Christian belief and political culture in Europe

摘要

With the Enlargement on May 1~(st), the debate on the European constitutional treaty and the December decision on admission negotiations with Turkey, the European Union 2004 faces a year of various changes and challenges. With regard to the debate on a reference to God or to the Christian heritage in the preamble of the future Treaty Establishing A constitution For Europe, I would like to discuss the fundamental question of the relationship between Christian belief and political culture in Europe. I consider this basic approach not only warrantable but also necessary at this very moment, just a few days before the European summit, which under the Irish presidency is committed to come up with a final decision on the treaty and hopefully will succeed in bringing the negotiations to a good end.