Hungary’s Government Supports Hope.21 Meeting

27, to help his country and Europe overcome the challenges of the post cold war era. After four decades of Communism "the spiritual renewal of Hungary has been a difficult task" admitted Nemeth as he opened Hope.21, a five day congress in Budapest with 1000 evangelical leaders from about 35 countries.

It seemed a reference to the spiritual problems in Hungary, which has been suffering under one of the highest suicide rates in the world. In over 20 workshops congress participants will look into ways how to proclaim the Gospel to 21st century Europeans, including Hungarians, at a time of rapid change and secularization.

SIDE LINE

Congress manager Jeff Fountain told BosNewsLife earlier that evangelicals had stayed too long at the side line.  "It is the first time that so many evangelicals have gathered to discuss the problems of today’s Europe," noted State Secretary Nemeth, as he spoke to the crowd in the Budapest Convention Centre.

He explained that Hungary, which wants to join the European Union in 2004, believes that "the European integration process is not merely driven by a strict economic or business interest." Therefore, he said, his Government "supported religious reconciliation" in the troubled Balkan region by organizing a conference of Catholic, Protestant, Orthodox and Muslim religious leaders from 9 countries.

YOUNG CHRISTIANS

In addition Hungary hosted about 60,000 young Christians who participated in the ecumenical Taize meeting late last year.  Nemeth stressed that Europe’s future "shall also be based on the culture of universal values, of freedom, human rights respect for family and solidarity."

"It is not an accident that these values are rooted in our Christian faith and in the Gospel itself. I share the motto of Hope.21: "Gospel and Church for every European," he added. Hungarian Prime Viktor Orban, who will soon leave office after suffering a defeat in last week’s parliamentary elections, has urged Christians to play a more prominent role in society.

WOMEN MEETING

His wife, Levay Aniko, reflected that message when she welcomed about 2,000 women from Catholic, Reformed, Lutheran, Methodist, Baptist, Pentecostal and other denominations who gathered in Budapest Saturday April 27, ahead of the official opening.

She urged the women, who came from several countries including Yugoslavia, to be a "naturing and loving influence" in the lives of people around them. Hungary’s First Lady Dalma Madl, wife of the Hungarian President, said in a letter that women must be the "keepers of moral values within their families" as well as their communities.

"Our prayer and desire for this conference is that we will show hope to Hungarian women and tell them that it is indeed possible to have a happy married life," said organizer Ildiko Kovacs about the gathering, which was supported by Hungary’s church leadership.

DIFFICULT TASK

However she and other Hope.21 officials seem to agree that reaching Europe with the Christian message is a difficult task. At the end of Saturday’s plenary session, the participants were asked to pray for a new Europe.

"I believe that God is still not finished with Europe," said Congress Manager Fountain. Hope.21 has been organized by the Hope for Europe initiative, which includes several Christian organizations.