Reformed Presbyterian Church of Central and Eastern Europe

by Steven Robinson

Ten years ago the West was astounded by news coming out of central Eastern Europe. Communism was collapsing. Since that momentous time, Hungary has been in the forefront of change. It has set the pace for democratisation for the rest of Eastern Europe. The economic benefits are there for all to see: larger and faster can, building projects, imported foreign goods, and closer economic and political ties with former enemies. In March 1999, Hungary joined NATO and, along with other central European countries, is on course to integrate with the European Community by the year 2002.

Has democracy helped?

Meanwhile, what has happened to the progress of God's kingdom? Has democracy proved helpful to the church's expansion in Hungary? Is there evidence of increased interest in the things of God? There is no doubt that democracy has brought potential advantages to the church, since Communism discouraged evangelism and the public worship of God. Democracy has made these more accessible to everyone, and the reader's immediate reaction might be to rejoice. Does this not mean freedom for all those Christians who we once heard were suffering for the truth of the gospel in the underground church? Unfortunately, this would not be a true evaluation.

Today, the mainstream churches in Hungary are not standing for or propagating gospel truth, even though they now function under democracy. The evidence points to the fact that they did not do so under Communism either. Why then were professing Christians persecuted?

The answer is that people did not have to love the gospel to clash with Communism. For the average Hungarian, Communism curtailed freedoms and therefore caused disaffection. Also, Hungarians were very religious even before the Communist era, and religion was a natural umbrella under which to unite their opposition to a godless regime.
 
Persecuted

Thus, Roman Catholics and Protestants joined together against what they perceived to be the common enemy, Communism. Those who considered themselves to be Christians were not craving for the Word of God but for social freedoms. It seemed expedient in those days to forget true biblical distinctives in order to unite against a tyrannical government.

This united front involved a sufficiently large number of people for the government to consider it a threat. That is why churches were persecuted. Nevertheless, it must also be conceded that there were those who were severely persecuted because they really loved Christ. Some were killed. For their testimony we do praise God.
 
The condition of the church

What has been the condition of the church from 1989 until the present day? Before 1989 close friendships were forged between Roman Catholic and Protestant church leaders. Did these friendships terminate at the dawn of democracy? No. Unity for the sake of political advantage was esteemed above the teaching of God's holy Word, and such is still the case today.

The Reformed Church of Hungary considers Roman Catholics and Unitarians to be their brothers and sisters in Christ. Not only is the friendship of Protestants with Rome intact, but it has been greatly strengthened.

It is only to be expected that the attitudes of church leaders will be reflected in their congregations. Theological terms like ‘reformed’ and ‘Calvinist’ have lost their meaning or become pervaded with mystical or cultural baggage. Even where the church seems to be ‘evangelising’, it is seldom doing so in a biblical way. The truth is that much of the church needs to be re-evangelised.
 
Pockets of believers

To an outsider the overall picture looks very bleak. There is such a need to rediscover the true ‘faith once delivered to the saints’. This can only happen as God’s Spirit uses the Word of God in people's hearts.

Yet God uses means to fulfil his purposes. Prayer from a sincere heart is of paramount importance in this regard, and this is something all true believers should engage in for Hungary. Secondly, wherever the proclamation of the gospel is absent as it is in Hungary, the wider church has an opportunity to fulfil her biblical mandate of making disciples of all nations.

On the positive side, in various parts of Hungary, there are pockets of believers who take the Word of God seriously and meet regularly for worship. One such group is in the city of Miskolc.

This group is led by a God-fearing elder who teaches a number of the young people. Some of these young people have come to realise that their denomination has abandoned her biblical heritage. In Miskolc too, the Károlyi Gáspár Institute of Theology and Missions (KGITM) has been founded by the Westminster Biblical Missions of the USA. This has been functioning since 1994. Students come from countries like Hungary, Ukraine and Slovakia to be equipped for pastoral ministry.

Initially, the desire of the students at KGITM has usually been to reform their own denominations. However, many are now working to build a new Evangelical denomination. A number of graduates from the institute have been ordained and are holding Bible studies and worship services in their home areas, with that wider aim in view. This initiative appears to be the only established mission work in the whole Hungary based on reformed principles. KGITM faces much opposition from the long-established Hungarian ‘churches’. Here is a work worthy of support and prayer.
 
Scope for missions

‘There is much scope for missionaries to work in Hungary if they are totally committed to preaching and teaching the truth. Overseas missionaries are free to enter the country and teach God's Word. Various broadly Evangelical churches and missionary organisations from the West have been sending their workers since 1989.

Many established churches look upon them as sects teaching error. Ironically, there is some truth in this view, for many of these organisations have demonstrated Arminian, charismatic or liberal tendencies. Among foreign missionaries there appears to be very few who esteem highly the doctrines of grace.

Of course the cults, including Mormons, Jehovah's Witnesses, Bahai and Hare Krishna, have also been active in spreading their message, with a good deal of success. Yes, there is a tremendous need for solid spiritual food, and foreign missionaries can help in providing this preaching and teaching.
 
What price freedom?

A question frequently asked with regard to Central Europe is, ‘What price freedom?’ People are willing to pay a high, price for political freedom, yet reject the true freedom offered in the gospel of Jesus Christ. Greater riches are to be found in Christ than any economic or democratic ‘miracle’ can ever offer, for ‘In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches or his grace’ (Ephesians 1:7).

 
Evangelical Times,
August 1999