The future reposes on dialogue

Whenever emphasis is placed on the strong, determining influence of Christianity on European culture, along with its close ties with the history of our Continent the fact that Europe’s spiritual, cultural, and social imprint is owed exclusively to Christianity is failed to be mentioned. Also those traditions that Christianity absorbed and confronted, or which are the result of the encounter with Christianity – such as the Enlightenment – left significant vestiges which contributed to the shaping of Europe and to European populations’ “formation”.This is true especially in the case of Judaism, which Christianity stems from. Europe’s Jewish-Christian heritage is thus a truthful concept. Indeed Judaism -with Christianity – was present in Europe for centuries with its important communities that contributed to noteworthy expressions of European identity in various sectors, notably in the artistic, literary and scientific realms as well as in the economy, industry and trade sectors, also owing to the activity of the Jewish communities and to that of their eminent personalities. Also Islam, the third religious tradition born in the Mediterranean, whose doctrine stems from the Bible, the Book of Books, has exerted its influence on European culture. The transmission into Europe of a large part of the philosophical and literary production of ancient Greece was made possible thanks to Islamic scholars, whose scientific knowledge exceeded by far the one characterizing the early Latin Middle-Ages. Moreover, their contribution was critical to the achievement of a synthesis encompassing the rationality of ancient texts and Christian spirituality. It is equally necessary not to underestimate political, religious and civilization challenges that Europe was called to address for centuries in its relations with Islam and the Muslim world, and especially in the Balkans, which in the 19th century were still under Turkish Ottoman rule that had extended its dominion to Vienna in the 17th century. Also in Spain, where the Arab Moors ruled until the 15th century, the encounter between Christianity and Islam was significantly fruitful, with traces that are visible still today. This must be remembered. In fact, when the populations of northern, southern, Eastern and Western Europe convene to address decisive issues, they must necessarily address also the question of their historical and cultural origins. Efforts aimed at a common future imply the need to recover these common origins. Remembering the influence that contributed – alongside and in conjunction with Christianity – to the shaping of the spiritual profile and of the cultural identity of Europe is a necessity, also because simultaneously with the unification process, we are experiencing a new process of encounter with other religions and faith communities. At present this encounter is especially evident with the ongoing, massive integration of Islam, from Turkey and from the Arab countries, a phenomenon that constitutes a challenge for us, as EU citizens and as Christian believers, bearers of European “leading culture” marked primarily by Christianity. Referring to the example and the teaching of Jesus, as well as to the sense and purpose of the European unification movement, this challenge can be addressed and met only by means of ongoing dialogue. Indeed, historical experience has taught us that the encounter with the other and with the Stranger can be a source of enrichment if it is aimed at mutual understanding, conscious of the tragic consequences of policies based on an a priori refusal and opposition. The success of a dialogue tending towards peace and reconciliation can succeed only if it emanates from deep-grounded beliefs and if it rejects all attempts to relativise our principles rooted in Christian faith. If we take our faith – and therefore ourselves – seriously we will be capable to take seriously others too. It is the condition sine qua non for successful mutual understanding.