Time past and time to come

History will show that the European project developed with spectacular rapidity, at least in its first decades. Just two decades ago in the immediate aftermath of the Single European Act (1987) political, economic and monetary integration assumed a new momentum. Thus the European project took on a new quality, soon to be advanced by the treaties of Maastricht (1992) and Amsterdam (1996). If this historic and unique project, its institutions, the political capital of trust between the member states developed with remarkable speed, notwithstanding occasional hurdles, the relationship of the European institutions to the Churches and religion as a potent factor in civic life remained unclear. Despite their constructive support for European construction, the Churches found no cognisance of their existence in the primary law of the Ec. And whatever about informal and personal links, the administrative milieu of the European institutions perceived the Churches and religion at worst as irrelevant to their objectives, or at best as esoteric meddlers in hard policy issues. If a relationship can be spoken of in the first decades of European construction, it was one of distance, dominated by suspicion on the part of the Ec administration. This situation has changed with the treaty of Lisbon. If ratified, Eu primary law will recognise Churches in their specificity, their role in society and maintain a dialogue with them. The processes set in train as of 1987 and particularly by the events of 1989 in central and eastern Europe required the re-thinking of established paradigms. Issues of purpose and meaning, Europe’s objectives and the values in which they are grounded, the evolving representative and participative elements of good governance, surfaced as key issues for Europe. Politicians with leadership calibre and vision – J. Delors, H. Kohl and others, served by far-seeing civil servants – broke through the walls of suspicion between religious faith and politics. They heralded an open laïcité for Europe. The treaty of Lisbon, more precisely article 17 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the Eu, marks a major breakthrough to a new horizon of a partnership. Yet these developments have evoked opposition rooted in misunderstanding and intolerance. It is still not understood by some that the Churches have no ambition to usurp the role of the politician. Now that the historic enlargement has taken place and the treaty of Lisbon offers the prospect of a more finely tuned motor for our institutions, it behoves Christians to be clear on the political achievement which Europe represents. More than ever, Church presence and input to the Eu institutions must be characterised by competence, by its religious inspiration and by cooperation with and between confessions. When Churches need to criticise policy, it should be informed on detail, well founded and reasonable. To ensure its constructive quality, it should also be rooted in a clear recognition of Europe’s singular and historic achievement. With such a unique creation, citizens, and above all Christians, must be wary of throwing out the baby with the bathwater. Europe’s achievement and its future deserve the support and active involvement of Christian citizens. As Churches and believers, rooted in our local identities, we must develop the European, trans-border, dimension of our thought, trust and action.