Religious leaders confess sins at congress

BUDAPEST, Hungary — Evangelical leaders from 38 European countries gathering in Budapest asked forgiveness May 1 for their involvement in evil deeds in the name of Christianity. The historic confessions were made at the end of Hope.21, a congress of more than 1,000 evangelists and other evangelicals, reports Stefan J. Bos of ASSIST News Service.

In a document titled “Budapest Perspectives, Towards an Agenda of Hope for Europe,” the evangelicals said they acknowledge and repent of sins such as racism, sexism, materialism, nationalism and indifference to suffering and injustice around the world. Evangelicals also took on issues such as failing to acknowledge women’s roles in the church and having a more active role in solving the AIDS crisis.