Conference of European Churches

The Conference of European Churches (CEC) is a pan-European ecumenical fellowship established in 1959 to encourage reconciliation, dialogue, cooperation and common Christian witness among the churches of Europe. It emerged during the Cold War, when political division between Western and Eastern Europe made sustained contact between churches especially difficult. From its beginning, the organization sought to preserve relationships across ideological borders and to provide a religious platform for addressing peace, human rights, social justice and the future of Europe. CEC brings together approximately 114 Orthodox, Protestant, Anglican and Old Catholic churches from countries across Europe. It also works with national councils of churches and other ecumenical bodies through a partnership structure. The Roman Catholic Church is not a member, although CEC cooperates with Catholic institutions and with the Council of European Bishops' Conferences on selected initiatives, including major ecumenical gatherings. The organization's work combines theological and ecclesial dialogue with public-policy engagement. Its activities have included strengthening relations among different Christian traditions, contributing to European discussions on peace and reconciliation, promoting religious freedom and human rights, and articulating Christian perspectives on migration, social responsibility and the development of European society. Its former Church and Society Commission and Churches in Dialogue Commission were progressively integrated into the main CEC structure after the 2013 Budapest Assembly, with the integration completed in 2014. CEC's principal constitutional body is its Assembly, which normally meets every five years. Between Assemblies, a Governing Board oversees implementation of Assembly decisions and supervises the organization's work. This replaced the former Central Committee system in 2013. The Secretariat has been based in Brussels since 2014, after earlier work was conducted from the Ecumenical Centre in Geneva and through offices associated with the Church and Society Commission in Brussels and Strasbourg. The organization's Assemblies have reflected changing European circumstances. Early meetings addressed secularization, church service and the challenges of a divided continent. The 1964 Assembly was held aboard a ship in the Baltic Sea because delegates from Eastern Europe faced visa difficulties. Later Assemblies addressed reconciliation after the Cold War, the transformation of Europe, Christian witness, hospitality, justice and the responsibilities of churches in public life. The sixteenth Assembly took place in Tallinn, Estonia, in 2023 under the theme “Under God's blessing: shaping the future.” CEC remains an active ecumenical organization focused on cooperation among European churches and constructive engagement with European institutions and society.

CEC was founded in 1959 against the background of Cold War division. Its founding purpose was to create regular contact and mutual understanding among European churches separated by political systems, national borders and denominational differences. The early Assemblies in Nyborg, Denmark, explored the church's role in a secularizing and rapidly changing society. The fourth Assembly, in 1964, was held aboard the M.V. Bornholm in the Baltic Sea because visa restrictions made a conventional meeting difficult for some Eastern European participants. The episode illustrated both the practical obstacles facing the fellowship and its determination to maintain an all-European scope. During the following decades, CEC developed a broad program of ecumenical relationship-building, theological conversation and public engagement. Assemblies in Austria, Switzerland, Greece, Scotland, Czechoslovakia, Austria and Norway examined service, reconciliation, unity, peace and Christian witness. The organization also built structures for sustained work between Assemblies. Its Church and Society Commission addressed European social and political questions, while the Churches in Dialogue Commission concentrated on relations among Christian traditions. The European Ecumenical Commission on Church and Society merged with CEC in 1999, creating a more integrated platform for church engagement with European institutions and society. The end of the Cold War altered the political environment but did not remove the need for ecumenical cooperation. Assemblies in Prague in 1992 and Graz in 1997 focused on unity, new life and reconciliation in a Europe undergoing major transformation. The 2003 Assembly in Trondheim emphasized Christ's healing and reconciling role. In 2007, CEC and the Council of European Bishops' Conferences co-organized the Third European Ecumenical Assembly in Sibiu, Romania, an important example of cooperation between CEC and the Roman Catholic Church despite Catholic non-membership in the organization. CEC continued to adapt its governance and institutional structure in the twenty-first century. At the 2013 Assembly in Budapest, the former 40-member Central Committee was replaced by a 20-member Governing Board. The Board was assigned responsibility for overseeing the implementation of Assembly decisions between the five-yearly gatherings. The Budapest meeting also changed the status of associated organizations after a contested vote, offering those bodies partnership status without voting rights. The work of the Church and Society Commission and Churches in Dialogue Commission was subsequently incorporated into CEC's core programs, with the process completed in 2014. The Secretariat moved its principal offices to Brussels in 2014, positioning CEC closer to European institutions and policy networks. Later Assemblies in Budapest in 2013, Novi Sad in 2018 and Tallinn in 2023 addressed Christian witness, justice, hospitality and the future of Europe. Leadership has included Metropolitan Emmanuel of France, Christopher Hill, Christian Krieger and, from 2023, Archbishop Nikitas of Thyateira and Great Britain. Secretariat leadership also changed in the 2020s, with Frank-Dieter Fischbach appointed General Secretary from July 2024. CEC's continuing role is to provide a shared European forum for churches, support ecumenical dialogue and contribute Christian perspectives to questions of peace, justice, human dignity and social cohesion.

