Pope: Europe for ‘Those who believe in Christ’

Europe should continue to be a Christian club, according to Pope John Paul II.

John Paul II has implied continued exclusion for Turkey – the only non-Christian country currently bidding for EU membership – and changes to Europe’s constitution by once again stressing the “importance” of common religious values.

Speaking on St Peter’s square in Rome at the weekend, the pope said “The unity of the people of Europe, if it is to last, can’t only be economic and political… The soul of Europe is still united today because it refers back to common human and Christian values.”

He said Europe had a vital “third millennium” role to play, that was “important for all those who believe in Christ, in the West and in Western Europe”.

“Only a Europe that recognises its own Christian roots will be worthy of its great third millennium challenge: peace, dialogue between cultures and religions, and safeguarding creation.”

“Notwithstanding spiritual crises… [Europe’s] identity would be incomprehensible without Christianity.”

The question of Europe’s ‘Christianity’ has plagued debates over the EU constitution.

Though the current draft treaty opens with a quotation from Thucydides and mentions “the cultural, religious and humanist inheritance of Europe”, an earlier version emphasising Europe’s philosophical heritage was deemed insensitive to religious groups.

This early version focused on European values “nourished first by the civilisations of Greece and Rome, characterised by spiritual impulse always present in its heritage and later by the philosophical currents of the Enlightenment.”

But Ireland’s prime minister – Ireland currently holds the rotating EU presidency – has apparently ruled out the possibility of changing the constitution back to its original ‘Christian’ form.

Speaking in Slovenia on Sunday, Irish prime minister Bertie Ahern said “As you know there is a reference to religious values. I do not think we will get a reference to God. I think the wording that is there now will probably stay the same”.

“There might be some change, but I do not think it is going to change substantially.”

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