Budapest Report on Chris Ian Persecution 2018
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
“ e Budapest Report, presenting the situation of persecuted Christian communities in the world is published in 2018 for the second time. e Hungarian Government initiated the publication of a summary report in 2017 with the aim of familiarizing the Hungarian general and scienti c community with the traditions, life and prospects of speci c Christian communities in a credible manner every year. e report was also published in English last year making it accessible for the international community as well. […] e publication does not simply provide comprehensive information on persecuted Christians, but it also aims at promoting solidarity and assistance to persecuted communities.” Budapest Report on Cardinal Péter Erdő the Primate of Hungary, Archbishop of Esztergom–Budapest Chris ian Persecution “ e foundations of our program are common sense and social 2018 solidarity […] In the near future, our intent is to make more people realize: the transformation of the faulty Western aspect and the stability of the crisis regions may bring about change in the protection of the persecuted Christians and all communities living in the a ected countries. Our cause, in which we can also count on the help of the Visegrád countries, is a noble one. […] I wish that reports on persecuted Christians would become redundant as soon as possible, in which respect we have a lot to do together. I trust that this book will make benevolent people act, so that the peace we have promised may come true.” Zsolt Semjén 2018 ON CHRISTIAN PERSECUTION REPORT BUDAPEST Deputy Prime Minister Edited by H UNGA R Y HE LPS JÓZSEF KALÓ LÓRÁND UJHÁZI Budapest Report on Christian Persecution 2018 Budapest Report on Christian Persecution 2018 Edited by József Kaló and Lóránd Ujházi Dialóg Campus Budapest Sponsor Prime Minister’s Office Translated by Tamás Kőszegfalvi Text checked by Ambrus Mózes Authors Tristan Azbej József Kaló Zsolt Semjén Gábor Bálint Klára Keveházi Dániel Solymári Boglárka Barna István Mihály Király Petronella Soós Eszter Lajos Békefy András Koltay András Szenczi Gábor Csizmazia András Kóré Csaba Török Péter Erdő Viktor Marsai Bálint Péter Tóth János Frivaldszky Ferenc Petruska Lóránd Ujházi Béla Jungbert Alex Pongrácz Richárd Zagyva István Resperger The ideas and opinions contained in the present book do not necessarily represent the position of the Hungarian Government. The responsibility for the informations of this volume belongs exclusively to the authors and editors. © Dialóg Campus, 2018 © The Editors, 2018 © The Authors, 2018 All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical reviews and certain other noncommercial uses permitted by copyright law. Contents Foreword ............................................................................................................................................................................................................ 7 Welcoming Thoughts ................................................................................................................................................................................... 9 I. General Security Policy – Reflections Concerning the Security of Christians István Resperger: The Basis of Anti-Christian Activities of the Islamic State Terrorist Organization ......................... 13 Azbej Tristan – András Kóré – Péter Bálint Tóth: Actions Taken by the Hungarian State in the Protection of Persecuted Christian Communities ............................................................................................................................... 25 József Kaló: Violent Acts against Christians in 2018 ........................................................................................................... 33 Lajos Békefy: Current Christian Persecution – Theoretical and Practical Protestant Answers ................................... 47 II. The Situation of Christian Communities in Specific Areas and Regions András Kóré: The Security Situations of Christians in Iraq and Syria in 2018 ............................................................... 63 Boglárka Barna: The Security Situation of Egyptian Christians in 2018 ......................................................................... 77 Mihály István Király: The Security Situation of Christians in the Holy Land ................................................................. 87 Viktor Marsai: Christian Persecution on the African Continent ....................................................................................... 99 András Szenczi: The Situation of Religious Minorities in Morocco ............................................................................... 107 Petronella Eszter Soós: The Situation of Christianity in France: A Situational Picture and Debates .......................... 119 Gábor Csizmazia: The Foreign Policy of the United States and Religious Freedom: Priority and a Political Issue? ..................................................................................................................................................... 129 5 Budapest Report on Christian Persecution 2018 III. Legal Aspects of the Christian Situation János Frivaldszky: The Evaluation of the Mass Migration of Muslims into Europe: A Comparative Study on the Catholic Italian and the British Neo-conservative Theoretical Positions ........... 149 Ferenc Petruska: The Framework of Religious Freedom in the East and in the West .................................................... 169 Alex Pongrácz: Failed States and the Persecution of Christian Minorities: Diagnosis and Therapy ......................... 177 András Koltay: Blasphemy and Religious Abuse in the Hungarian Legal System ...................................................... 185 IV. Religion, Religious Communities in the Light of Peace and Conflicts Csaba Török: Interreligious Dialogue and Social Peace ................................................................................................... 199 Lóránd Ujházi: The Crisis Management of the Apostolic Holy See, or the Achievements of “Soft Power” in Defence of Christian Communities ........................................................................................................................ 207 V. The Role of Charities, Religious and Knightly Orders in Assisting Christian Minorities Richárd Zagyva: The Possibilities and Actions of the Catholic Caritas in 2018 in Promoting Support for Christian Communities ........................................................................................................................................... 219 Klára Keveházi: The Iraqi Assistance of the Ecumenical Charity Service, with Special Attention to Its Activities for Iraqi Christians ............................................................................................................................. 231 Dániel Solymári: Global Solidarity: Humanitarian Aid and International Development Programs of the Hungarian Charity Service of the Order of Malta in the Middle East and Sub-Saharan Africa .......... 249 Béla Jungbert: The Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem for the Resilience of Christians in Their Homeland ................................................................................................................................ 269 6 Foreword The Budapest Report, presenting the situation of persecuted Christian communities in the world is published in 2018 for the second time. The Hungarian Government initiated the publication of a summary report in 2017 with the aim of familiarizing the Hungarian general and scientific community with the traditions, life and prospects of specific Christian communities in a credible manner every year. The report was also published in English last year making it accessible for the international community as well. Several international research institutes also deal with the evaluation of the current situation of Christian communities. The Hungarian Catholic Bishops Conference regularly sends round the hat to assist persecuted Christians in the Middle East, the donations, with funds from the Hungarian Government were used to build a school in Erbil, Iraq, which is attended by Christian, Yazidi and Muslim children alike. It is an unprecedented act that assistance to persecuted Christian communities is also an aim of the Government besides the obvious engagement of the Church in Hungary. The studies in this publication present the situation of Christian communities in 2018 from several perspectives. The general security policy studies help us understand the situation in the regions involved, especially in the Middle East and the African continent. Thus a comprehensive picture is generated about the life of Christian communities, which are threatened by economic and political crises, natural disasters, the climate-crisis, as well as by interreligious conflicts like in this particular case. 7 Budapest Report on Christian Persecution 2018 Finally, the publication discusses the efforts of specific Hungarian and international (charity) organizations, which are focused on the ministerial humanitarian support to persecuted Christians. This is the part of the publication where the activities of the Holy See and the Pope of Rome are also discussed. Pope Francis,