Christian democracy is the term used for one of the most important political movements in Europe. It is a political party that is inspired by the Christian religion and broadly appeals to all people that can accept its basic message. Domestically, this message is that all classes, groups and layers in society must work together to find solutions for their differences of opinions and conflicts of interests. Society is viewed as an organic whole and although conflicts are unavoidable, they should always be resolved on the basis of mutual respect and in cooperation to reach a consensus that restores social integration. Christian democracy expresses politically this principled and religiously inspired conviction that social harmony must always be the fundamental goal of politics, giving all persons as members of social units (like the family) what is due to them. This book is a collaborative research project between Sichuan University (Chengdu) of China and the Vrije Universiteit (Amsterdam) of the Netherlands in the context of the European Union-China European Studies Centres Programme 'Searching for the Core of European Integration: The Historical, Cultural, and Religious Impact on Its Process'.
