Whirling festivals of peace
Drawing on her experiences of the Edinburgh International Festival, Alison Elliot explores the richness of Europe’s cultural heritage and its hope for peace. As we begin to explore the political configuration that Europe might take in the future, it does well to remember the cultural language that underpins the continent and its history. It’s a language that has many dialects but one through which people can share their hopes for a peaceful resolution to the complex challenges that face us, whatever country we come from.
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The lure of easy answers
Guy Brandon warns against allowing the Paris terrorist attacks to lead to easy answers that sway opinion irrevocably towards the Exit option, short-circuiting meaningful discussion of what is really in our mutual best interests and deciding the outcome of the campaign before it has properly started.
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Towards a progressive peace in Europe
Nick Spencer & Ben Ryan from Theos make the case that Europe won’t overcome many of the challenges facing it without investing further in forgiveness and reconciliation.
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Reconciling communities
Overall cohesion in a community can bring ‘peace’ amongst the residents, tolerance and understanding. But how is cohesion brought about? Conservative MP Caroline Spelman looks at how we create reconcilied & shared communities locally, and asks whether such a process might assist in reforming the EU?
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The UK, sovereignty and the EU
Former diplomat Stephen Wall explores why sovereignity is core to debates about UK membership of the EU. Can we think about sovereignty in less zero sum terms? Can it be shared?
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What is the EU for?
Jonathan Chaplin makes the case that the key referendum question is: do we want to remain part of this ambitious, inspiring – and yes, constantly frustrating – project of transnational justice, or shall we turn inwards to protect our own? Justice, or ‘just us’?
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Shalom Europe
Guy Brandon discusses how the EU’s response to the refugee crisis & the Greek debt crisis illustrates that EU has a long way to go before it is at peace. How might a wider understanding of peace as shalom further the EU’s sense of completeness.
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Remembering in Europe today
Professor Werner Jeanrond questions whether we need to reflect more critically and self-critically on what we do when we remember those whom we care to remember on Remembrance Sunday? How might we be able to remember the casualties of war in a way that furthers the path of peace in Europe?
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Postcard from Vienna
Patrick Curran, the Anglican Chaplain in Vienna, reflects on Austrian attitudes to the EU and the prospects for EU reform.
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A union reconciled to rancorous division
Adrian Hilton explores how the Monnet-Schuman vision for peace and reconciliation has vanished in anti-democratic assertions of infallible dogma and immutable truths. Can you have true peace without organic feelings of loyalty and fraternity?
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