BRUSSELS, Belgium, SEPT. 4, 2003 (Zenit.org).- The inseparable bond between Europe and Christianity calls for the latter's recognition in the Constitutional Treaty, says the president of the European Commission.
Romano Prodi demonstrated his conviction in No. 3 of Dialoghi, the quarterly magazine of Italian Catholic Action, where he describes some aspects of the "Europe we are and the one we should be."
According to Prodi, "the monotheist religions, particularly the Christian religion," have been "one of the essential roots of Europe and one of its factors of development," as "the history of Europe and the history of Christianity are indissolubly united." All this "must be recognized in the Constitutional Treaty," he writes.
In Prodi's opinion, recognition of the Christian roots does not impede "discovering the roots that link Europe with the people of Israel" and "affirming our will to dialogue with Islam."
On the contrary, "the encounter of values of different inspirations" can become "a factor of greater integration," overcoming the "conflicts which have divided us for centuries," he said.
It is an imperative step given the role the continent is called to assume "in a context of multilateralism and supranational democracy" on the international scene, very different from the image offered until today of a Europe "of division and political calculations," Prodi added.
ZE03090423 - 2003-09-04
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Prodi Calls for Recognition of Christianity in Euro Text
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