The Wilfried Martens Centre for European Studies cordially invites you to the conference ‘Religion in Public Life.’ The conference will focus on the role of religion in public life. 

Europe has been mostly a Christian continent for the past one thousand years. Influenced much more by changes in culture than by particular political regimes, we have been witnessing steady secularisation across the continent. Some argue that secularisation should be continued and encouraged, others call for a rechristianisation of the continent. These two opinions, and many others, exist in wider society as well as within the European centre-right. 

How religion is perceived can impact on public policy in many ways. The economic and financial crisis has caused many commentators to ask whether religion can play a positive role in encouraging more responsible economic behaviour by companies and individuals. The same question is being asked in the context of care for our environment. Within society, profound changes have been occurring in relation to issues such as marriage and homosexual relationships: what is the role of religion in formulating responses to these societal views?

Our conference will provide an opportunity to discuss these complex challenges.

Programme:

13:00     Welcome by Tomi Huhtanen, Director, Martens Centre

     The Role of the Individual Believer in Public Life, Rik Torfs, Rector of the Catholic University Leuven

13:40     Question and answer session