What is diakonia?
Lutheran Diakonia is the ministry of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Hungary (ELCH), serving the most vulnerable and needy. This ministry includes the ability to accept and to share. Sharing is based on accepting the grace of God and it becomes manifest in everyday Christianity as a sign of gratitude for the grace received. The symbolic definition of diakonia is “the service of the hands” – this term was coined by Gábor Sztehlo, the legendary Lutheran pastor, who saved thousands of children during the Holocaust by setting up foster homes for them. In the 1950s Sztehlo also laid the structural foundations for present-day diaconal activity. As he put it: “diakonia and worship cannot be separated from each other: they start from the altar and also return there.”
The foundations of diaconal service
Diaconal actors base their work on church and state legislation. The statutes of the ELCH state that “the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Hungary carries out diaconal service – the fruit of her faith in Jesus Christ” (ELCH Resolution 2005/V, Ch. 5, §22, Section [1]). In addition, diaconal ministry is guided by a set of diaconal principles that unify its objectives and motivations. It is important to emphasize that the goal of the diaconal activity carried out in ELCH congregations and institutions is to help the people in need and to alleviate their distress by using a holistic approach and conveying Christ’s love to them.
Diaconal work is coordinated by the Department for Diakonia at the Administrative Office of the ELCH. The Diaconal Strategy was adopted by the Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Hungary in February 2023.
Institutions
Diaconal work is carried out in various forms and structures: there are institutions maintained either by the central church body or by individual congregations and there are also non-institutional forms of diaconal service. Nowadays we have about 40 Lutheran diaconal institutions with 2000 members of staff caring for about 8000 people who are looking for space, security and peace in one of the homes. Our network mainly focuses on care for the elderly, but the portfolio also covers almost all branches of social service including care for people with disabilities, providing for the homeless and assisting people with addiction.
Our approach
Our diaconal service is characterized by its confessional nature: it is Lutheran. It is based on universal Christian foundations, so the relationship between God and the human being plays a central role. Our understanding of God, as it emerges from Christ’s proclamation, urges us to guard the dignity of our fellow human beings and reminds us constantly that, regardless of their mental and physical state or social status, those trusted into our care are more than what we can directly perceive – they are also the image of God. The theological background is essential to our diaconal service and conveying the theological message to our colleagues and to those in need with due openness and patience is an important task.
We want to enable and encourage the people to stand up for their rights in the society. If that is not possible, we are obliged to advocate for them. We consider their needs holistically and reach out to them regardless of person, origin, social status, religion or abilities.
We make ourselves and the general public aware, that physical or psychological limitations are part of human existence. Yet, our personal faith constantly impels us to look at the suffering and resurrection of Jesus. This gives us strength to hope that despite the most painful experiences, human life is never meaningless and motivates us to seek ways of alleviating the suffering.
We hold on to our existing values and work in close cooperation with other ministries of our church, extending our scope to the whole of the society. In that ministry, families, communities and congregations, as well as the principles of love, responsibility and solidarity play a significant role. We want to make sure that trust, continuity, innovation, renewal and hope are present in our ministry at all times. Through our diaconal service, we offer the people we encounter comprehensive, modern and complementary life-coaching advice.
Socio-political action as part of Hungarian social services
Our diaconal ministry is part of the Hungarian social services and an important actor in this diverse system. Accordingly, we seek to influence and actively shape the socio-political processes by publicly embracing our values and experiences. Our work is based on partnerships. In order to carry out our ministry at a high standard, we need good ideas, financial resources and complex support from the different social groups, actors of the civil society, donors, volunteers, and primarily from our congregations.
We affirm that serving others and helping are not one-sided processes: receivers and givers of help are mutually enriched by this interaction.
The Evangelical Lutheran Church in Hungary is a founding member of Hungarian Interchurch Aid (HIA), one of the most significant charity organizations in Hungary. HIA is committed to helping those in need within and outside the borders of Hungary, near and far.