Churches in Europe
In Copenhagen today, a public interreligious meeting will reflect and discuss the “preachers’ law again, a bill of law that was widely criticised by several religious communities and associations”, as explained in the invitation to the meeting, organised by the group for Islam-Christian dialogue in partnership with the Council of Churches and Copenhagen’s Cathedral. Over the last few months, in Denmark the debate has been focussed on the bill of law that was submitted in June, which would make it compulsory for foreign, non-Lutheran priests, imams and preachers to attend a course in Danish freedom, democracy and family law before they can practise. At the end of the course, they would have to sign a statement in which they commit to work in compliance with all the Danish laws and values, before they can celebrate legally-valid marriages. After a consultation on the “consent form”, the legal process is expected to go on, while Churches and religions keep wondering how “communities of faith can help fight religious extremism, which is the aim of the regulatory measures that are being discussed”, the organisers of today’s meeting explain. The discussion will also involve the Lutheran bishop of the Danish capital, Peter Skov-Jakobsen, the president of the Jewish community, Rosenberg Asmussen, imam Abdul Wahid Pedersen, and the 27-year-old imam of Ali Mosque, Daniel Rezaei.
