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European politicians in unholy row over God's place in constitution
2003-062-3
3/19/2003
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[Episcopal News Service]
Calls for placing a reference to God in the text of a new European Union constitution have provoked lively debate, with some drafters urging that the draft mention faith in God as a source of truth and justice. Others are baffled by the suggestion.
'What on earth has God to do with a constitution?' asked Lena Hjelm-Wallen, a former Swedish deputy prime minister and a member of the convention drafting the constitution. She said that she thought it was 'a joke' when she first heard the recommendation.
One proposal is that the constitution adopt the wording of the Polish constitution to state that the European Union's 'values include the values of those who believe in God as the source of truth, justice, good and beauty as well as of those who do not share such a belief but respect these universal values arising from other sources.'
Former French president, Valery Giscard d'Estaing, who chairs the convention, has questioned the mention of God. 'Europeans live in a purely secular political system, where religion does not play an important role.'
An editorial in a Swedish newspaper said that placing Christian values above others would be 'a huge mistake.' It pointed out that many Europeans are followers of other faith traditions or have no religious beliefs at all. 'How could they identify with a constitution founded on Christian values?' the editorial asked, suggesting that such a constitution would be dangerous because it would 'exclude groups and raise new walls.'
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