.
The contemporary gap between Christianity and main stream mentality has serious
consequences for the future of Europe’s institutions and life. Today for many
Europeans there are no longer stable reference points to shape their moral
conduct and appreciate what is right and what is wrong, as they live under the
will of the "sovereign autonomous Self". Individualism leads to moral
relativism. There is no consideration for an objective truth nora common good.
The gap between the Churches’ view of morality and the main postmodern
trends lies in this: we are convinced that moral principles are inscribed by
the Creator in the heart of all human beings, whilein a postmodern context,
morality is what oneindividually decides. We call on Europeans to recognize
that the key to freedom is to accept that we receive ourselves from God, not
that we can dispose arbitrarily of everything as if we were our own creators.
There
is no opposition between Gospel principles and human values. Christianity means
that all that is good and true in humanity is enveloped by the grace of Christ
our Saviour. God humbled himself to our humanity not in order to cancel its
potentialities, but to heal what was ill and bring our humanity to its
perfection.
9.
Faith and morality go together; culture and morality as well. We do not
forget that the huge progress accomplished in European history in matters of
human rights and protection of the weakest come from those principles that
Christianity has brought to Europe. As pastors we want to continue to bring the
best of our moral teaching to our people and as citizens to present it to our
Governments and to the European Institutions. We are convinced that Christian
communities are able to act as witnesses of what is good for all as they draw
their inspiration from the Gospel of Christ.
In
Christ, we find our inspiring source that renews us and brings us to a greater
sense of responsibility in Europe and in the world today.
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