The Danish Lutheran Church and the EU

Service of celebration on 8 January as Denmark assumes the EU presidency

From 1 January 2012 Denmark takes over the presidency of the EU from Poland – and will hand it on to Cyprus on 1 July. At a service in Copenhagen Cathedral on 8 January the Danish Lutheran Church will mark the beginning of the presidency and has invited participants from churches in Poland and Cyprus to participate along with members of the Danish Parliament.  

 

The Council on International Relations of the Lutheran Church have considered the possibility to request a meeting between the Danish Minister for European Affairs, Nicolai Wammen and leaders from the Conference of European Churches (CEC) and the Commission of the Bishops’ Conferences of the EU (COMECE) to exchange views on the role of the churches in the EU as has been custom during other presidencies. No one speaks for the Lutheran church in Denmark. The Danish tradition has always been to speak with many voices rather than one – hence the opposition to hierarchies and synods. The downside is that there is no Danish ‘voice’ to negotiate with. Catholic countries have a strong lobby in Brussels, where is ours? runs the counter-argument.

 

Candles to celebrate
The EU presidency also offers the opportunity for the Danish Lutheran Church to highlight its promotion of international cooperation. Among a number of initiatives the Council on International Relations is using candles produced by the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Poland to celebrate Christianity as a symbol of hope, together with a request for prayers for Christian light in the current EU crisis. 

By Edward Broadbridge

Picture: Heidi Paakjær Martinussen

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