Academic literature on the topic 'Reformed Church in Hungary'

"On 24 May 1956, Délpest Reformed Diocese – by the consent of the Danubi-an Reformed Church District– downgraded the Szigetszentmiklós Reformed Parish to the status of mission parish. The 700 members strong, almost 400 hundred years old parish’s chief elder was also relieved of his duties whilst the consistory was dis-solved. The downgrading of the long-standing parish, the dissolution of the elected consistory, and the deprivation of its right to elect its minister gave rise to protests both inside and outside the parish. An array of scandals, disciplinary issues, and dif-ficult as well as intricate lawsuits followed. The matter also generated waves in the entire Reformed Church since the presidium of the diocese overlooked the ecclesias-tic rules and regulations, ordering the downgrade without the consent of the dioce-san assembly –also assisted by the presidium of the church district–, accepting the new situation and appointing the mission minister. The case of Szigetszentmiklós is a great example to understand the global pic-ture of the actions taken against the disloyal ministers and consistories by the ecclesi-astic governance intertwined with the one-party state. Keywords: Hungarian Reformed Church during communism, church–state relations during communism, 20th-century history of the Reformed Church in Hungary, cold war, Albert Bereczky, Szigetszentmiklós."

Book review on Johanna Domokos: Endangered Literature. Essays On Translingualism, Interculturality, And Vulnerability. Budapest: Károli Gáspár University of the Reformed Church in Hungary & L’Harmattan Publishing, 2018, 196 pages.

This article considers responses to Habsburg persecution of Protestants in Hungary during the 1670s. Focusing on the Reformed church, it will first assess how long-established contacts with Reformed co-religionists in northwestern Europe came to provide support for Hungarians in the face of violent state repression. This will concentrate in particular on the trial and imprisonment of Protestant clergy after 1674 and on the liberation of one group of ministers in 1676, thanks to Dutch intervention. It will then consider the diverse ways in which Habsburg persecution of Hungarian Protestants was represented in the Dutch Republic, England, France, and in Hungary, and what this reveals about the international Reformed community toward the end of the confessional age. It will then assess the role of persistent but shifting memories of this era of martyrs and liberators in the later development of Hungarian Reformed identity.

Abstract The present study examines how two famous professors in Central Europe decided to network together in order to promote traditional Christian faith through New Orthodoxy of Debrecen and Reformed Pietist of Vienna which became the source of renewal in the Reformed Church of Hungary. Their correspondence bears a witness to the endeavour to train, teach and guide young students enabling them to become persons of influence in the church. This research paper examines contents of the exchange of letters between Ferenc Balogh of Debrecen and Eduard Böhl from Vienna with a particular view on how they educated the future generation along the evangelical-pietist faith that both professors adhered to.

Abstract In their critique of the hierarchy in the Roman Catholic Church most reformers in the sixteenth century did not argue for retaining the office of bishop. In the English Reformation, led by the king, the bishopric was reformed, and in Hungary, too, the office of bishop survived. Did reformers like John Calvin fundamentally reject this office, or did they primarily attack its abuse? Investigation of the early work of Calvin shows a focus on the meaning of the biblical term ‘overseer’ and on preaching as the primary function of the episcopacy. While the title of bishop is reserved for the one head of the church, the office of the preacher is brought to a higher level. As moderator of the Company of Pastors in Geneva, Calvin would have a standing in the city comparable to the ousted bishop.

Abstract This study looks at the ways how the Reformed Church encountered the new modern mission movement in Transylvania with the arrival of Dr. Béla Kenessey and Dr. István Kecskeméthy to the newly established Reformed Theological Seminary at Cluj in 1895. By the time being, some theologians expressed grave concerns about the dangers of theological liberalism to the Confessions. The paper argues that these young professors, touched by the mission movement and revival also sought to encompass those who had an evangelistic fervor to reach unbelievers and to serve those people in their personal and social needs. As a result, Christian Covenant was established in 1896, with official recognition in 1903 as the Christian Endeavor. It is hoped to unfold the major shifts regarding the attitudes to mission in the Reformed Church of Hungary and throw lights on ambiguous beginnings of mission movements.