• 2023

  Sixteenth Assembly in Tallinn

  [1]Conference of European Churchesen.wikipedia.org

  CEC met in Estonia under the theme “Under God's blessing: shaping the future.”

• 2018

  Fifteenth Assembly in Novi Sad

  [1]Conference of European Churchesen.wikipedia.org

  The Assembly adopted the theme “You shall be my witnesses,” with emphasis on witness, justice and hospitality.

• 2014

  Brussels office becomes the principal Secretariat base

  [1]Conference of European Churchesen.wikipedia.org

  CEC's offices were based in Brussels, while former commission activities were integrated into the core organization.

• 2013

  Budapest Assembly restructures governance

  [1]Conference of European Churchesen.wikipedia.org

  The Central Committee was replaced by a 20-member Governing Board, and associated-organization membership rules were revised.

• 2007

  Third European Ecumenical Assembly in Sibiu

  [1]Conference of European Churchesen.wikipedia.org

  CEC and the Council of European Bishops' Conferences jointly organized the European ecumenical gathering in Romania.

• 1999

  European Ecumenical Commission on Church and Society merges with CEC

  [1]Conference of European Churchesen.wikipedia.org

  The merger created the Church and Society Commission within CEC.

• 1964

  Fourth Assembly held aboard the M.V. Bornholm

  [1]Conference of European Churchesen.wikipedia.org

  Visa difficulties affecting Eastern European delegates led to an Assembly being held on a ship in the Baltic Sea.

• 1959

  CEC founded

  [1]Conference of European Churchesen.wikipedia.org

  The Conference of European Churches was established to promote reconciliation, dialogue and friendship among churches divided by the Cold War.

A continent-wide ecumenical network that connects diverse Christian traditions, supports theological and practical cooperation, and represents a common church perspective in European public life.

• Governance and fellowship · 1959

  Ecumenical assemblies

  CEC Assemblies are its principal representative gatherings and normally take place every five years. Delegates from member churches consider European conditions, theological and ecclesial cooperation, public witness, organizational governance and future priorities. The Assemblies have provided the setting for major structural decisions, including the 2013 replacement of the Central Committee by a Governing Board.

• Public engagement · 1999

  Church and Society work

  This program carries forward the work once conducted through the Church and Society Commission. It connects ecumenical perspectives with questions of European public life, peace, justice, human rights, social responsibility and relations with European institutions. The commission's activities were integrated into CEC's central work after the 2013 Assembly and completed by 2014.

• Ecumenical dialogue

  Churches in Dialogue work

  CEC's dialogue work supports relationships and theological conversation among Orthodox, Protestant, Anglican and Old Catholic churches, as well as cooperation with other Christian bodies. The former Churches in Dialogue Commission was based in Geneva and its responsibilities were incorporated into the General Secretariat's ecumenical-relations work after 2013.

• 2013

  Controversial change to associated-organization status

  At the Budapest Assembly, a contested second vote ended the longstanding associated-organization membership category. The affected organizations were offered non-voting partnership status, prompting debate within the ecumenical network.

  Source

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• 2018Fifteenth CEC Assembly

  Europe

  The Novi Sad Assembly gathered CEC members around the theme “You shall be my witnesses,” linking Christian witness with justice and hospitality.

  Outcome. The Assembly provided the organization's principal forum for setting priorities and electing leadership.

  Source
• 2007Third European Ecumenical Assembly

  Europe

  CEC and the Council of European Bishops' Conferences jointly convened the Third European Ecumenical Assembly in Sibiu, Romania, from 4 to 9 September 2007. The event brought together Christian traditions for reflection on the church's witness and responsibilities in Europe.

  Outcome. The gathering demonstrated structured cooperation between CEC and the Roman Catholic Church and became a major European ecumenical event.

  Source

• 2013

  Replace the Central Committee with a Governing BoardStrategy

  Background

  CEC's Budapest Assembly reviewed the organization's governance between its five-yearly Assemblies.

  Action taken

  The Assembly replaced the 40-member Central Committee with a 20-member Governing Board responsible for supervising implementation of Assembly decisions.

  Aftermath

  The Governing Board became the principal oversight body between Assemblies and meets twice each year.

  Source

• 2013

  Integrate commission programs into core CEC workStrategy

  Background

  CEC sought to simplify its institutional structure and bring the Church and Society and Churches in Dialogue activities closer to the central organization.

  Action taken

  The programs of both former commissions were incorporated into CEC's core work after the Budapest Assembly, with the transition completed in 2014.

  Aftermath

  Public-policy engagement and ecumenical relations continued under the integrated CEC structure.

  Source

1. 1Conference of European Churchesen.wikipedia.org
2. 2Conference of European Churches official websitececeurope.org