Lecture III and Readings III - “EUROPEAN CULTURE” AS CHRISTIAN? Flashcards
Should Christianity be mentioned in the EU Constitution?
Several countries urged that the preamble of the Constitution include a reference to Christianity. Among these were Italy, Lithuania, Malta, Poland, Portugal, the Czech Republic, and Slovakia, Greece.
The strongest opponents of any reference to Christianity were France and Belgium. Other countries opposing such a reference were Denmark, Sweden, Finland, and Slovenia.
Eu needs constitution with Christian reference?
Merkel: “I underlined my opinion that 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.”
- Christianity is the root of all of Europe’s moral values.
Why is this reference in the constitution so controversial and is a hot topic in eu?
→ Problem of inclusivity since europe is nowadays constituted by other beliefs
→ Different nowadays because of the division of the church (scisma) among populations and countries → not same values in different types of christianism
→ Dogma created by these beliefs and values constituting a limit and a certain extent to politics and mindsets
What is the history of the term ‘Judeo-Christian’?
⇒ More common to talk of Christianism and values especially with the rise of Fascism.
- Theologicians realized that christianity is responsible for antisemitism and the Shoah and became then common to refer o it as a common identity
- This term is nowadays excluding muslims from the EU community, we do not have to deny some roots
Europe also influence by Islam?
YES
- Al-Andalus
Arabic Spain ⇒ most Spain and all Portugal ⇒ then christian Reconquista - The Mesquita in Córdoba
- The defeat of Muslims
Charles de Steuben’s Bataille de Poitiers en octobre 732 romantically depicts a triumphant Charles Martel (mounted) facing Abdul Rahman Al Ghafiqi (right) at the Battle of Tours. → Rise of islam = europe’s identity constructed on spiritual superiority : How christianity became europeanized
Europe represent in the first maps
Mappae Mundi
⇒ Term derives from Medieval Latin words ‘Mappae’ (cloth/chart) and ‘Mundi’ (of the world).
Different Types
- The Psalter Map (1250) - What lies in the center of this map? Where is Europe? ⇒ representation of the 12th century after the crusades
Europe didn’t occupied a central position, because jerusalem in it so more focused on the religious (christianity) beliefs and values
Walsperger’s Weltkarte (1448) How are religions represented on this map? = All of europe is in red, cultural object that reflects the imagination regarding oppositions and black is the rest
What makes the presence of Muslim minorities seemingly a problem?
Our idea of Europe is ideologically constructed in such a way that Muslim immigrants cannot be satisfactorily represented in it. (209)
Talal Asad = American anthropologist at NYU = representation of islam in europe → how islam is excluded from European representation → intro of reasons and ways how it is excluded
Major Q = are there possibilities of representing muslims in modern European states?
What makes him think that the presence of minorities = problem?
⇒ ideologically constructed so they cannot fit in → problem of the conceptualization of europe: not accommodate the muslim community in it
How is Europe represented by those who define themselves as authentic Europeans?
⇒ European identities → Asad links it to a primary focus on how we should approach to the exclusion Such anxiety bot only a general concern but also muslims attachment to islam that makes their narrative different → deconstruct the narrative of europe in order to represents muslims in europe
→ One q leads to another → set of ideas and dogmas historically constructed giving this outcome
Minority & minority rights
- Reformation (when Church and State were tightly connected) minorities
who did not comply to the dominant religion were denied rights - “Minority rights” stems from Enlightenment, with its secular idea of equal citizens → minorities became equal to other citizens (but also did not get special protection)
⇒ Idea of minority = important when church and states where connected so that a collaboration is present → idea of minority rights comes from enlightenment for secular idea of equal citices and that alliances
Minorities can never truly fit into a predefined narrative and where minorities see and express themselves as a group
⇒ both groups are groups, only the majority is in power so predominating on the others: they control the narrative
Asad: complex space and time
⇒ Simple scenario with shared identity, tradition, heritage = enlightenment
Asad explains that complex space = intersecting boundaries with groups related to traditions and how each tradition are mirrored on the present
Asad distinguishes the complex time/space to wath enlightenment beliefs
⇒ Be able to live as a minority among minorities → center to his pol thinking
What kind of political condition can be developed in Europe in which everyone lives as a minority among minorities
Christianity as Symbol to unify, the role of the Pope?
THE HAGIA SOPHIA IN ISTANBUL ⇒ transformation from catholic to muslim = lost symbol and transition from european/western to not
Pope Pius II (1458-1464) → defend against muslim: Fall of the empire to Mahomet II the conqueror
So: Pope Pius II Convokes a Crusade Against the Turks
⇒ Religious leader to a bellic leader
The Reformation 16th century
Martin Luther (1483- 1546) John Calvin (1509 – 1564)
⇒ Against the pope and the priest/bishops positions: believing in christ itself is enough, do not need representation and interpretation from others
Traduction of bible to latin to german → spread in northern europe
⇒ Wars and conflict between the two → two different branches and division
RELIGIOUS SITUATION IN EUROPE, C.1560 map
The Scientific Revolution
Idea of christianity = threat to authority of church, te great work of enlightment = Encyclopédie (1751-1772) → criticism of terms and classification of them
→ Noah’s Ark: mural mid-16th century: enlightenment asked question about it, large enough to fit existing animals and imagine how extremely large might be ⇒ approach religion with a rational interpretation
⇒ European culture, more values of enlightenment
Enlightenment and Philosophy in Europe
Idea of christianity = threat to authority of church, te great work of enlightment = Encyclopédie (1751-1772) → criticism of terms and classification of them
→ Noah’s Ark: mural mid-16th century: enlightenment asked question about it, large enough to fit existing animals and imagine how extremely large might be ⇒ approach religion with a rational interpretation
⇒ European culture, more values of Enlightenment