In the Evangelical-Lutheran Church, the use of pulpit altars has never been obligatory or exclusive. However, the importance of the cult centre in the increasingly uniform internal space as a principle of interior design brought this form into life; one that is exclusively characteristic of the Evangelical-Lutheran Church. In Hungary, pulpit altars were built from the time of the Edict of Tolerance (1781) until the end of the 19th century. In their form, they were mostly to local specifications and options, which played an important role over and above the strong Western European influences. In the evolution of the typology, it is not only the interaction between the Catholic and Reformed elements that can be pinpointed but also the national differences so characteristic within the Evangelical-Lutheran Church.The Slovak, German and Hungarian speaking Lutheran communities, with their diversified and unique relationships, had enriched the forms used in church furnishing in Hungary; this can best be seen in the pulpit altars constructed in the same period.

End period 30 - beginning. 40's of the twentieth century. in Transcarpathia it was extremely difficult. After the overthrow of the government of the independent Carpathian Ukraine by the Hungarian troops, a military administration was established in the territory of Transcarpathia. The Orthodox Church has been held hostage to international events and has become the epicenter of the struggle between Hungary and Yugoslavia. It should be noted that the religious situation in Transcarpathia during this period was tense. About 61.9% of the population belonged to the Greek Catholic Church, 17.2% to the Orthodox Church, less believers were Jewish, Roman Catholic, Reformed, Evangelical and other churches. Among the Orthodox, since the 20's of the twentieth century. Two ecclesiastical jurisdictions dominated - the Serbian and Constantinople, whose representatives fought each other. The recognition and support of the Czech state before the Hungarian occupation had Serbian jurisdiction, which was represented by the vast majority of the clergy.

There is a strong Calvinist spirit in the professional work of all our Reformed Church criminal lawyers. Educating offenders, involving them in work, helping prisoners, helping and protecting those at risk played a primary role in their response to crime. Finkey’s approach was in harmony with this tradition. He was convinced that without the involvement of the society, without the active help of the churches, there would be no effective crime prevention. He emphasized the importance of education, arguing that education is necessary not only for juvenile offenders but also for the adults. Following the North American “reformatory school”, he called for establishing correctional institutions in Hungary, as many as possible.

Abstract This paper offers a concise overview of the impact made by Scottish evangelicalism of the Free Church of Scotland on the theology, piety and practice of Hungarian Reformed faith within the Austro-Hungarian Empire. They planted a kind of piety that was foreign, at least in its language and expressions, to most of the Hungarian Reformed people until the arrival of Scottish missionaries in 1841. Their conduct of practical Christianity, praxis pietatis materialised itself in Christian evangelism and social action. In this paper the focus is on the period between 1865 and 1914. To demonstrate the nature and form of this impact, first the paper outlines some key features of Scottish evangelicalism. Then, it investigates the theological and ecclesiastical impact of Scottish evangelicalism made through the establishment of voluntary societies and examines influence on the piety and praxis of Reformed faith in Hungary.

The Reformed church in Hungary and Transylvania had extensive connections with western Calvinist churches during the early seventeenth century, and became more closely linked with co-religionists abroad during this period. In this thesis I shall examine the ideology and shared interests of this international Calvinist community, and assess the significant impact which contacts with fellow Calvinists beyond Hungary's borders had on the development of the Hungarian Reformed church. The early seventeenth century saw increasing numbers of Hungarian student ministers travel to western Reformed universities, western Calvinist teachers travel to work in Hungarian schools, and the transfer and translation of foreign Reformed theological works for use in Hungary and Transylvania. This pattern of broad engagement with western Europe heavily influenced the development of education in the Reformed schools of Hungary and Transylvania, as well as the forms of worship and ceremony adopted by the Hungarian Reformed church. Godly princes, godly gentlemen and clergy were partners in the building-up of the Reformed church of Hungary and Transylvania. The church was indeed reliant in the early seventeenth century on patronage and support from a series of Reformed Transylvanian princes, and from Hungarian nobles. The continuing commitment of these parties to further religious reformation in the region was challenged by some Reformed ministers who, inspired by their experience of Calvinist churches abroad, sought to introduce presbyterial government and reforms of church ceremony and discipline, an agenda dubbed locally as Puritanism. International Calvinist contacts however largely served to bolster the theological orthodoxy of the Reformed community of Hungary and Transylvania against its confessional rivals, invigorating the Reformed church's zeal to defend its position with a stridently anti-Catholic ideology. Comparisons with other Reformed churches reinforced commitment in Hungary to tighten standards of discipline with an ethos of morality which was distinctively Reformed. International Calvinism therefore assisted the Reformed confessionalisation of Transylvania and eastern Hungary in the early seventeenth century. However the ties binding Transylvania with the rest of the Calvinist world in this period also encouraged Transylvania's princes to adopt a diplomatic policy of Protestant cooperation tinged with apocalyptic ideas, which was ultimately to jeopardise the stability of the principality and the place of Reformed religion in east-central Europe.

