Catholic leaders are also apprehensive about Denmark’s law. The president of the Commission of the Bishops’ Conferences of the European Union (COMECE), Cardinal Jean-Claude Hollerich, S.J., published a statement Jan. 22 in which he said that the law is a “part of a broader, increasing trend of neglection for the fundamental right to freedom of religion in the EU Member States.”
“While we understand that the goal of the proposal is to prevent radicalization and counter incitement to hatred and terrorism,” said the cardinal, “any negative or discriminatory impact should be avoided with regard to Churches and religious communities that are averse and alien to such actions, acting in a spirit of peace and integration.”
Innes agrees that the law not only has consequences for religion in Denmark but also has broader implications for religious liberty in Europe. He told The Guardian, “My real concern is that if the Danes do it other countries may copy. That would be a very worrying development indeed.”
According to Innes, the legislation is vague as to whether clergy would have to submit copies of the translations to the government before or after delivering their messages. He observed, however, that the requirement to translate a speech into another language is in itself difficult and costly.
“Preachers don’t always write full text of their sermons, they might write notes,” said Innes. “They might preach extempore as the archbishop of Canterbury sometimes does and there are questions of idiom and nuance which requires a high level of skill in translation of course. It is a high bar. It is a skilled art and it is an expensive skill as well.”
Mohler believes that the practical difficulties of the law pale in comparison to its consequences for freedom of religion in Denmark. “[The law] is just fundamentally intolerable, should be unthinkable,” he said. “It is unconditionally wrong.”
