SA Childrens Meeting in Budapest
The move is reminiscent of what we experienced in Russia in the early 1990s when we re-opened the SA work there.
In Russia the 1990 constitution created a secular state and laws concerning religious freedom which permitted missionaries of all religions to operate in the country with few restrictions. In 1993, however, an Amendment was proposed to limit the activities of missionaries and to re-establish the Orthodox Church. The Duma passed the Amendment, but President Yeltsin vetoed it. Desperate for financial help, he accepted the arguments of Western Europeans and Americans in support of a secular state. The issue remained a political ball and was expected to be raised again in the next elected Duma, and perhaps the next president will conclude that political expediency dictates a different outcome.
Similarly, constitutional provisions passed in Hungary in 1989 and in Romania in 1991 contain international human rights standards concerning freedom of religion or belief. In Hungary attempts to legislate restrictions on foreign missionaries in order to protect the historic religious traditions have not so far been successful.
TSA had registered legally and been officially recognized in Leningrad (St. Petersburg) Russia albeit, not without the process being mired in red tape. The registration effort, overseen by more than a dozen expert consultants (SA, Orthodox Church opponents, City Council and IHQ) was further frustrated by ever revolving doors pushing out and bringing in new politicos and with it, the tweaking of the registration restrictions. Finally, following months of wrangling and “compromising” the integrity of the legal requirement TSA was granted the status of a humanitarian/social service organization. Registration as a religious organization followed many months later.
In Moscow, a year subsequent to the Leningrad registration, I decided, with the strong support of many senior members of the Moscow City Duma and the Kremlin, to move forward and register TSA as a religious organization operating in Moscow. We received invaluable input and practical support from the Baptist church authorities. Our own SA officer legal counsel was less than helpful.
It was only a short time later that a new law was enacted adding both city and nationwide requirements, guided by the Orthodox Church, whose open and aggressive opposition to the ever increase in missionary groups was well known and officially registered. What followed for TSA and others was a renewed application process that included the filing of a lawsuit by TSA in the European courts. I was involved, unofficially, by maintaining contact with high level Russian Government officials, at their initiative offering assistance, with whom I’d had regular contact while stationed in Moscow, including Madame Ella Pomfilova (MINISTER OF SOCIAL PROTECTION) President Boris Yeltsin (retired). My efforts were made privately and without the knowledge of TSA Russia- some at IHQ were made aware.
Religious Freedom in Central and Eastern Europe
New governments in states formerly under Communist control have in many cases incorporated into their constitutions international human rights law concerning freedom of religion or belief. In several instances, however, this opening of societies to preaching in the various religions traditions of our modern world has angered those who hope to recover and reassert the cultural and religious heritage which was devastated by Communist rule.
Nationalist restrictions, which violate the human right to freedom of religious expression, deserve condemnation. But, in some cases, missionaries as well as nationalists are undermining religious freedom in Central and Eastern Europe today. Both assert their rights in absolute terms. Missionaries assert their individual right to promote their religion without any government interference. They demand strict equality in government policy. Nationalists assert the right of the state to protect the general welfare of the people. They demand policies that give preference to their historic religious tradition or traditions and which restrict the activities of foreign missionaries and minority religious communities. (Robert Traer)
Dr. Sven Ljungholm
Former SA officer (Russia, Ukraine, Moldova)
Liverpool
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