The Conference of European Churches (CEC) was represented at the European Parliament's seminar on “Dialogue on Liberal Democracy” by Marietta D.C. van der Tol, who contributed her perspectives, highlighting the important role of churches and religion.
The event held on 24 January in Brussels was hosted by the First Vice-President of the European Parliament, Othmar Karas, responsible for Article 17 - Dialogue with religious and philosophical organisations.
“We see the default lines move from religion vs secularism to anti-liberalism vs liberalism, we will need to reorient our perspective on religion, insofar as religious communities will be important societal partners in containing the threat from the anti-liberal right,” said Marietta D.C. van der Tol.
“Religions have an important role to play in speaking out about the limits of political anti-liberalism, and openly say at what point political anti-liberalism ceases to represent them, if it ever did. But also, in articulating alternative ideas about the relationship between conservative religion and politics, as it can sustain the stability of the constitutional democratic order.”
Marietta D.C. van der Tol is Alfred Landecker Postdoctoral Research Fellow, Blavatnik School of Government, University of Oxford.