Christianity is not dead in Europe, but needs to free itself from old demons

Christianity “freed from the old demons” can be a driving force of Europe, a French professor argued during the 20-21 September, international conference on “The New Shape of Europe,” part of a series on the role of Christians in the process of European integration.

The remarks vibrated in a room full of European officials—many of them Catholic. “Christianity, if freed from the old demons, will be able to help us immensely in the anxiety-filled modern times,” said professor Chantal Delsol, who is also a philosopher, political historian and novelist, in her 20 September lecture in Kraków.

Listing “demons” such as the abuse crisis and the crisis of identity, she said that Europe often takes the path of being convinced it is able “to bring about an ideal society.” While “Marxism has fortunately been overthrown,” she said, the temptation “to build a paradise on earth is returning in other ways.”

Father Manuel Barrios, general secretary of the Commission of the Bishops’ Conferences of the European Union, or COMECE, said that theologically, morally, Christianity will remain in Europe,” though Christians have to “fight for that.”

“Churches have to do a lot of homework,” he added, to remain leaders of European societies. “We have to lose our self-referential attitude of what we think about ourselves and give really good answers to the concerns of the people. So I think we have a lot of potential,” Father Barrios said.