Bishop Fekete asks Balog to resign as president of Synod

Károly Fekete, Bishop of the Transtibiscan Reformed Church District, has asked Zoltán Balog to resign as president of the church’s Synod.

Balog on Tuesday apologised for having supported a presidential pardon granted to the deputy director of a children’s home who was found complicit in child abuse. He said a meeting of the church’s officials had been attended by four-fifths of the officials and ended in a secret vote where 86 percent of those present expressed support for him.

Fekete said in a statement on Wednesday that he had asked Balog at the meeting, “with a theologically-based argument”, to reconsider his decision and resign as president of the Synod in view of the situation.

The majority of the deacons and chief elders present at the meeting gave a vote of confidence to Balog, who released a video message about the outcome of the vote, Fekete said, noting that he and Balog had spoken again on Wednesday.

“With all due respect to the outcome of the vote of confidence, today I once again suggested to Bishop Balog that he reconsider and resign from his position as synod president,” Fekete said, adding that he trusted that “keeping the unity of our church in mind, and consulting with the members of the Presidency Council, he will be willing to do so”.

He asked the members of the church communities and pastors to be patient until a decision is made.

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