ELCA Presiding Bishop Visits Hungary in LWF President Role

BUDAPEST, Hungary (ELCA) -- In his first official visit to a
European church since he became president of the Lutheran World
Federation (LWF), the Rev. Mark S. Hanson paid tribute to the
Evangelical Lutheran Church in Hungary (ELCH), pointing out the
contributions of the LWF Assembly held here in 1984.
Hanson, who is presiding bishop of the Evangelical Lutheran
Church in America (ELCA), is visiting with church and government
leaders here before traveling to Romania next week. His wife,
Ione, is accompanying him. In his role as LWF president, Hanson
periodically visits LWF churches.
The LWF is a global communion of 140 Lutheran churches in 78
countries representing 66 million Lutherans.
In opening remarks to church leaders, Hanson said he wanted
to visit Lutherans in Hungary and Romania because he wanted them
to know they belong to a global Lutheran organization.
Lutheranism in Hungary dates back to the beginnings of the
Protestant Reformation in the early 1600s, inspired by the
teachings of Martin Luther, a German monk and church reformer.
"It's a fact that most Hungarians became Lutherans in the
first decade of the Reformation," said the Rev. János Ittzés,
presiding bishop of the ELCH, in comments at Hanson's initial
meeting with church leaders Oct. 26. Later, many became
"Calvinists," he said. Today there are about 300,000 Lutherans
in 300 congregations in Hungary, he said.
Throughout its history the Hungarian church has been deeply
affected by the political situations. Losses in membership
occurred following World War I and during the Communist
occupation that followed World War II through 1989, when the Cold
War ended, Ittzés said.
This week marked the 50th anniversary of the unsuccessful
uprising against Communist rule. The commemoration was marred by protests, fueled by unhappiness with the current prime minister.
"God has kept his church even in the hardest time," Ittzés said.
Hanson also learned about the church's only seminary, the
Lutheran Theological University. The seminary, which has 200
students, will mark its 450th anniversary in 2007, said the Rev.
András Korányi, assistant lecturer.
Hanson noted that the 1984 assembly here was "a very
significant assembly" in the life of the LWF. That assembly
adopted "altar and pulpit fellowship" with all churches that
upheld the Augsburg Confession, said apartheid in South Africa
was heresy and suspended churches that upheld such policies, and
lifted the roles of women and youth in the LWF.
"We want to continue to work for the full inclusion of women
and youth in the LWF," Hanson said.
In a question-and-answer session Hanson said he enjoys
meeting young Lutherans when he travels because he says they are
interested in the "structures of the church."
"They have a desire to experience the presence of God in
their lives, and they want to be part of a church that is making
a difference in the world," he said.
The LWF president told the ELCH staff there are four
challenges today for the LWF and its member churches: reaching
out to people of other faiths and determining how it will
interact with Jews and Muslims especially; confronting HIV and
AIDS; understanding the Word of God and the authority of
Scripture; and meeting its financial needs to remain a viable and
interdependent organization.
During the meeting the Hansons were shown the original
handwritten Last Will and Testament of Luther, a document that
was written in the 1540s. It was presented as a gift to the
Lutheran Church here in the 19th century and has remained in the
church's possession since.
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Information about the LWF and the ELCH is at
http://www.lutheranworld.org on the Web.

For information contact:
John Brooks, Director (773) 380-2958 or news@ELCA.org
http://www.ELCA.org/news
ELCA News Blog: http://www.ELCA.org/news/blog