[An essay on the theme of the congress European literature : in search of a christian identity]

Abstract

More than ever before the need Is being felt for poets to give their share in the formation of a new cultural environment throughout Europe, perhaps more In this continent than elsewhere since our own history has largely become a standard point of reference to other continents as well. Such an old tradition which has frequently transcended the strict confines of regions and national territories has long established itself as a strong unifying factor In which every body could somehow recognise himself. We all look back and acknowledge Homer, Virgil, Dante, Shakespeare, Goethe and a host of others as our own common fathers. Their poetic genius has made them what they still are, and their message has come down to us In its entirety, perhaps to sound more relevant today than in times long gone by. Whether Christian or post-Christian, it can be easily assumed that their most essential human and creative identity can only be understood in the light of a specific set of human values which have been traditionally identified as Christian.