Jews need a Secular Europe not a Sectarian one

Written by Evan Harris and published in Jewish Chronicle on Wed 21st Mar 2007

The late comedienne and avowed secularist Linda Smith, used to say, "I'm not religious - I get on with everyone!" Clearly, being religious should not prevent anyone getting along with her fellow human beings. But when it comes to the state and politics, not being religious really is the best bet. Not only does it avoid an auction of requests for favouritism or special favours from individual religious organisations, but a secular liberal democracy is the best guarantee for everyone of freedom of religious belief and freedom to manifest that religious belief in ways that do not restrict rights of others.

The debate about the role of religion in politics is hotting up again in the UK and in Europe. Here in Britain the House of Commons voted by a large majority to have a wholly elected upper house, which clearly has implications for the presence in our legislature of 26 Church of England bishops. Having unelected clerics in the legislature as of right is not unique in the world. In this respect we are joined by Iran. Like Iran, ours are all men, and like Iran they are more conservative on social issues than the average elected representative.

There are plenty of religious people elected to Parliament, and many are there because of there strong religious views. That is fine, but fortunately we do not (yet?) in this country have religious parties, standing on a platform of bringing in "God's law". Israeli politics has some good points - democracy for one - but few would argue that it benefits from the influence of religious political parties.

The German Chancellor, Angela Merkel, has - following her visit to the Pope last year - reignited the argument about whether the EU should "do God", saying, "We need a European identity in the form of a constitutional treaty and I think it should be connected to Christianity and God, as Christianity has forged Europe in a decisive way." Ms Merkel is focussing her efforts on a Berlin Declaration to be launched on 25th March, the 50th anniversary of the signing of the Treaty of Rome, which laid the foundation stone for the creation of the European Union.

The wish to reassert Europe's Christian roots is no doubt at least partly in reaction to the new-found assertiveness of Europe's Muslim minorities. In a recent survey, some 40% of young British Muslims said they would prefer to live under Islamic Sharia law. But if the Berlin Declaration makes reference to Europe's Christian roots, it will encourage the churches to make further demands for special consideration within Europe's political institutions. The response from Islamic leaders is easily predictable. They will condemn all such efforts as "anti-Islamic" and demand - at the very least - equality of special treatment for Islam. The stage will be set for sectarian conflict for generations to come.

Deeply alarmed by this prospect, hundreds of Europe's leading intellectuals, politicians, academics and writers have lent their support to an alternative vision for Europe, the Brussels Declaration, a single-page restatement of Europe's shared values: respect for the dignity and autonomy of the individual, human rights, tolerance, democracy and the rule of law.

"We do not see regression to a Europe in which religion plays an increasing, and divisive role in our institutions as the answer to our problems." said Roy Brown, coordinator of the "Vision for Europe" project, speaking at the launch of the Declaration.

Encouragingly, the Brussels Declaration has found support from Catholic, Protestant, Muslim, Jewish and Humanist leaders, from scientists, academics, writers and journalists, and from Conservative, Liberal, Social Democratic and Green politicians from across Europe. Among the organisations supporting the Declaration are the Catholics for a Free Choice, Ekklesia (a Christian think-tank), British Muslims for Secular Democracy, the National Secular Society and the World Union of Progressive Judaism.

From a Jewish perspective we are faced with a clear choice. We could support attempts by the Catholic and Protestant churches to stress Europe's "Judeo-Christian" values as a bulwark against the growing influence of radical Islam. But this is a high risk strategy which could fail if force of numbers became the determining factor. Seeking to defend a "Christian Europe based on semi-recent history and numbers of adherents" may, in the short term, help to recruit to an evangelical form of Christianity as a reaction to radical Islam, but it sells the pass and encourages an battle of orthodoxy and war of numbers that has no winner.

The alternative is to work with other liberals and intellectuals towards a secular Europe. Secularism is not at all the same thing as atheism, nor is it anti-religious (despite claims to the contrary by many church leaders). The secular state is neutral in matters of religion and belief, and thus provides the only framework within which all Europeans, of all faiths and of none, can enjoy equal freedom and equality of treatment.

Let us keep religion in the home, in the shul and in the community. Let us keep it out of the role of the state. As it says in the Bible, you reap what you sow. Let us sow tolerance and diversity, not zealotry and division.

Dr Evan Harris is Liberal Democrat MP for Oxford West & Abingdon and a member of the Joint Committee on Human Rights.

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You can lend your support to the Brussels Declaration by signing up at 'A Vision for Europe'.