AFRIKAANS: Hierdie studie is onderneem om 'n biografie daar te stel van dominee Kálmán Papp II, predikant van die Nederduitsch Hervormde Kerk van Afrika (sedert 1951) en stamvader van die familie Papp in Suid-Afrika. Daar sal uiteraard ook gekyk word na sy teologiese posisie as predikant en verkondiger van die Evangelie van die Here, Jesus Christus. Die studie val uiteen in vier hoofstukke. Die eerste hoofstuk skets die agtergronde waaruit Papp afkomstig is. Die geskiedenis, land en taal van die Hongaarse volk kom eerste aan die orde, vervolgens die geskiedenis van die Christendom en die geskiedenis en etos van die Hervormde Kerk van Hongarye, en laastens Papp se genealogiese agtergrond. Die tweede hoofstuk van hierdie studie beskryf Papp se kinder- en studentejare in Hongarye (1924-1946): sy geboorte en opwindende kleuter- en laerskooljare in Mándok, sy vaderlose hoërskooljare aan die Lévai Jószef Hervormde Gimnasium in Miskolc, sy bedrywige studentejare aan die Graaf Tissza István Universiteit in Debrecen, sy aangrypende ervarings tydens die Tweede Wêreldoorlog, en sy vertrek na Nederland vir nagraadse studie. In die derde hoofstuk word Papp se verblyf in Nederland en sy studie van bykans twee jaar (1947-1949) aan die Universiteit van Utrecht beskryf, asook sy noodgedwonge emigrasie na Suid-Afrika. Papp se interessante lewensverloop in Suid-Afrika (1949-2008) word in die laaste hoofstuk van hierdie studie, wat uit ses afdelings bestaan, beskryf. Sy aankoms en vestiging in Suid-Afrika, studentetyd aan die Univer-siteit van Pretoria, toelating tot die evangeliebediening, afloswerk as proponent en huweliksbevestiging word in die eerste vier afdelings beskryf. Die vyfde afdeling beskryf Papp se voltydse bedieningstyd van veertig jaar in die gemeente Krugersdorp (1951-1991). Hierdie afdeling beslaan die grootste gedeelte van hierdie studie en is onderverdeel in vier afdelings wat elk 'n periode van ongeveer een dekade dek. Die eerste onderafdeling dek onder andere sy ontvangs in die gemeente, die kort maar aangename tydperk van sy eerste medeleraarskap, sy eerste publikasies en openbare optredes, die vreugdevolle geboorte van sy vyf kinders, die afstigting van die gemeentes Magaliesburg in 1953 en Krugersdorp-Oos in 1954, sy toegewyde betrokkenheid by die sinodale aktiwiteite van die kerk, onbaatsugtige hulpverlening aan en bediening van die Hongaarse vlugtelinge van 1956, lojale lidmaatskap van en betrokkenheid by die Paardekraal Feeskommissie, die ywerige bevordering van ekumeniese bande en die sewentigste verjaardagviering van die gemeente Krugersdorp. Die tweede onderafdeling beskryf Papp se deernisvolle betrokken-heid by die Jac van Belkum Kinderhuis te Krugersdorp, die periode van 'n ongelukkige tweede medeleraarskap, die noodgedwonge afstigting van 'n derde gemeente (Krugersdorp-Noord), sy sterk en entoesiastiese leiding met die oprigting van 'n nuwe pastorie en inrigting van 'n kerksaal, en die vreugdevolle viering van die gemeente Krugersdorp se 75ste bestaansjaar. In die derde onderafdeling word Papp se intensiewe betrokkenheid in die gemeenskap van Krugersdorp, by name by die Sterkfontein Hospitaal en Laerskool Burgershoop, en sy geesdriftige bearbeiding van die gemeente Outjo in die destydse Suidwes-Afrika onder andere beskryf, asook die viering van sy 25ste ampsjubileum, en die legitimasie en ordening van sy twee predikanteseuns en skoondogter. Die vierde onderafdeling dek onder andere die geboorte van Papp se eerste kleinkinders, sy aktiewe betrokkenheid by die 1983 Bybelfees en die ontvangs van verskeie familielede, gaste en besoekers uit die buiteland. Verskeie hoogtepunte in Papp se lewe word ook in hierdie onderafdeling beskrywe - sy amnestie, die eeufees van die gemeente Krugersdorp, wat met sy emeritaat saamgeval het, en die verskyning van Papp se gedenkalbum oor die geskiedenis van die gemeente Krugersdorp. Verskeie terugslae in Papp se lewe word ook in hierdie afdeling beskryf - die persoonlike probleme en egskeidings van sy kinders en die dood van verskeie familielede en vriende. Die laaste afdeling van hierdie studie beskryf Papp se aftreejare (1992-2008) - sewentien jare waarin verskeie hoogtepunte en terugslae mekaar voortdurend afgewissel het. Onder die hoogtepunte tel Papp se prominente deelname aan die Paardekraal Geloftefees, die erkenning van sy dienswerk aan die gemeenskap van Krugersdorp, die hertoelating van sy oudste seun en skoondogter as predikante, drie reise na Hongarye, die viering van sy tagtigste verjaardag, goue bruilof en 50ste ampsjubileum, en die toekenning van 'n ereprofessoraat. Onder die terugslae tel verskeie operasies en die tragiese dood van sy derde seun. Die studie word afgesluit met 'n samevattende teologiese evaluasie en ‘n waarderende beskrywing van Papp se sonderlinge gawes en unieke persoonlikheid. ENGLISH: The purpose of this study has been to compile a biography of the Reverend Kálmán Papp II, minister of the Nederduitsch Hervormde Kerk van