HIS-Press-Service, 1980 (5. évfolyam, 16-18. szám)
1980-02-01 / 16. szám
HIS Press Service No.16, February 1980 Page 3 Our experiences have shown that the majority of the bishops and clergy are interested in maintaining the normal (state of) relationships achieved up to now.1" The second role to be played by the Hungarian Churches, according to Secretary of State Miklós, is the maintenance of international relationships: "In the past years, representatives of the Churches in Hungary have established international relations and taken active part in international undertakings___ Bilateral relations led to mutual meetings with the representatives of the Churches of other countries. The number of Church leaders who in recent years either came to Hungary, or left Hungary (to visit some other country) goes well into the hundreds. Important work is being carried on by representatives of the Hungarian Churches in the secular and Church-sponsored peace movements (World Council of Churches, Christian Peace Conference, Berlin Conference of Catholic Christians, etc.)." "The Churches consider the reduction of international tensions and efforts to avert the dangers of war to be one of their special duties. In the international Church organizations, Hungarian Church leaders were among the first - even during the era of the Cold War - to call for mutual understanding among the peoples of the earth and point out the possibility and necessity for cooperation between Church and State. Their theological and scholarly efforts too contain sharp criticism of imperialistic aspirations, and support for socialism and humanism. Both the Protestant and Catholic Churches of Hungary have assumed an important role in the founding of the international Christian peace movement. The significance of Church activities in socialistic countries is gaining in importance since interest has begun focusing on the peoples of the Third World, and these people have themselves begun taking an active part in international politics. In those countries in which remnants of colonialism still exist, Church efforts which - freed of all ties with imperialism and capitalism - have opened up new possibilities for social progress and Christian relations constitute a new point of orientation. "One of the important goals of the Hungarian Churches in their international activity is to play their part in promoting, in accordance with the principles and praxis of peaceful coexistence and political cooperation, a cooperation of progressive forces on an international scale and to support efforts at creating a united front against the forces of imperialism. "Sincethe Helsinki Agreement ..., the international activity of the Hungarian Churches has generally concerned itself with the correct interpretation and actual observance of the Helsinki Agreement in all the signatory countries."
