Churches in western Europe should oppose the hugely negative aspects of the neoliberal economic system that dominates the world. That was one of the main conclusions of a consultation held in Soesterberg in June 2002 and hosted by the Council of Churches in The Netherlands. Ronald Bolwijn reports on the meeting, and Ulrich Duchrow reflects on some of its difficulties.

To the alarm of the Soesterberg organizers, there was, to begin with, little or no reaction from western European churches to their letters of invitation. In the end, there were only 80 participants, instead of the 150 first planned, and, because of financial difficulties, the programme had to be shortened by a day. Of the reports requested on the impact of economic globalization on different western European countries, only four were received.

This unenthusiastic response cannot have been because of the conference programme, or the speakers and other resource people, who were excellent. A reason for the reluctance of the churches may however be hazarded from the heated discussions in the conference itself.

The core of the problem became clear after Russel Botman (Uniting Reformed Church in Southern Africa) and Anna Karin Hammar (Church of Sweden) spoke on the subject of status confessionis.

In the Kitwe consultation in 1995, Reformed Christians in Southern Africa had already written: "It is our painful conclusion that the African reality of poverty caused by an unjust economic world order has gone beyond an ethical problem and become a theological one... The gospel to the poor is at stake in the very mechanism of the global economy today."

In her paper, "Towards a Theology of Life", Hammar presented the status confessionis debate as one of three theological "paradigms" - three possible entry-points or approaches to reflection and action on globalization.

There were, she argued, two ways in which neoliberal economic globalization might challenge the integrity of the church's faith.

"Systemic exclusion of peoples' basic needs, rights and dignity is a cause of and provokes a situation of status confessionis when the political institutions do not correct these imbalances. Unless the church intervenes, challenges the lack of care for all and upholds the inherent value of all people, it misses the opportunity to be the church of God, the body of Christ, a community formed by the Holy Spirit."

Secondly, when "the search for profit and economic efficiency becomes a primary goal for all realms of life, not only for the necessary market transactions, but the number one value in society, ranking higher than solidarity and community, it has become a threat to and a destabilizer of faith in the love of God. Idolatry is at hand when market principles and the search for unlimited economic growth in our western European societies has become the highest value and the first priority - at all costs."

In responding to globalization, Hammar said, there was a need for more work, and more joint work, than western European churches and theologians had so far been able to do. "I don't think that we are yet in a situation where we can confidently and unambiguously declare a status confessionis regarding the global economic situation."

But talk of status confessionis makes church representatives, and especially the representatives of state churches, nervous. They worry that too clear a biblical-theological position will prevent them from engaging in dialogue with those in positions of political or economic power, and will hinder rather than help the discussion in their congregations.

Fortunately, however, there was broad agreement among the participants on concrete proposals for actions by the churches. We may hope that the conference will give a new impulse to our congregations and churches to address the challenge of globalization and its lethal consequences - and to respond unambiguously.

Based on an article written in German by Ulrich Duchrow