Churches in Finland and the Finnish EU-presidency 2006

Listening together to God's word in Holy Scripture, challenged to confess our common faith and to act together in accordance with the perceived truth, let us bear witness to the love and hope which are for all people.

Europe – from the Atlantic to the Urals, from the North Cape to the Mediterranean – is today more pluralist in culture than ever before. With the Gospel, we want to stand up for the dignity of the human person created in God's im-age and, as churches together, contribute towards reconciling peoples and cultures.

Charta Oecumenica

Guidelines for the Growing Cooperation among the Churches in Europe, 2001

Foreword

The Christian Churches in Finland emphasize the character of the European union as a guarantor for peace and stability and as a community of values that promotes human rights, the well-being of people and the environment, social justice and equality and sustain-able development.

The Churches wish to give their own contribution to the development of a peaceful and socially equitable union based on common values. The European Churches have in Charta Oecumenica, which was approved in 2001, committed themselves to support European integration and on the basis of the Christian faith work towards a humane, socially conscious Europe in which human rights and the basic values of peace, justice, freedom, tolerance, participation and solidarity prevail.

The Churches give their support to the Finnish EU-Presidency and participate in the debate making good use of the Churches’ national, international and ecumenical expertise and practical experience, especially in the following issues:

• Meeting other religions, European identity and tolerance
• Strengthening the value dimension of the Union and the discussion about the future of the Union
• Social policy issues, especially eliminating poverty and inequality
• Combating trafficking
• A loyal, consequent and humane immigration and refugee policy
• A responsible environmental policy

The Evangelical-Lutheran Church of Finland, the Finnish Orthodox Church and the other Member Churches of the Finnish Ecumenical Council wish the Finnish Presidency every success in the spirit of tolerance and mutual respect. God bless your work.

Jukka Paarma

Archbishop

Chairman of the Finnish Ecumenical Council