Interview with Frank Dieter Fischbach, new general secretary of the Conference of European Churches

Rome (NEV), September 2, 2024 – We publish below the interview with the new general secretary of the Conference of European Churches, rev. Frank Dieter Fischbach, edited by the Nev press agency,

How do you view your participation in the Synod marking the 850th anniversary of the Waldensian movement of Valdo di Lione, and what significance does this milestone hold for the ecumenical dialogue within Europe?

It is a real honour for me to be invited to the jubilee of the Waldensian Movement here in Torre Pellice. I am delighted that it is my first journey as General Secretary of the Conference of European Churches and to participate in this remarkable anniversary. The Waldensian movement is present in Italy, in Europe and beyond even though it was persecuted through centuries. People have held on to their faith and God has kept his hand on the church and its people.

Today, it is a minority church, but it is much better to speak about it as a diaspora church – a church in the midst of society. A church with a strong, very respected and convincing engagement on social issues. One great example is its project on “safe passages” for migrants carrying out their important work in Italy. This church is a sign of hope and of faith. Such churches, which may be small in terms of numbers of members, can be and are salt of the earth and a light in the society.

I am impressed by the many international and ecumenical guests who are celebrating together with the Waldensian church’s jubilee anniversary. It proves how open minded and well connected this church is, and that ecumenical life is a part of its church life, a kind of natural existence of this church.

CEC congratulates Waldensian church on 850th Anniversary | CEC Europe

As you officially begin your role as the General Secretary of the Conference of European Churches, what are your key expectations and priorities for your work within the KEK?

The Conference of European Churches is a church fellowship, comprising of its Member Churches from across Europe. And it is essential for this organisation that Member Churches participate in its life and shape its agenda. The Member Churches should become aware and confident that they are the owner of this organisation. In this light we have to establish our work as team in Brussels under the governance of the Governing Board, which was elected at the General Assembly in Tallinn last year.

It seems to me that the symbol for CEC – to build bridges – has become relevant again: between our churches, which exist in very different contexts, but are facing all the challenge of secularisation in the societies. With the Pathway to Peace programme, we build bridges among the churches in Ukraine, facilitate exchange among them, and hear from them about their needs and to keep the fellowship of churches in Europe connected to them. And we ask together what this experience of war in Europe means for our ethics on peace as a church fellowship. But, of course, we will have to develop more programmes in the months to come, although we have to consider the resources CEC has at its disposal. We will not be able to address all issues, we might would like to address.

In light of the recent social violence and attacks, what strategies should the churches implement? What kind of concrete collaborations can we envision at the political level to prevent hate phenomena?

My impression and my understanding after exchanges with church leaders and church representatives of CEC in the first weeks is that we observe a kind of polarization in many European societies. It seems that it is sometimes no longer possible to discuss an issue from different point of views. Reactions to an opposite opinion become – especially in the so-called social media – immediately aggressive, rejecting, hateful, belittling and humiliating. In this atmosphere and with such attitude the democratic discourse is under pressure and democracy in danger.

Living together in modern society and in democracy needs an attitude to listen, at least to try to understand the opinion of the other, and to respect his and her arguments. I think again for the churches about building bridges. Churches can be agencies to bring people with different opinions together, to offer a secure space in which different opinions and experiences can be mentioned and valued, and where people can meet and discuss freely. This is something where churches will work together with a municipality, or the commune to reach out to the people living there.

One of the political questions is if policy can do more to prevent hate speech in the social media and in the public, but also to prevent the massive influence of fake news.

What initiatives or policies do you think Europe should prioritize regarding disarmament and the promotion of peace?

Well, that’s a difficult question. Because Russia’s invasion of Ukraine we speak about the right of self-defence of the Ukraine and the support through arms delivered from the European countries. CEC will organise a European conference on just peace in the light of this war in coming December in Poland. I am very much looking forward to listening and learning how member churches of CEC analyse theologically the situation. One lesson, which we might learn already, is, that an international order, in which the right limits power is fundamental for peace in Europe than a situation in which a powerful state neglect all rights and invades a weaker neighbouring state.

Let us not forget that the Council of Europe as well as the European Union were founded to secure and improve peace in Europe and to establish a relationship driven by law and rights, which enables people to live in peace and visit each other.

What are the next significant events of the Conference of European Churches (KEK)?

I have mentioned already CEC’ conference on just peace in December in Poland. The Member Churches are invited, and we hope that we have an intensive exchange and discussion. Our aim is also to involve in this conference, representatives of churches from Ukraine, who will help us understand the current situation much better.

On 1^st July we started a consultation process on a revised Charta Oecumenica together with the Council of Catholic Bishop Conferences in Europe (CCEE). Charta Oecumenica was signed in 2001. Europe has changed deeply since then. I think it is a very good opportunity for the churches in Europe to discuss in these times again how they perceive Europe and their role in Europe. The consultation process is open until the end of this year and you can find much more information about this on our CEC website.

In a diverse and multicultural Europe, how can policymakers promote meaningful dialogue and collaboration between different cultural and ethnic groups, and what benefits do you believe such dialogue could bring to European politics?

I think, we have to first accept that this is the reality of Europe: to be different, diverse, but that this is also the strength of the European culture. That’s why Europe is such an interesting continent. One answer to your question might be that politicians in Europe are themselves a role model how they participate in European debates. Do they contribute in a listening way, which is rooted in the conviction that one can learn from the other, or do they stick to a nationalistic point of view?

Secondly it is essential that EU institutions and national states support all kinds of opportunities for meetings between people, like through the famous Erasmus programme. Here churches can and should also contribute by keeping or establishing programmes of exchange and partnership between churches. To meet real persons from another country, facilitating dialogue. But it’s also true that this type of meetings sometimes need careful preparation because meeting does not mean that everything goes automatically friendly and in harmony. In those situations, meetings have to be organised and accompanied by well educated persons who know how to deal with conflicts.

How do you perceive the role of churches and religions in shaping cultural perspectives in social and political contexts?

Well, this is a wonderful question, because I can just again relate to the jubilee of the Waldensian movement and church. It is a wonderful, convincing example of a church shaping cultural perspectives and the society as well. The way it works with the “Otto per mille” tax, using it for social and diaconical tasks in Italy and beyond, proves how a church shapes the culture of a country and a society. In my observation many churches and parishes in Europe start to focus on the demands of the people in the neighbourhood, in a district of a town or city and ask what they can do for the people living together there. In this way they are in midst of society. It reminds us of Jesus, who asked once a person: What do you want me to do you? (Mark 10:51)