Hungarian Conservative

‘Cultural Christianity is not enough. Nor is voting for pro-Christian conservatives. Without a return to the faith, the sad, sorry state of Britain at Eastertide today is going to be Hungary’s fate tomorrow. You can’t have the benefits of Christianity without making the sacrifices necessary—on Sunday and every day—to make the faith live in the hearts of the Hungarian people.’

Sixty years ago, began the most important event in the history of the Catholic Church in the twentieth century, the twenty-third ecumenical council…It will be the task of a generation to continue, in a rational and balanced way, to implement the teaching of Vatican II, which today is under a great deal of tension.

‘Today, we are faced with the fact that in our pluralistic societies, it seems to pose an insurmountable challenge to agree on a generally accepted moral standard, with values that provide common foundations.’

Discussing philosophy in general and whether it should be incorporated in education is an everyday topic. In this interview, Cornell University professor Barry Strauss delves into the issue, explaining why philosophy is essential in universities, and also shares his take on AI being used in the classroom.

The idea of the human person as created in the image and likeness of God is mirrored in the modern concept of human dignity, as well as in the unconditional respect for human life—values that are subject to grave violations in today’s world. Europe should rely on this anthropology, embracing and protecting the image of the created person, and supporting its dignity as well as its natural communities in the 21st century.

‘The values forged in Europe have deep Christian roots. And yet, how many cases could we enumerate where crucifixes have been removed to ‘avoid offending’ others? How many campaigns have we seen against Christmas? How many instances of public ridiculing of the images of Christ or the Virgin Mary? Complicit in this surrender of faith is the silent and anaesthetized majority that does not react, that does not defend its own. It seems as if they are ashamed to be Christians.’

Paradoxically, it seems that democracy can only sustain itself and protect itself from collapse, (tyranny and chaos) precisely by what is not democratic in it. It seems that it is always easier to justify democracy with a quasi-mystical hypothesis than with one that starts from the existing conditions of political realities. In democracy, we can clearly say that there is a huge gap between the ‘ideal’ and the ‘realistic’ and precisely because of this democracy definitely needs a ‘leap of faith.’ 

‘My whole life has always been guided by a sense of duty to my family. Now we might as well go home, but we wouldn’t be any happier there…Here we are part of our family and can help if needed. We live in a Hungarian community; we are happy here. If only we didn’t miss Hungary so much…’

St Stephen RC Magyar Church in Passaic, New Jersey was founded 120 years ago, and its mission has remained unchanged ever since: to help the Hungarian American community preserve its faith, culture and identity.

Protestantism has been inextricably intertwined with Hungarian national consciousness and thirst for freedom. The Hungarian Protestant Bible translators made the Scripture accessible to Hungarians in their mother tongue, and also contributed to the development and preservation of the language. Practising Protestantism was also in defiance of the Catholic Habsburgs and Austria: Protestants were willing to suffer martyrdom rather than renounce their faith, as the fate of the Hungarian Protestant galley slaves demonstrates.

‘I strongly believe that we have to shake people up to make them feel Hungarian…That is why the stakes are as high in Hungary as they are here in America.’

During a ceremony held in commemoration of the foundation of the state where high state awards were conferred, Chief of the Prime Minister’s Office Gergely Gulyás stated that as Hungary is celebrating the 1023rd birthday of its nationhood, the nation must take stock of its history. He also added that the anniversary of the foundation of the Hungarian state is an apt occasion to express gratitude to those who, with years of effort, have served their communities, big or small, through exceptional achievements.

Reverend Daniel French, who is a contributor to our website, has also appeared on the podcast hosted by Jamie Franklin, an Anglican vicar. Their main topic of conversation was the National Conservatism Conference in London, as well as Satanism in popular media.

This article will present the reader with a basic understanding of the tragic but triumphant life of Whittaker Chambers, the man whose dramatic, twelve-word encounter with God and subsequent heroic exploits became the inspiration for a new generation of conservatives, like Ronald Reagan.