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But the proposal had met "strident objections" from Premier Jospin, who had warned it would infringe France's status as a "lay [secular] state" and pose a "major legal and political obstacle" to the acceptance of the charter. There had also been "strong pressure" from Italy and Spain not to accept the proposal, Macus-Helmons said.

"There's a movement in Western Europe now to reject everything religious as contrary to the new understanding of liberty," continued Marcus-Helmons, who teaches at Belgium's Catholic University of Leuven.

"We accept that church-state separation is written into some countries' constitutions, but this shouldn't bar us from acknowledging a historical fact. Whatever the present situation, it can't be denied that in previous centuries European culture was rooted, among other things, in Christianity."

Keith Jenkins told ENI that CEC and COMECE had approached the charter as "two voices in harmony, rather than in unison", but had agreed on all "general principles."

He added that CEC would make use of its "range of contacts" with EU institutions at a November meeting with officials from Sweden, which takes over the presidency of the European Union from France in January.

"I believe we are listened to, and that people are hearing what they want to hear - even if we don't always approve everything the EU does," Jenkins added. "Even within the Christian fold, there are a number of traditions which have to be respected - including predominantly Roman Catholic countries like Italy and mostly Protestant ones like Sweden and Finland. I don't think this latest setback signals a new hostility to the churches."

Copyright © 2000 ENI

Visit the Conference of European Churches homepage.

Read up on the EU at the official site which offers description of all 15 members and listings of joint governing committees.

Other media coverage of the EU includes:

Europhiles find their voice for reform—The Scotsman (Nov. 9, 2000)

Blair tells ministers to talk up benefits of being in Europe—The Scotsman (Nov. 7, 2000)

EU Rapid Reaction Force—The Irish Times (Nov. 6, 2000)

Worshipping the European Union—Virtual New York (Nov. 1, 2000)

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November (Web-only) 2000, Vol. 44