Presbyterian Moderator Dr David Clarke will be in Brussels from the 12-13th of December as one of 60 European Church leaders attending the a major Church conference organised by the Conference of European Churches (CEC).
The aim of the conference is to develop church thinking on the relationship between values, identity and religious expressions in the context of the EU. This will involve discussion about the role of churches and religions in European cultures, how the churches are involved in dialogue with the European political institutions and how the churches contribute to the values at the core of the EU.
Recommendations from the conference will be forwarded to European Heads of State and Governments to inform their upcoming debate on what the churches role is in Europe and how it can be implemented. It is hoped that the recommendations from the churches will be included in the Berlin Declaration adopted by these heads of State and Governments, planned for publishing in March 2007.
"The recent developments in the European Union have put increasing attention on the role of values in determining European policies and their link to people's identities." stated Dr Clarke "The conference is timely on the eve of the German EU presidency which is supposed to play an important role with regard to the future of Europe."
Along with the Moderator a wide range of church leaders will be present, including Leaders from Hungary, Albania, Denmark and Germany. Also in attendance will be the Moderator designate of the Church of Scotland, Rev. Sheilagh Kesting and the Bishop of London, Bishop Richard Chartres.
Issued by Andrew Bill, Presbyterian Information Services. Info@PresbyterianIreland.org
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