Afrika (since 1951) and progenitor of the Papp family in South Africa. Naturally his theological position as minister and preacher of the gospel of the Lord, Jesus Christ, will be looked at. The study consists of four chapters. In the first chapter, which deals with Papp's historical backgrounds, the history, land and language of the Hungarian nation, the history and ethos of the Reformed Church of Hungary, and the history of Papp's forefathers, with specific reference to the ministers of religion, are dealt with briefly. In more detail, the second chapter describes Papp's childhood and student years in Hungary (1924-1946): his exciting toddler and primary school years in Mándok, his fatherless high school years at the Lévai Jószef Gymnasium in Miskolc, his bustling student years at the Count Tissza István University of Debrecen, his gripping experiences during World War II, and his departure to the Netherlands for post graduate study. Papp's residence in the Netherlands, his two years at the University of Utrecht (1947-1949) and his hasty emigration to South Africa, are dealt with in chapter three. In the last chapter of this study, which consists of six sections, Papp’s interesting course of life in South Africa (1949-2008) is described. His arrival and settling in South Africa, student years at the University of Pretoria, admission to the ministry, temporary service as a candidate minister, and his marriage, are described in the first four sections. The fifth section deals with Papp's ministry of forty uninterrupted years in the Krugersdorp congregation of the Nederduitsch Hervormde Kerk (1951-1991). This section forms the main part of this study and is subdivided into four subsections, each covering a period of approximately one decade. The first subsection covers Papp's reception in the congregation, the short but fulfilling period of his first joint ministry, his first publications and public appearances, the birth of his children, the formation of two new congregations (Magaliesburg in 1953 and Krugersdorp-Oos in 1954), his dedicated involvement in synodical activities of the church, unselfish assistance and support to the Hungarian refugees of 1956, the loyalty portrayed in his involvement in the cultural life of Krugersdorp, his diligent promotion of ecumenical relations and his part in the seventieth anniversary of the Krugersdorp congregation. The second subsection describes Papp's sympathetic involvement with the Jac van Belkum orphanage in Krugersdorp, the period of an unhappy second joint ministry in the congregation, the compelled forming in 1964 of a third new congregation (Krugersdorp-Noord) Papp's strong and enthusiastic guidance in the building of a new parsonage and the transformation of an old abattoir into a church hall, as well as the celebration of the seventy-fifth anniversary of his congregation. In the third subsection Papp's intense involvement in the community life of Krugersdorp, more specifically with the Sterkfontein Psychiatric Hospital and Burgershoop Primary School, and his zealous work in the church's Outjo congregation in the former South West Africa are dealt with. Then there are also referred to the celebration of his twenty-fifth year in the ministry and the ordination of two of his sons and his daughter in law. The fourth subsection covers the birth of Papp's first grandchildren, his active involvement in the Bible Festival of 1983, and the reception and accommodation of various family members, guests and visitors from abroad. Several high lights of his life are also described in this section: his amnesty, the centenary celebrations of his congregation, which coincided with his retirement, and the publication of his album on the history of the Krugersdorp congregation. However, several set backs in Papp's life are also described in this section - the personal problems of his children, the failure of the marriages of both of his sons in ministry and the passing away of various family members and friends. The last section of this study describes Papp's seventeen years after retirement (1992-2008) - years in which several high lights and set backs occurred. Amongst the high lights were Papp's prominent part in the Day of the Covenant celebrations at Paardekraal, the acknowledgement of his service to the community of Krugersdorp, the re-admission of his eldest son and daughter in law into the ministry, three trips to Hungary, the celebration of his eightieth birthday, his fiftieth wedding anniversary and his fiftieth year in office as a church minister, and last but not the least, the conferment of a honorary professorate. Amongst the set backs were several illnesses and surgeries, and worst of all, the tragic death of his third son. The study concludes with a summarized theological evaluation and an appreciative description of Papp's exceptional gifts and unique personality.
Thesis (PhD)--University of Pretoria, 2011.
Church History and Church Policy
unrestricted

