The force of the Gospel

“Europe owes its existence to the Gospel. Christianity has reunited diverse peoples and tribes, living on the lands of what was to become Europe, in a single religious faith, thus creating a large area marked by multi-faceted cultural traditions”, declared Cardinal Walter Kasper in the address delivered during the “Subiaco Colloquims” held in the town of Subiaco (Italy) in the first week of April, on the initiative of the local abbacy.Undeniable evidence. In his lecture titled “Christian Ecumenical dialogue: the founding pillar of the European building”, the President Emeritus of the Pontifical Council for the Promotion of Christian Unity recalled, “Europe owes its unity to the pilgrimage ways, to the major monastic orders and universities. Christianity has unified Europe. Those who question its Christians roots – he said – should travel from Gibraltar to Estonia, passing through Spain, France, Germany, Poland… from ancient Constantinople to Moscow, passing through Kiev. Cathedrals, crucifixes, images of the Holy Virgin and portraits of Saints, jointly worshipped by European populations across the centuries are to be found in all of these places. Such undeniable evidence and faith witness belie untruthful statements to this regard. Europe has Christian roots; without Christianity, Europe wouldn’t be Europe”. Thus European culture, continued Cardinal Kasper in his speech, encompasses “the recognition of human dignity, the idea of solidarity, equality and fraternity between peoples”. “Monogamy – whereby the family is understood as a social cell, a cell undergoing a crisis, the crisis of our society and of our European culture as a whole – is part and parcel of Christianity”. These, continues His Eminence, “are the founding values for which Europe should be grateful to Christianity. These values have continued to exist beyond the ensuing divisions of the Christian world. The recovery of common European roots must therefore happen today, together, ecumenically”. The ecumenical movement that developed over the past decades, Kasper acknowledged, “has not granted us the full communion of the divided Churches. However, a certain degree of Christian unity has been achieved. We no longer view each other as enemies. Rather, despite our differences, we see each other as siblings that were bestowed a common patrimony, undertaking cooperation at social, cultural, and political level. Most of all, Eastern Churches, the ecumenical patriarchate and the patriarchate of Moscow, are determined to cooperate with us in the rediscovery and the safeguard of our common European values”.A decisive role. The founding fathers, Adenauer, Schuman and De Gasperi, wished Europe to be erected “on the foundations of the Christian image of humanity, notably on the dignity bestowed by God” to mankind, the Cardinal added. For this reason, “the positive, legitimate conquests of the Enlightenment, i.e., the division between State and Church and the freedom of worship, were to be included in their project. Europe had to be founded on tolerance and mutual respect”. After World War II Europe “was to become an area of peace, marked by freedom and justice. Ecumenical thought played a fundamental role in this initial conception of Europe”. “Catholics and Protestants drew close to each other. Confessional parties ceased to exist, replaced by Christian-Democratic parties. After the fall of the Berlin Wall, relations with Eastern Europe encompassing the relations with Orthodox Churches – received major thrust”, Kasper recalled. “If Eastern and Western Europe integration is expected to be more than the mere recovery of a common area of ecumenism, then ecumenism with Eastern Churches is critical to the afore-mentioned cultural integration. The Churches’ divisions, and the ensuing divisions in Europe, should become the thrust for unity. The goal of Ecumenism is religious and ecclesial, not political, although it has a remarkable political impact, especially in Europe”. “Thus ecumenism is good for Europe. And Europe is good for ecumenism”.“At what point is ecumenism today?” was the final question raised by the Cardinal. Ecumenism isn’t only made of documents. It also consists “in Christian and human relations”, which “have developed and which are preserved also at local, regional and international level. The Churches have drawn near each another”. Even though the goal of the ecumenical movement hasn’t been reached yet, “in Europe and at global level, this intermediate result bears major importance. By means of ecumenism, today the Church can be a sign and a tool bringing about the unity of humanity and of Europe. This requires the unity and the cooperation of all Christians”.