30.7.24
The Hungarian Reformed Church has announced that it is withdrawing its delegates for the 9th General Assembly of the Communion of Protestant Churches in Europe, taking place from 27 August to 2 September 2024 in Sibiu (Nagyszeben), Romania. In 2009, seven Reformed churches in the countries Hungary, Romania, Slovakia, Serbia, Croatia and Ukraine re-established the Hungarian Reformed Church, which had lost its historical unity as a result of the peace treaties in the 20th century.
The reason for this decision is that the agenda of the next General Assembly includes a report on the study process ‘Gender – Sexuality – Marriage – Family’ initiated by the last General Assembly in 2018. The two church districts of the Reformed Church in Romania on the grounds of substantial theological concerns regarding the document, asked for this item to be removed from the agenda of the General Assembly, and withdrew from their role as hosts when this did not happen. In the run-up to the decision, CPCE General Secretary Mario Fischer travelled to Cluj-Napoca (Kolozsvár) and spoke with the church leaders.
The Hungarian Reformed Church states clearly that the withdrawal from the Assembly does not jeopardise the church communion as such or further cooperation in it.
To the text of the letter from the Hungarian Reformed Church:
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Die Ungarische Reformierte Kirche teilte mit, dass sie ihre Delegierten für die 9. Vollversammlung der Gemeinschaft Evangelischer Kirchen in Europa zurückzieht, die vom 27. August bis 2. September 2024 in Hermannstadt/Sibiu in Rumänien stattfindet. Zur Ungarischen Reformierten Kirche schlossen sich im Jahr 2009 sieben reformierte Kirchen in den Ländern Ungarn, Rumänien, der Slowakei, Serbien, Kroatien und der Ukraine wieder zusammen, die ihre historische Einheit durch die Friedensverträge im 20. Jahrhundert verloren hatten.
Anlass für diese Entscheidung ist, dass auf der Tagesordnung der nächsten Vollversammlung der Bericht über den von der letzten Vollversammlung im Jahr 2018 initiierten Studienprozess „Gender – Sexuality – Marriage – Family“ steht. Die beiden Kirchenbezirke der Reformierten Kirche in Rumänien baten aufgrund erheblicher theologischer Bedenken gegen das Dokument, diesen Punkt von der Tagesordnung der Vollversammlung zu nehmen und zogen sich aus ihrer Gastgeberrolle zurück, als dies nicht geschah. Im Vorfeld der Entscheidung reiste der GEKE-Generalsekretär Mario Fischer nach Klausenburg/Cluj-Napoca, und sprach mit den Kirchenleitungen.
Die Ungarische Reformierte Kirche stellt klar, dass durch den Rückzug von der Vollversammlung die Kirchengemeinschaft als solche und die weitere Mitarbeit in ihr nicht in Frage gestellt wird.
Zum Wortlaut des Briefes der Ungarischen Reformierten Kirche:
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Recommendation of the Presidium of the General Convent of the Hungarian Reformed Church to Withdrawal the Delegation to the 9th General Assembly of the Communion of Protestant Churches in Europe
The Presidium of the General Convent of the Hungarian Reformed Church (HRC), at its meeting on 17 July 2024, discussed the issue related to the participation of its member churches in the 9th General Assembly of the Communion of Protestant Churches in Europe (CPCE).
The Presidium of the General Convent of the HRC unanimously recommended that the delegates of the part (i.e. member) churches of the HRC should not participate in the forthcoming General Assembly of the CPCE, to be held in Sibiu (Nagyszeben) from 27 August to 2 September 2024, nor in its accompanying events.
The study text on Gender – Sexuality – Marriage – Family is part of the agenda of the General Assembly, finalised in May. Several requests have been made to the leadership of CPCE by the co-hosting Transylvanian Reformed Church District and the Királyhágómellék Reformed Church District Transylvanian Reformed Church District and the Királyhágómellék Reformed Church District to discuss this paper at another General Assembly, rather than in Sibiu (Nagyszeben).
All churches recognized by the Romanian state share the biblical, confessional position of the Hungarian-speaking Reformed churches. We note with regret that this request has not been granted.
Since 2004, the General Convent has been working in fraternal love and joint commitment in Christ on the unity of the relevant church bodies in the Carpathian Basin, in supporting each other and in nurturing solidarity with each other. For this reason, we have discussed the issue of participation in the General Assembly at length and on several occasions. In conclusion, the leadership of the Transylvanian Reformed Church District and Királyhágómellék Reformed Church District, also members of the Presidium General Convent, regret that the CPCE leadership did not understand their request as co-hosting church districts. Therefore, as adopted in the resolutions of their respective Assemblies, they will not be able to participate in the General Assembly. To express our solidarity with them, we ask the Hungarian Reformed delegates from our churches in the Carpathian Basin not to participate in this event.
The Leuenberg Fellowship and cooperation is important for the member churches of the Hungarian Reformed Church, and our ecumenical commitment has not changed.
Our absence concerns the 9th CPCE General Assembly only, and we remain committed to participating constructively in the cooperation and the working groups of CPCE. Thus, the Transylvanian Reformed Church District will make the necessary infrastructure available to CPCE on the basis of prior arrangements.
Presidium of the General Convent
Budapest, 17 July 2024.
The Presidium of the General Convent consists of the leadership [bishops and lay presidents] of the Hungarian-speaking Reformed churches/church districts in Croatia, Hungary, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia, and Ukraine.