Faith Based Organizations in Hungary

Abstract

This chapter looks at Hungary, a postcommunist country with a religiously mixed society. The authors argue that the term “faith-based organization” cannot be used in Hungary according to the internationally accepted and standard definition; they instead propose an acceptable definition that accounts for the special characteristics of Hungarian legislation. The chapter argues that faith-based organizations (FBOs) are an inherent part of the civil society in Hungary and continue to play an important role in Hungarian society that complements the work of non-governmental organizations (NGOs). This chapter also suggests that the question of how faith-based organizations can work as an independent and integrated part of the spectrum of Hungarian civil society remains open.