The legal context of religious activities in Hungary between 1945 and 1989/90

Abstract

In this chapter, I present the legal framework of religious activities during socialism in Hungary. Firstly, I briefly outline the administrative and political conditions of state regulation of churches including communist-era church policy and the system of official institutions engaged in anticlerical activities. I then focus on the situation of four categories of religious groups pursued by the regime, as follows: a) resisting groups within state-approved churches (minority groups in so-called majority churches, who were pursued both by the state and by the leaders of their own church), b) unapproved religious communities (illegal churches, so-called “sects”), c) religious communities that became state-approved churches during socialism, d) semi-legal religious groups, which enjoyed some freedom of action and publicity following the continuous changes to church policy in the 1980s. In conclusion, I point to the remission of pursuit of religious groups in the 1980s including the new law for freedom of religion and conscience (Act. IV. 1990.), the closure of the State Office of Church Affairs (Állami Egyházügyi Hivatal – ÁEH) in 1989 and the decreasing activity of the political police (state security) towards religious groups, resulting in the disappearance of “illegal religious activity.”