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Daniel of Romania delivers keynote speech

16.07.09 21:31

Press Release No. A13-012/E

 

“Hope is born out of faith and manifests itself through love” was the theme of the keynote address by the Patriarch of Romania at CEC’s assembly offered on Thursday 16 July 2009. The theological exposition was delivered by His Beatitude Daniel who, prior to his 2007 election as Patriarch of the Romanian Orthodox Church, was Metropolitan of Moldova and also served as a member of the CEC presidium.

 

Patriarch Daniel explained that Jesus Christ alone is the source of true hope. Speaking in French, he asserted that Christian life is, above all else, “a spiritual struggle, a crucifixion of selfish passions”. Our aim is the victory of humble love over egotism and materialism as well as the discovery of a communion of love shared by brothers and sisters in Christ. This struggle, paraphrasing Ephesians 6:12-13, “is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realm”, yet our earthly struggle is more than balanced by the joy of God’s grace in Christ.

 

Underlining the reality of hope, according to the patriarch, has been a permanent goal of the Conference of European Churches. Hope in Christ has inspired European churches over the past 50 years, even “in a time when the people on this continent were living divided in antagonistic and hostile ideological and military blocs”.

 

Today CEC and its member churches look to the future, confident in their hope in Christ. Facing “a new reality which brings about new challenges,” the patriarch said, “the churches must find together new solutions for new problems. We will have to become more and more used to religious pluralism, with respect for others yet without falling into doctrinal or moral relativism. But how can we keep our own identity, when everything is changing around us? Only through the cultivation and enrichment of our relationship with Jesus Christ”. Gaining confidence by the grace of God, the churches of Europe will continue to embrace their missionary calling to proclaim the gospel of God’s abiding love for all.

 

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For more information:

Assembly Communications Office
Centre de Congrès Lyon,

Niveau Saint-Clair,

phone +33 4 72 82 26 80 or +33 6 32 83 72 34,

fax +33 4 72 82 26 81 

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