HIS-Press-Service, 1980 (5. évfolyam, 16-18. szám)
1980-02-01 / 16. szám
HIS Press Service No.16, February 1980. Page 2 scientific plan for society and which it fully endorses - namely Marxism, although this does not exclude the fact that even within the Hungarian Communist Party itself different ideas exist as to the way Church politics should be carried out. Taking this situation into consideration, the extent and manner in which the Church can, or should, contribute to the development of socialistic society was laid down. In his stand on the Church, Hungary's Secretary of State Miklós states that "directly after the Second World War (the Churches)- in their structures, their ideologies, (and) their social ties - were still representatives of an earlier social order; (they still functioned) as one of the pillars of feudalistic, capitalistic society." In socialistic society, Miklós stressed, the Church has a different function than under capitalism. The Church of the present, he went on to say, "is completely different from the Church which was an integral part of the societies of the past and functioned as a protector of their privileges." "We demand from the Church a positive contribution in the development of socialism!" Generally speaking, * " ' 1 ' ■ ■ ■■■»-. — --this "constructive effort" of the Church can take place on two levels: It is above all expected that cooperation, or participation, of the Church take place "in various areas of public life, in various institutions, in State and societal organizations ..., in Parliament, in county and communal councils, in the National Patriotic Front and the National Peace Council." "The Church can also carry out a positive role within socialistic society, such as in the defense of freedom, in the promotion and encouragement of socialistic national unity - for which the development of an atmosphere of trust is especially important - in defending societal and personal property, in spreading the ideas of humanism, in concern for the people, in encouraging the carrying out of ones V .. --------— ----—---------»---duties to the fullest possible degree, in the fight against crime, in the promotion of the modern national inheritance and cultural values (e.g., in matters concerning the protection of art treasures, the care of sacred scholarly collections, (and) historical studies)." Personal religious faith too can play a role "in the private life of individuals, in interpersonal relationships, in the protection of moral values, and in the evaluation of other norms." It is also as a result of this cooperation that, in the development of socialism, "national unity has been brought about and secured, and its content and dimensions enriched and expanded." "We are satisfied with the results (produced) up to now in the development of the relations of Hungary's Churches with the socialistic State. It is with this in mind that in its meeting on 28 March 1979 the Central Committee of the Hungarian Socialistic Workers Party stated that 'one of the important factors (contributing to) our harmonious internal political situation is the ordered relationship (existing) between the State and the Churches.
