Charta Oecumenica and Tfeu Article 17 a Base for the Conference of European Churches (Cec’s) Advocacy Work. Cec and European Integration. Supranational State Capacity in Action?

Henri Aaltonen, University of Helsinki

In the EU with now of 27 member states, there is a need for advocacy work done by organizations. This can be done nationally or supranationally. This advocacy work can be seen as moder day form of state capacity. State capacity simply the capacity to be able to act on various situations and work as institution. State capacity is about the functioning of institutions, such as the tax agency or military. One such institution is the church. Churches throughout Europe operate as typical institutions, thus making them a key part of creating a strong social fabric, i.e., creating state capacity; in other words, they help create a functioning society in the EU. In this article the emphasis on the new concept of supranational state capacity done by ecclesiastical organizations i.e., churches. This supranational state capacity is focussed on the EU actions of the Conference of European Churches (CEC). The supranational state capacity is actions in a supranational level i.e., EU from the CEC. The base of the CEC’s supranational advocacy work are Charta Oecumenica (CO) and the Treaty of the Functioning of the European Union (TFEU) article 17.

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 Presented in Session 157. Institutional Shifts and Religious Agency: Disaffiliation, Integration, and Political Thought