[MaFLa] Konferencia : The Role of Religions in the Building of European Identity

[Molnár Kristóf]

Conference and Workshop
16-17 May 2008, Szeged (Hungary)
Conference

It is widely recognized nowadays that culture is the most important source
of European identity. Therefore religion as a key element of culture is an
important factor in its development. At the same time, such basic values as
solidarity and tolerance, that create the fabric of the European identity
are identified with the Jewish-Christian tradition. In the age of
multicultural societies, however, it is quite problematic to highlight a
separate religious-cultural tradition as a basis of common identity. It
seems that although religion as a phenomenon is an inherited feature of
European identity, religion in its different historical, theological,
institutional and community dimensions could contest or question this
identity.

In the progress of continental integration, there have been many cases
revealing the potential of various religions to provoke and heat conflicts.
The enlargement of the European Union with new member-states brings about
serious transformations not only in the EU's denominational map, but also in
the inner dynamics of Europe's religious communities and life. On one hand,
the statistical data points to a significant decline in the proportion of
Protestants and Catholics, while on the other, there is an increase in the
number of Orthodox believers. Moreover, by the possible integration of
Turkey, Islam will become a significant religious block in the EU. Due to
this, a new era of „interreligious coexistence" will be necessary, bringing
about new political and cultural challenges.

The religious and cultural distinctness of Romania and Bulgaria – the states
that joined the EU in 2007, tinges even more the formation of this new
European identity. It is important to clarify the impact of the religious,
ecclesiastical, and community/national aspects of Orthodoxy on the
construction of a common European culture and identity. The EU principle of
„Unity in Diversity" creates the fundaments of the European Identity. On the
one hand, it includes a conflict-free maintenance of cultural differences,
while on the other, presupposes dissolution of these differences in common
European value orientation. This approach, however, could be challenged by
the historical and cultural ruptures between Western Christianity and
Orthodoxy that may cause conflicts.

The Re-Dial Association for the Academic Religious Studies wants to
contribute to the development of an interactive international dialogue by
organising a three-day conference. The participants of this conference will
be young scholars, university professors and representatives of different
NGOs and media from all over this region – Romania, Bulgaria, Austria, Czech
Republic, Slovakia, Poland, Serbia, Hungary. The aim of this conference is
to look for answers - along different thematic blocks - to such topical
questions as the role of religions in a "new" Europe, the relation between
religious identity and the forming of a new European identity, or the
emergence of religious freedom in the EU states. The selection of
participants, committed to their academic work and from different nations is
to guarantee that a constructive dialogue may evolve among them as
individuals as well as among the organisations and institutions represented
by them. It also permits of developing common long-term strategies.
Location

The conference will be held at Szeged, Hungary at the "Rendezvényház" (6727
Szeged, Közép fasor 1-3.)
Please, see map<http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?ie=UTF8&hl=hu&msa=0&msid=112267628185418221086.00044ca1baf42b2202ca7&ll=46.255609,20.17107&spn=0.082611,0.160675&z=13>for
details.
Programme
Final programme and schedule (printable
version)<http://www.reuropa.org/euident2008/citizenship-programme.doc>


   1. *Giuseppe Maiello, Ph. D. *(University of Pardubice, Czech Republic):

*Contemporary funeral rites in the Czech lands*

   1. *Lucian Vesalon *(Universitatea Vest, Timisoara, RO):*
   *

* *

*Modernization discourse and the re-construction of the East/West dichotomy
in the post-socialist period*

   1. *Liviu Andreescu *(Liga Pro Europa, Tg, Mures):*
   *

* *

*Religious education in Romania*

   1. *Andor Mészáros* (PPTE Central European Institute):*
   *

* *

*On the national identity of Czech people living in Pest during the period
of dualism*

   1. *Levente Salat *(Department of Political Science, Babes-Bolyai
   University, Cluj):*
   *

* *

*The concept of 'political community' in culturally divided societies*

   1. *Alpár Losoncz *(Department of Philosophy, University of Szeged,
   University of Újvidék):*
   *

*The adventures of the multiculturality in ex-Yugoslavia*

   1. *Iván Balogh * (Department of Sociology, University of Szeged):*
   *

*Anti-semitism contra anti-fascism*

   1. *Attila Demeter *(Department of Philosophy, Bábes-Bolyai University,
   Cluj):*
   *

*The European Organizations and the Minority Issue**
*

   1. *Zoltán **Kántor * (Institute of Foreign Affairs, Budapest):*
   *

*Science or Politics? Defining 'nation'.**
*

   1. *Attila **Pató * (Social Theory Collection, University of Szeged):*
   *

*Rehabilitating Nationalism? Arguments pro and contra**
*
* *

   1. *Daniela Kalkandjieva * (Center for Interreligious Dialog, Sofia
   University):*
   *

*Eurointegration and Interreligious Dialogue in Bulgaria**
*
* *

   1. *Liana Konstantinova Galabova* (Center for Interreligious Dialog,
   Sofia University): *
   *

*Religious Education and European Identity in Orthodox Countries*

*Abstracts here!* <http://www.reuropa.org/euident2008/programme.html>
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