Background to the Research. In his enthronement sermon as Archbishop of Canterbury in 1942 William Temple famously declared the ecumenical movement to be ‘the great new fact of our era’. For much of the twentieth century it was the major metanarrative of Church renewal. By the end of the century however the enthusiasm had largely dissipated, the organizations which represented it were in decline, and the hoped for organic unity looked further away than ever. Surprisingly little has been written on the attempt to achieve organic unity in England, what it hoped to achieve and why, at least in terms of its expectations, it failed. I propose to come at this major topic by focusing on the creation of the United Reformed Church, which was formed in 1972 by a union of the majority of congregations of the Congregational Church in England and Wales and the Presbyterian Church in England and saw its formation as a catalyst for the ecumenical renewal of the British churches. Methodology. This thesis, which is mainly resourced by documentary evidence and interviews, comes into the category of qualitative research but also uses statistics where they are relevant, for example when dealing with Church decline. Since I am a United Reformed Church minister, and have worked ecumenically, my role here draws upon the perspective of an observing participant. Conclusions. The research revealed that the hopes of the United Reformed Church to be a catalyst for church renewal were illusory and that the effects of its ecumenical priority were partially negative in the Church’s life. With the failure of its ecumenical hope the Church had little idea of its purpose and found great difficulty establishing an identity. It suffered from severe membership loss and the hoped for missionary advantage promised by its ecumenical strategy did not materialize. The thesis will analyse the reasons for failure, while noting that what failed was not ecumenism as such but a particular model of ecumenism.