Christianity, especially the Calvinist variety, is booming in Hungary — in stark contrast to western European and North American societies that are destroying their own churches. That’s President Katalin Novák’s most recent speech in a nutshell. Regrettably, but not surprisingly, what she had to say isn’t true. The Fidesz politician, currently fulfilling a ceremonial role that on paper ought to […]
The Hungarian Evangelical Fellowship, a Methodist community led by Reverend Gábor Iványi, was one of two faith groups to receive positive news this week. The other community is a Buddhist organization called Dzsaj Bhím (Jai Bhim), which ministers to the Roma minority and operates a school. After having been stripped of both their status as a church and of their right […]
“If everyone were holy and handsome, with ‘alter Christus’ shining in neon lighting from them, it would be easy to see Christ in everyone. If Mary had appeared in Bethlehem clothed, as St. John says, with the sun, a crown of twelve stars on her head, and the moon under her feet, then people would have fought to make room […]
After sixteen years of pastoral service, Reverend Attila György has left his position at the helm of the Hungarian United Church of Montreal at 50 Graham Boulevard, in the Town of Mount Royal. The community bid farewell to its outgoing minister during a celebration known in Hungarian as Új Kenyér (or New Bread), which is tied to the harvest and […]
On the road that escapes Jerusalem and winds along the ridge to Emmaus, two disillusioned youths drag home their crucified dream. They had smelled messiah in the air and rose to the scarred and ancient hope only to mourn what might have been. And now a sudden stranger falls upon their loss with excited words about mustard seeds and surprises […]
I was surprised to learn that after 15 years of service Rev. Gábor Magyari-Köpe has left the Free Magyar Reformed Church of San Francisco and Vicinity. I don’t know the reason for his departure but want to wish him good luck. Magyari-Köpe grew up in an ethnic Hungarian family in Brasov (Brassó in Hungarian), Romania. According to his bio, he […]
It is rarely mentioned in Hungary that many Christians perished in labor and concentration camps during the Hungarian Holocaust. One Christian group, the Jehovah’s Witnesses, was viciously victimized. Jehovah’s Witnesses refuse to join armies, participate in political life or take a national oath. The origin of their faith goes back to the Bible Student movement of the 1870s founded by […]
Andrew Brunson, a 50-year old American pastor who lived in Turkey since the mid-1990s was jailed by local authorities for his alleged participation in a coup against Turkish strongman Tayyip Erdogan. Brunson and his wife, Norine were arrested in October 2016 along with other Americans. Norine was released after two weeks but her husband was held for two years, facing […]
On July 27 Deputy State Secretary Tristan Azbej tweeted his smiling photo with Jared Kushner. “Privilege to meet @jaredkushner, advisor (& son-in-law) to @realDonaldTrump and to receive acknowledgment for our program dedicated to aid the persecuted Christian communities. Mr. Kushner was supportive of the idea of joint US-Hungarian humanitarian action. #IRFMinisterial” Joint US-Hungarian humanitarian action? The White House has not […]
It’s certainly not the first time that Fidesz, Hungary’s ruling party, moves to criminalize homelessness. But this time the Orbán government is preparing to go further than ever before, by amending the country’s Fundamental Law, to make homelessness unconstitutional. The amendment would make it illegal for anyone to “habitually” reside in public spaces. Fidesz MP and Viktor Orbán’s former lawyer […]
