Euro-Christian Concerns Raised with European Leaders

Open Letter Presented By the Most Reverend Gary Beaver on Behalf of the Holy Synod of the Interdemonational Church of the Holy Lands.

Today the Independent Catholic people, of faith and piety, are especially concerned about all that is happening in the religious, political, economic, academic, and cultural life of Europe and of the whole world. In this we see a gratifying expression of strength and spiritual vigilance within the church environment. In our turn, with all pastoral responsibility before God for the souls entrusted to us, we note that contemporary civilisation unfortunately is not only being persistently secularised but frequently is being guided in its development by ideals that are contrary and even hostile to God.

As a result of this there have appeared the application of previously unknown means of mass destruction, international terrorism, drug addiction, propaganda of immorality and violence by the mass media and, finally, vulgar intrusion into the mystery of life.

The contemporary western world in its incessant talk about freedom and independent development actually by its whole lifestyle is turning the individual into a slave of passion and sinful desires. The pernicious antichristian spirit is penetrating ever more aggressively into our daily life through the insistent imposition of western values: the idols of comfort, self-confidence, autonomy, and the like.

The Holy Synod of the Interdenominational Church wishes to you personally and to the members of the Government all success in the difficult but honourable task of coordinating the actions of the Leaders of your Country.

We wish to take the initiative to express to you our views. In order to avoid any misunderstanding, we state at the very outset, that our Church has no intention or wish to intervene in the political life of your Country, something that of course would not be in line with our spiritual mission. The Interdenominational Church does, however, wish to share with you its thoughts and concerns about the course being taken by United Europe, in the certainty that these concerns also reflect the views of a large portion of the pious Independent Catholic People.

The Interdenominational Church believes in the European orientation and outlook of your Country and in the need for the experiment of the collaboration of the Peoples of Europe to succeed. At the same time, however, it strives for the preservation of your National cultural identity.

By way of synopsis we mention here our three main proposals mentioned in this letter sent to the Assembly by the Holy Synod:

1. The European Constitution should fully guarantee religious freedom and basic Human Rights and prohibit deceitful proselytism.

2. Respect for the common conscience and awareness of the European Nations in regard to the Christian roots of their diachronic and contemporary spiritual heritage is to be preserved.

3. The regulating of Church-State relations must be left to the Constitution and the National Law of each Member-State, as foreseen by the 1997 Treaty of Amsterdam, so that the distinctive culture and historical tradition of each Nation is respected.

Our Church believes that the essential collaboration and convergence of the Peoples of Europe can be achieved not only by the adoption of measures ensuring a single economic or foreign policy, but also, and chiefly by the projection of the common elements in Europe's cultural heritage. We believe that European Culture was formed and established with the Apostle St. Paul's arrival in Macedonia, an event that we consider to be the first-fruits of contemporary European Civilization. Europe's cultural identity is on the one hand expressed by the common cultural roots and spiritual beginnings of its Peoples, and on the other, by respect for the uniqueness and identity of each and every Nation and People. We therefore propose that the distinctive mark should be inscribed through a declaration of respect for the Christian beginnings of Europe with an emphasis on a greater distribution and spreading of the classical texts throughout the Schools and Universities of Europe.

By making people aware of their common Christian origins on the one hand, we will not only help in strengthening Human Rights, but also in furthering mutual respect among the citizens and Peoples of our Continent; on the other hand this will forge even more, and on the basis of spiritual elements, the identity of Europe. For if we simply speak about human rights and freedom without any reference to Christianity, then how does Europe's identity differ from that of, let us say, Japan? And in regard to the cultivation of classical texts, in which of course patristic texts are included, we remind you that from 2001 already there exists in this regard a relative proposal on the part of the Cultural Committee of the European Parliament. Moreover, many European scientists and educators point out today with concern the consequences of an overdeveloped growth of technology and the downgrading of the humanistic content in education. We believe, therefore, that your government could coordinate the competent Ministries of Education and Culture of the Member-States of the European Union so as to introduce more hours for the study of the Humanities in the schools and universities of Europe.

We also ask that you take into account our concern over the following issues, which we believe have to be faced on a pan-European level:
a) In order to ensure the future of our societies, it is necessary that we take measures to support the institution of the family and to face the demographical problem of the Peoples of Europe.
b) Our Christian faith teaches us to respect human life and to honour the sacredness of the human person. Consequently, there is urgent need for decisions to be taken on a European level, to combat the dangerous extension of arbitrary genetic experimentation, such as the terrifying thought of cloning human beings.
c) It is also necessary that we coordinate the efforts of the Governments and Societies of Europe to combat the anti-societal activities of sects and para-religions that seriously threaten human freedom and the human personality. Many European Governments, as well as the European Parliament have recently condemned the activities of these groups.
d) The overwhelming majority of the politicians and the citizens of Europe who believe in the ideals of Democracy must shield Europe from the rise of extreme tendencies and totalitarian types of ideology that not only attack human rights and freedoms, but also the Christian Faith and Tradition (e.g. neo-nazism with an orientation to reviving ancient idolatry).
e) Finally, we wish to repeat a humanitarian request that I as Head of the Interdenominational Church has posed on other occasions as well. This request has to do with the reunification of the families of migrants from third-world countries that legally reside within the European Union. For us as a Church, the family is of central importance because it is the cradle of life. The core of this request is that the waiting period for minors to be reunited with their families be reduced to the shortest acceptable time possible.

The Interdenominational Church of the Holy Lands is at your disposal to discuss these issues with you or with your honourable collaborators. She takes this opportunity to assure you once again that she stands by the side of the Government and that of the entire political world in its efforts.

We pray that Almighty God will crown your work with success, and we remain

With best wishes, high esteem and Advent Blessings,

+ Gary

The Most Reverend Gary Beaver
Archbishop - Primatial See
Interdenominational Church of the Holy Lands
An Independent Catholic Church
www.interdenominational.net