Hungarian parliament in Budapest, Hungary
New Hungarian Law Threatens some Churches
Hungary has introduced a new law governing the registration of religious groups that critics say discriminates against minority faiths, stripping some churches of their legal status as religious organizations, reports The Church of England Newspaper.
On July 14, the Hungarian Parliament adopted The Right to Freedom of Conscience and Religion and on the Status of Churches, Religions and Religious Communities Law, by a vote of 254 in favour to 43 opposed. The new law recognizes 14 religious organizations as churches, while Hungary’s 348 other faiths and denominations lost their tax – exempt status and entitlements to state subsidies.
The Institute on Religion and Public Policy condemned the new law saying it “codifies systematic discrimination of religious minorities. The Religion Law is completely inconsistent with fundamental human rights as it contravenes the principles of equality and non – discrimination.”
Among those losing recognition were Hungary’s Anglican, Methodist, Pentecostal, Adventist and reform Jewish congregations, the Salvation Army and Jehovah’s Witnesses, and Muslim, Buddhist, and Hindu groups.
The Presbyterian Church in Canada’s work in Hungary and neighbouring Ukraine is not threatened by the new legislation. Through its missionary, David Pandy – Szekeres, the PCC works with the Reformed Church of the Sub – Carpathian Ukraine, a church that has close ties to the Reformed Church of Hungary—”one of the religious communities which this legislation recognizes as a ‘bonafide’ faith – based community,” said Pandy – Szekeres. Therefore, “my work is thus far not particularly affected … by this unfortunate piece of legislation.”
Pandy – Szekeres speculates that harsh economic times may be part of the reason why the Hungarian government pushed for changes in the laws.
“It is true that some sort of the new legislation had to be introduced to somehow limit the amounts of subsidies (deemed too onerous because of the present economic crisis) being provided by the state to communities registered as faith – based organizations, when closer investigation showed that many of these communities were not faith – based at all,” he told the Record in an email. “But it certainly appears that the legislation … is not overly well thought out, and would certainly need to be modified to render more justice to the de facto religion – based communities in Hungary.”
Financial woes have led to another change in that country—local government officials in Hungary are handing state – owned schools over to churches, unable to afford their upkeep during the economic recession, according to a story from Ecumenical News International.
According to ENI, Hungary’s Heti Valasz weekly newspaper reported that local councils had been forced to abandon schools in the face of shrinking state subsidies, heavy municipal debts and a decreasing number of children, adding that more than 60 had been given to religious associations in recent months. ¦ —The Church of England Newspaper, ENI and AM
Mexican Presbyterians Shun U.S. Church
The National Presbyterian Church of Mexico has voted 116 to 22 in favour of ending its 139 – year relationship with the Presbyterian Church (USA), in response to the U.S. church’s decision earlier this year to allow the ordination of sexually active gays and lesbians.
Before the vote in August, there was talk of dissatisfaction with the U.S. church’s decision to remove from the denomination’s Book of Order a requirement that those being ordained practice fidelity if they are married, or chastity if they are single.
Presbyteries and sessions now will examine candidates for ordination or installation with the standard being that a candidate’s “manner of life should be a demonstration of the Christian gospel in the church and in the world.”
The Mexican delegates also voted not to re – establish any relationship with the U.S. church unless the change is rescinded, the news release said.
The Mexican church also considered the ordination of women to the priesthood. The special assembly, held from Aug. 17 to 19, was called specifically to discuss the issue and voted 158 to 14 to sustain its policy of not ordaining women. Any presbytery that has already ordained women must immediately revoke those ordinations. ¦ —ENI
Japan Quake Anniversary
A memorial marking a different tragedy was held in Japan on September 11. People of faith marked the six – month anniversary of Japan’s March 11 earthquake and tsunami with prayer services, bell ringing and chants, many at 2:46 p.m., the time when the magnitude 9.0 earthquake struck.
About 20,000 people are dead or missing, with an estimated 400,000 people displaced, according to the Japanese Red Cross.
In devastated northeastern Japan, monks held a Buddhist memorial service, prayed and burned incense at a temporary shrine, and Baptist worshippers stood on a wooden platform near a simple wooden cross and joined hands at the site of their former building, swept away in the disaster.
In Tokyo, the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Japan and the National Christian Council in Japan held a joint worship service “to keep in mind the March 11 disaster, remember the dead, and seek comfort for the survivors and the restoration of the affected areas,” according to organizers.
Priests, pastors and bishops from Roman Catholic, Anglican and Protestant churches led prayers and hymns together as approximately 180 people joined the service.
“Our Lord has resurrected from the dead and shown us a light of hope in despair for the salvation of all people,” said Rev. Isamu Koshiishi, moderator of the council, who led the service with Tokyo Archbishop Takeo Okada, conference vice president. ¦ —ENI
