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The European Union is fighting for the definition of its soul. Meditating on the remarks of some political exponents in recent weeks, one has the clear impression that the 19th century isn’t yet quite over. The “high priests” of secularism are obviously unwilling for the old “stockades” that demarcate them from believers to be finally removed. Is it really so difficult to accept a simple historical truth? A simple historical of the kind: Europe cannot be understood without its historical roots. So why not mention those roots in the preamble of the future European Constitution? Even human rights the most mature fruit of European civilization did not materialise from nothing. They derived from the typically Christian concept of the human person, created in the image of God. The famous phrase of the great Benedetto Croce springs to mind: “We cannot but call ourselves Christians!”. Even those who don’t believe in God live in a culture permeated by the experiences of countless generations of believers, of people who place their hope in Christ, the word of God that became flesh. Even those who don’t believe, benefit from the consequences of the life of believers. In the overall context, however, we need to emphasise that the “little phrase” on Christianity to be inserted in the preamble, even if due, does not have the central importance that its adversaries especially attribute to it. Perhaps even more important are the material provisions of the Constitution. And in this direction, with serene and patient work, the European Churches have succeeded also by forging suitable alliances to obtain good results that concern not only the recognition of the legal position of the Churches and the religious communities in the individual EU member states, but also the recognition of the social goals of human co-existence on European soil. Thus the evaluation of the discussion on the European Constitution recalls the old adage of the half-empty or half-full glass, depending on one’s point of view.
