Bishop István Szabó
Hungarian Reformed Church
Budapest
By E-mail
Heppenheim, November 19, 2013.
Dear Bishop Szabó,
We are writing to you on behalf of the Executive Board of the International Council of Christians and Jews. We have heard with great dismay the news about the unveiling of a statue of Governor Miklós Horthy, at the Budapest-Szabadság Square Reformed Congregation. The unveiling ceremony is just the next step of many, in an increasing tide of xenophobia and antisemitism in Hungary. The ceremony is also proof of the sad fact that, by no means, have all Christian communities assimilated the theological insights that form the basis of the good relations between Christians and Jews as practiced in our organization. Deplorable events like this attract attention far beyond Hungary and affect the people of Hungary and the Reformed Church of Hungary in a very negative way. The board of the ICCJ was alerted to this incident by Mr. Larry Pfeffer, originally Hungarian, now living in Israel. We add his letter to MP Orban to this letter addressed to you.
At the same time, the International Council of Christians and Jews is pleased to learn that you have called for a swift and thorough investigation into the background of this event. We will circulate your statement of November 4 among our member organizations world wide. Apart from bringing to your attention our dismay, the ICCJ Executive Board therefore also wants to express its support to you and the whole Hungarian Reformed Church with regard to all efforts being made to eradicate all forms of xenophobia and antisemistism. The ICCJ offers to you, the Reformed Church and our Hungarian member organizations, its cooperation whenever appropriate in freeing the Christian community of the sin of antisemitism.
Sincerely,
Dr Deborah Weismann, ICCJ President
Rev Dick Pruiksma, ICCJ General Secretary
CC
Hungarian ICCJ members: Kereszteny-Zsido Tarsasag
Magyarországi Keresztyének és Zsidók Tanácsa
Bishop Szabo’s statement can be found at : http://reformatus.hu/mutat/8861/