Hungarian Parliament Recognizes 18 More Faith Groups

Under Hungary's new Law on Churches passed last month, all churches other than those of 14 traditional faiths, must apply to Parliament if they want formal recognition. (See prior posting.) According to BosNewsLife, Hungary's Parliament on Monday formally recognized an additional 18 faith groups-- the United Methodist Church in Hungary; the Hungarian Pentecostal Church; St. Margaret’s Anglican Episcopal Church; the Transylvanian Congregation; the Seventh-day Adventist Church; the Coptic Orthodox Church of Hungary; the Apostolic Christian Church Nazarene; the Hungarian Society for Krishna Consciousness; the Free Church of the Salvation Army of Hungary; the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints; Jehovah’s Witnesses; two Muslim denominations and five Buddhist religious communities. Formal recognition qualifies the church for tax-free status and government support, and allows a church to collect donations during services and perform pastoral work in jails and hospitals.