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President of the Republic to Participants of the Conference dedicated to the 10th Anniversary of the Porvoo Common Statement in Kadriorg, on March 11, 200211.03.2002
Your Excellencies Archbishops and Bishops!
Ladies and Gentlemen!
The significance of Christianity in the history of the Occident cannot be overestimated. Christianity and its churches have influenced Europe for about two thousand years. Changes in relationships between the church and secular power mark the beginning and end of new eras in history both on the level of states and the entire Western space of culture.
Like any great idea and principle, religions can contribute to closer unity between people but can also oppose and tear them apart. Just like the worthy of the worthiest goals could be used in the interest of vain self-interest and human greed for power. Our historic experience as well as the Books of the Old and New Testament confirm this.
Today on the threshold of the twenty-first century both Europe and the entire world face new challenges. In art and literature we associate this with postmodernism, in economy and politics - with information technology and globalisation. The faith in omnipotence of the human being characteristic of modernism is faltering whereas the ideology of individualism continues its course of victory. It is attempted to bring the mankind closer through common economic interests or the Internet but not through empathy and altruism. Too often we look for enemies, not friends.
Nevertheless you have gathered in Tallinn to develop further a movement striving towards wider unity, confirmed in the ten-year-old joint declaration as well as the general ideology of the Porvoo Common Statement. The basic message of neither Christianity nor culture is unification but rather respect for diversity and aspiration for entirety. In the nineteenth century progressive theologians gave a new impetus to the ecumenical movement, which has proved its vitality and viability as expressed in the Porvoo Common Statement. About fifty million members of twelve Anglican and Lutheran churches have decided to enter into closer communion leading to a more unified new Europe.
I would like to refer to three aspects singled out by Dr Gunvor Lande, a Norwegian theologian, adding value to the Porvoo Common Statement and the entire process. They are the identity of the church, the ability of the church to develop a dialogue in the multicultural world of different religions and the mission of the church in the modern world.
These three aspects are the main policy instruments on the level of states and international organisations. Therefore we can assume that we are formulating fundamental issues of our era together, carried by the hope that we shall also be able to look for and find solutions together.
In the Republic of Estonia the church is constitutionally separated from the state. However, even the short history of our independent statehood confirms that the state and the church can and should co-operate in order to value the fundamental principles of the societal existence and development - a sound family, moral values and respect of life.
Excellencies!
On the tenth anniversary of the Porvoo Common Statement I would like to greet and welcome you with the words of the founder of the respect-for-life ethics Albert Schweitzer, a great thinker of the twentieth century. He said that in order to fulfil its function the church should join people in the elementary, reasoning and ethical religiousness. / ... / The transformation of religious as well as social and political unity should start from inside. / ... / The faith in the possibility to reorganise a modern state into a state of culture would be heroic in itself. / ... / To do that we would gain strength from positive ethical attitude towards world and life.
Your Eminencies!
There is no doubt that the Porvoo process initiated by the Porvoo Common Statement is serving a noble goal - the right to be different but find in the diversity a common base, a bridge for a uniting communion.
I wish you strength of mind and commitment in your noble mission!
Thank you for honouring our capital, country and people with your presence.
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