Hungarian Church Press, 1951 (3. évfolyam, 10. szám)

1951-06-01 / 10. szám

-5-THE STATEMENT OP BISHOP ALBERT BERE.CZKY ABOUT THE

ESTABLISHMENT OP THE STATE OFFICE OP CHURCH AFFAIRS

It became, known through reports of the world and church press, that the Hungarian Parliament /House of Representatives/, passed the hill of the State Office of Church Affairs, on May 18th, The ist article of the new law defines the aim of the State Office,as follows: "The State Office of Church Affairs has to he established to deal with affairs of State and Church relationship. It carries into effect the agreements concluded with the churches and cares of the state subsidies granted to the churches",

A later article of the law declares also: "To cover the personal and material expenses in connection with the establishment and work of the State Office of Church Affairs, a separate item must he entered in the yearly hud et of the treasury".

Henceforth with the passing of the new law, religious affairs, dealt with so far by the former Ministry of Religious Affairs and Public Instruction, are to be dealt with be the new State Office,

The rules of carrying out the law define the work of the State Office of Church Affairs, in detail. Thee® rules state: 1,/ "The State Office has to deal frith all matters, connected'with the assurance of religious and conscientious liberty and the indisturbed course of all religious functions", 2./ "A President at the head of the State Offiée is appointed by the Presidium of the People's Republic, by the recommendation of the Council of Ministers",

This appointment has already been made, in the person of István/Stephen/ Kossá, former finance Minister, and Member of parliament,

The leaders of the Hungarian Protestant Churches visited the President in his office, and gave him information concerning the spiritual and material problems of the Hungarian Protestant Churches, Mr, Kossá assured the leaders that the State is going to deal with all church affairs with fthe greatest goodwill, justly and objectively.

In connection with the establishment of the new State Office, Bishop Albert Bereczky, president of the General Conventus of the Reformed Church, gave us the following statement:

"The Protestant Churches heard of the passing of the law to establish a State Office of Church Affairs, with sincere reassurance; We regard it as a most sound principle that affairs of State-Church connections should he dealt with by a separate and independent State Office, As it is well-known to everybody, first the Reformed and the Lutheran Churches, and last year the Roman Gatholio Church concluded agreements with the Hungarian Government, laying down the foundations of a peaceful and harmonious cooperation. These agreements assure the churches the granting of regular state subsidies, for 20 years to come, beginning with 1948, Thus a long period of transition was given to the Churches, during which they can assure the possibility of becoming self-supporting. This financial aspect of the agreement in itself clearly shows the understanding and helpfulness of the government of the Hungarian P ople’s Democracy towards the work of the churches.

Hungarian Church Press