On August 4, 2022, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban gave a speech before conservatives at CPAC in Texas. Generally, CPAC is incredibly normie conservatism, whereby speakers consist of mainstream, high profile individuals who are accepted, even if out of reluctance within the establishment GOP. At the surface, Americans conservatives might be baffled at comparisons with Hungary, the former communist, Eastern Bloc nation of little relevance to America. Moreover, a speech by a foreign dignitary at a political conference can be expected to include moments of pandering, which Orban commits in calling Hungary the “Lone Star State” of Europe. Orban touted Christian values on a stage to much applause, touting himself as a defender of Hungary’s Christian heritage while also expressing his successes in his natalist and flat-tax policies. One could easily dismiss Orban as feeding red meat in Texas of all places. Meanwhile, the liberal media touted CPAC as platforming a European Fascist NAZI and an ally to Putin.
Beneath the surface, Viktor Orban represents a populist right wing leader fighting against the overwhelming secular globalist tide within Europe who brings his receipts to America. During his speech, he contended that George Soros was his political opponent, though it is ironic that he received a Soros Foundation scholarship when attending Oxford in 1989. Much has changed politically for Hungary, entering a post-communist Europe, and Orban has rode several populist, nationalist waves to political victory in Europe, having served as Prime Minister since 2011.
With Orban, it is a mixed bag of good, bad, and ugly, which must all be analyzed through a Christian world view.
A Christianized Hungary?
After being revised in 2011, when Orban initially came into power, the preamble of the Hungarian constitution states that, “We recognize the role of Christianity in preserving nationhood. We value the various religious traditions of our country.” Orbans rise to power is in response to his desire for Christian Democracy.
Against a globalist agenda, there has been no more outspoken leader in Europe against the homosexual agenda than Viktor Orban. Under his tenure, gay “marriage” has been banned via a constitutional amendment, and the definitions of men being fathers and women being mothers has also been codified. Additionally, the government in Hungary does not recognize transgenders. At a time when both the Islamic Jihad and the Rainbow Jihad sweep across the European continent, there is some substance to Orban in calling Hungary the David to the Goliath of the EU.
In the Anti-Feminist Manifesto, it was argued that ideology is the primary driver of birthrates, not economics. This seems to be verifiable as Orban has instituted natalist policies in Hungary where in 2019, they enacted a tax exemption for mothers who birth more than four children. It should be noted that the majority of the increase in fertility from a trough of 1.2 to its current 1.6, which is prior to the implementation of his policy but nevertheless, during his tenure. Under Orban, Hungary has been able to curb the damages of declining birthrates. Likewise, the marriage rate in Hungary has doubled from 35.5 to 72 per 1000. It is demonstrable that Hungary has crafted a pro-family environment and rebuffed many decades long trends instigated by generations of communism.
In doing so, he has been a stark opponent of Replacement Theory and opposes the Islamification of Europe. Orban has been a magnet for media scrutiny for being against “race mixing” which is his desire to preserve the Hungarian people. During his CPAC speech, he stated that he wanted to build a wall around Hungary, insolating it from the effects of Middle Eastern and African Migrants diluting its people. Against the other nations in the EU, he has stood against this mass migration even in violation of their policies.
A Covid Autocrat
There is an ugliness about Orban that his opponents will not acknowledge because it contradicts their religious narrative. On the issue of Covid, Orban was in league with the globalist agenda, utilizing the pandemic response to usher in Covid tyranny and eventually both vaccine passports and mandatory vaccinations. In November, Orban’s government mandated the booster for all healthcare workers. His same government authorized employers to mandate the jabs to their workers. He might avoid making it mandatory, but Orban has otherwise permitted coercion. As of June 1, the emergency is over in Hungary, which would include the use of vaccine passports.
The Hungarian government under Orban did not allow the crisis to go to waste, instituting restrictions via endless emergency powers and even delaying the electoral process in the process. In this facet, he was no different than Justin Trudeau or Emmanuel Macron, even if Hungary was less restrictive.
Unfortunately, Viktor Orban did not reveal his Trump level vaccine salesmanship in Texas.
The Church in Hungary
In speaking on Christian Nationalism, it is important to understand the size of the faithful remnant (or alleged) within Hungary. According to their census records, which date back to 2011, only 54% of Hungarians identify as Christian (including Catholicism) in comparison to 27% as nonreligious. However, only 15% attend church weekly. For comparison purpose, that is roughly half of American weekly church attendance but still 10% higher than the United Kingdom, which is a tragic 5%. Theoretically, the ground of Hungary is more fertile than most of Europe, and Hungary does not have a state church like other secular European nations. This is not to claim that church attendance equates to one’s state of salvation, but the true remnant is encompassed within that statistic.
Hungary possesses a unique religious history of Calvinism and Catholicism, with the former representing about 15%. Viktor Orban is a member of the Reformed Church in Hungary, which is functionally Presbyterian. Much like a Ronald Regan, Orban began his political journey being opposed to communism. In the 1990’s, he professes to have converted to Christianity which he has repeatedly invoked in his political career. In 2020, Capstone Report described him as the world’s most powerful Calvinist, outlining various quotes pertaining to his faith.
The million dollar question is whether the Christianized movement behind Viktor Orban is genuine versus an appeal to Hungarian tradition.
Conclusion
For us Americans, it is important to distinguish that Hungary is not America; therefore, it is important to respect and acknowledge the distinctions of their people, history, and culture, rather than viewing it through the lends of American ideals. Moreover, this serves as a useful follow up to the ongoing Christian Nationalism debate transpiring in America, where opponents will wrongly chastise Christians as claiming America is the new promise land when in fact, Christian Nationalist beliefs could apply to all nations, including Hungary. If the people of Budapest repent, and God willing, they can be a city on a hill.
Whether Viktor Orban is a genuine Christian Nationalist remains to be seen, but he is certainly an ally in the fight against globalism and the Rainbow Jihad. Few leaders in Europe remain in opposition to the globalists trends and fewer seek to restore a Christian identity to their nation. For Europe, Viktor Orban might be as close as they have to Christian Nationalism. It must be noted that their faithful remnant is proportionately half of that in America (give or take), so their battle is steeper than it is here. Although the secular change cannot be reversed through the politic alone, the pro family and anti-homosexual policies will make the ground fertile for those who seek the plant churches and make disciples of the Hungarian people.
