Folia Canonica 11. (2008)
NEWS IN BRIEF - Nikos Maghioros: The Profile of the European Thematic Network on Religion and State Interaction
258 NEWS IN BRIEF EuReSIS Net is a three-year cycle (2006-2009) Socrates Thematic Network coordinated by Aristotle University of Thessaloniki. The Networks has 70 members from 31 EU countries. 1. Rationale and background .higher education should play a vital role in promoting peace, mutual understanding and tolerance, and in creating mutual confidence among peoples and nations; ... the great diversity of education systems in the European region refects its cultural, social, political, philosophical, religious and economic diversity, an exceptional asset which should be fully respected.” Convention on the recognition of qualifications concerning higher education in the European region. Lisbon, H-4-Í997. The activation of many religions in the European social and political field, their interaction with the political and economic institutions, the recent movements of populations and the reality of the European multicultural society, the research of ways of dialogue between the religions, the growth of fundamentalist movements and the experience of conflicts with a religious background are the basic factors justifying the inter-disciplinary study of the relations between Religion and State, not only in their diachronic dimensions, but also in their actual forms and in their future perspective. This wide theological, juridical, social and cultural thematic area is covered scientifically and educationally by universities, research centres, associations, non-governmental organizations, governmental institutions and religious communities. As far as the academic dimension of the above mentioned thematic area is concerned, it is clear that a) scholars are from different scientific areas; b) the subject is part of several courses, inserted in the programme of a variety of departments and faculties. Academic institutions, such as the faculties of Theology, Religious Studies, Law, Political and Social Sciences, Humanities, Near Eastern Studies, embrace courses like Canon Law, Ecclesiastical Law, Church and State Relations, Religious Freedom, Religion and Human Rights, Sociology of Religion, Religion and Public Education. The “European Studies on Religion and State Interaction” Network aims to be the first thematic network which tries to bring together all the above mentioned institutions. In the frame of the “compatible and competitive European Higher Education Area”, promoted by the Declaration of Bologna, the Network deals with the methodological, educational, pedagogical, and scientific aspect of this thematic area. Its nature is inter- and multi-disciplinary, interreligious, inter-confessional. At the same time, it aims to reveal the particular institutional relations created between the variety of local religious communities and the political institutions in Europe. It is open to new members and aims to be representative academically, geographically and culturally. More specifically, the project approaches law and religion as interaction between every aspect of law (e.g., international law, labour law, family law, bio-law)
