© Conference of European Churches
Last week, our Secretary General took part in the Conference of European Churches CEC’s consultation on the future of Europe. The two-day conference was organized along with Action of Churches Together in Scotland and Churches Together in Britain and Ireland, and took place in Edinburgh, UK. It brought together ecumenical officers, policy experts, and church leaders to discuss the future of Europe. In particular, the current political landscape in the United Kingdom and Ireland informed the discussions.
The consultation is part of a broader process launched by CEC with its open letter “What Future for Europe?” With this letter, CEC invited churches into dialogue about the many difficult and interrelated challenges facing Europe today, and how to best raise highlight the positive role of churches in European society.
Concerns were raised by participants on the social aspects of the challenges facing Europe, including poverty, reception of migrants and refugees, and youth inclusion.
Our Secretary General underscored these concerns: “Engagement in Europe should not be about money, rather it should be about sharing our common purpose, that horizon of God’s Kingdom, of learning from each other, and yes, combining together in joint advocacy.”
The next regional consultation for southern Europe and central-eastern Europe will follow in the second half of 2017.
To know more about “What Future for Europe”, check the open letter.