The Spanish Bishops' Conference has hosted the signing of the Interfaith Declaration on the Dignity of Human Life and the Dignity of the Human Persona. The text has been signed by representatives of the Islamic Commission of Spain, different Orthodox patriarchates, the Spanish Reformed Episcopal Church, the Federation of Evangelical Entities of Spain and the Catholic Church.
The statement responds, as Rafael Vázquez, secretary of the Episcopal Subcommission for Interconfessional Relations of the EEC, to the "common concern about "the approval of laws in which human life is left unprotected". Among them, Vázquez specifically pointed to the law of euthanasia and that of the abortionratified a few days ago by the Spanish Supreme Court.
Mohamed Ajana, secretary of the Islamic Commission of Spain, Bishop BessarionTimotei, Metropolitan of the Orthodox Church of the Ecumenical Patriarchate, Msgr. Patriarchate of RomaniaAndrey Kordochkin, Orthodox Church of the Moscow Patriarchate; Carlos López, Spanish Reformed Episcopal Reformed Church and Carolina Bueno, executive secretary of the Federation of Evangelical Entities of Spain were the signatories of this declaration together with the Secretary General of the Spanish Bishops, Francisco César, EEC Secretary General.
The debate on life "must respectfully welcome everyone's opinion".
"With respect for the representatives of the three branches of government and their democratic legitimacy," the representatives of the various denominations stressed, "we want to offer a voice to the debate on life, which must respectfully welcome the opinion of all. Also of those who make this reflection on the basis of their religious convictions".
Before the signing, Carolina Bueno and Mohamed Ajana were in charge of reading several verses from the Bible and the Koran in which the commitment to the protection and defense of life, especially the most defenseless, is firmly expressed.
– Supernatural Interreligious Declaration on the Dignity of Human Life specifically reflects the concern of the faithful and religious leaders about laws that go "not only against the principles of the Creator, but also against the most essential of human rights: the right to freedom of thought and conscience. right to life"and recalls that "human dignity does not depend on life circumstances or social consensus, but is an intrinsic quality of every human being, whose rights must always be respected".
Caring for life, a sign of progress
In this line, the text underlines the duty to protect life "from the beginning to the end" and that this defense and care "especially of the weakest, are signs of the progress and prosperity of a society and such respect cannot be considered a step backward or contrary to freedom".
The different denominations are not unaware of the "complex situations, of apparent conflicts of rights, which are difficult to resolve" and which often surround the "reasons" for these laws, but recall that these "profound ethical and moral dilemmas cannot be resolved in a generic way by sacrificing one of the fundamental rights affected (in this case, the right to life) by making the other prevail".
In addition, they ask the faithful, society in general and the political community "to reflect once again and make a commitment to cooperate and work together so that all human life may be protected".
Text of the Interreligious Declaration on the Dignity of Human Life
From respect for the representatives of the three branches of the Spanish State, Legislative, Executive and Judicial; from recognition of their democratic legitimacy as public servants to dictate laws, administer justice and exercise delegated power in representation of popular sovereignty; not doubting that they work in good conscience and in good faith for the common good; we the undersigned wish to state the following:
- That, as representatives of the main religious denominations: Islamic Commission of Spain, Federation of Evangelical Religious Entities of Spain (FEREDE) Orthodox Church of the Ecumenical Patriarchate, Orthodox Church of the Patriarchate of Romania, Orthodox Church of the Patriarchate of Moscow, Spanish Reformed Episcopal Church (IERE) and Catholic Church, we observe with growing concern how for decades, in our country, laws have been promoted and approved in which, in some cases, human life is seriously unprotected, legislating not only against the principles of the Creator, but also against the most essential of human rights: the right to life.
- That life is a gift of God for the whole of creation and humanity.
- That human dignity does not depend on life circumstances or social consensus, but is an intrinsic quality of every human being, whose rights must always be respected.
- That every human life, therefore, in its inviolable dignity, must be protected from beginning to end.
- That respect for the dignity of life of all human beings and their fundamental rights, especially of the weakest, are signs of progress and prosperity of a society and that such respect cannot be considered a step backward or contrary to freedom.
- That we understand that there are complex situations, of apparent conflicts of rights, which are difficult to resolve; but we understand that profound ethical and moral dilemmas cannot be resolved in a generic way with the sacrifice of one of the fundamental rights affected (in this case, the right to life) by making the other prevail.
For all these reasons, as representatives belonging to different religious confessions but united in the defense of life, human dignity and human rights - especially of the most vulnerable - we ask our faithful, society in general and the political community to reflect once again and assume the commitment to cooperate and work together so that all human life may be protected and safeguarded as a gift from God, endowed with the highest dignity.
In Madrid, on February 15, 2023
Sign the Declaration
- Dr. Mohamed Ajana, Secretary of the Islamic Commission of Spain
- Bishop Bessarion, Metropolitan of the Orthodox Church of the Ecumenical Patriarchate
- Timotei, of the Orthodox Church of the Patriarchate of Romania.
- Rev. Andrey Kordochkin, Orthodox Church of the Moscow Patriarchate
- Bishop Carlos Lopez, Spanish Reformed Episcopal Church
- Ms. Carolina Bueno, Executive Secretary of the Federation of Evangelical Entities of Spain.
- Francisco César, Secretary General of the EEC
