The contract ensures the freedom of the Baptist Church of Hungary and the financing of its public duties.
The government concluded a comprehensive agreement with the Baptist Church of Hungary, the document was signed by Zsolt Semjén, the Deputy Prime Minister responsible for national policy, church affairs and nationalities, and János Papp, the president of the Baptist Church of Hungary, on Monday in Budapest.
At the event, Zsolt Semjén recalled that the cabinet made an agreement with the Baptists for the first time in 1998, which worked and "stood the test of time". The renewal of the contract was simply made necessary by the change in the legal environment, he added.
He said that the government is entering into a series of comprehensive contracts with the historic churches, which is how they have now reached the Baptist Church, which is a historic Protestant church. These documents are all renewals of previous contracts, and their signature is necessary because the state institutional system has been transformed, he said.
The Deputy Prime Minister thanked the Baptists for taking on public duties in almost all areas of life, such as prison pastoral care. The contract ensures the freedom of the Baptist Church of Hungary and the financing of its public duties, he declared.
Zsolt Semjén highlighted three activities of the Hungarian Baptist Church. On the one hand, it always places great emphasis on families, which is in line with the government's policy. On the other hand, it assumes an increasingly important role in catching up with the Roma population. Finally, it also performs tasks in the service of all Hungarians, which is recognized by the state.
The Deputy Prime Minister declared: they will never forget that Hungary received the Holy Crown back through the intercession of the Baptists.
János Papp said that their three hundred congregations, their hundreds of pastors, the many tens of thousands of people who work in their social and public education institutions and receive help and care look at Monday's event with respect.
According to his words, time has passed on the 1998 agreement, as the laws have changed and the social service of their church has expanded significantly. He believed that the new contract regulates their activities carefully, in detail on important issues, and in a reassuring way for a long time.
The church president stated that 500 years ago, when the movement of their predecessors, the Anabaptists, started in the Carpathian Basin during the Reformation period, such cooperation would have been unthinkable. But 175 years of similar dialogue could not have been realized either, when their Baptist predecessors restarted the Baptist service that had died out as a result of the persecutions, he added.
He emphasized that the comprehensive agreement is important to them, because they want to ensure that their social, public education, and health activities in the interest of society can be planned, transparent, and serve to the satisfaction of all stakeholders.
János Papp said that they are grateful for the current special moment, but their task is to also look to the future, because they see the tasks facing the nation, the ever-increasing challenges.
Elijah M. Brown, General Secretary of the Baptist World Federation, spoke of their appreciation for this special occasion.
Baptistism can be found in almost all countries of the world, he said.
He called freedom of religion important, indicating that schools and hospitals are run in all states where they can work freely. The most democratic societies can be formed where religious freedom prevails, Elijah M. Brown believed.
MTI
Photo: MTI/Tibor Illyés
