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Postma Ferenc
› 393 -- 409
During their stay in the northern Netherlands (Utrecht, Groningen, Franeker) a circle of most talented Hungarian Peregrini around Georgius/György T. Martonfalvi wrote Greeting Poems (carmina gratulatoria) in Latin, Greek and even in Hebrew. Petrus/ Péter P. Csedregi, a student who started his studies at Sárospatak, also belonged to that circle of Peregrini. In 1659 he successfully defended – exercitii gratia – his Disputatio theologica de miraculis at Franeker University under the chairmanship of Professor Nicolaus Arnoldus, on the occasion of which he was honoured with two Poems in Hebrew, written by his friends Martonfalvi and Valentinus/ Bálint S. Keresztúri. Csedregi’s Disputatio theologica de miraculis was recently discovered and had remained bib-liographically unknown until now.
Református Szemle 117.4 (2024)
› Research article
› Church history
‟Everything Belongs to It...”. Mapping the Pastoral Roles in Transylvanian Protestant Churches: A Research Report
Kató Szabolcs Ferencz, Kiss Dénes, Bálint Róbert Zoltán
› 367 -- 392
What responsibilities do Protestant pastors in 21st -century Transylvania fulfill, and how should theological education adapt to meet these needs? To address these questions, the Protestant Theological Institute of Cluj-Napoca and the Institute of Religious Studies initiated a research project aimed at mapping the duties and roles of ministers within the region. The initial phase of the study involved in-depth interviews with Protestant leaders and ministers representing a variety of congregational backgrounds across Transylvania. This paper presents preliminary insights and syntheses findings from these interviews, providing direct quotations that illustrate the diversity and complexity of pastoral tasks. Building on these interviews, a comprehensive questionnaire will be distributed to a broader group of Protestant ministers. The second phase of this research is expected to yield a nuanced understanding of pastoral responsibilities within the Protestant churches, with attention to regional, generational, and congregational etc. differences. The outcomes of this research are anticipated to contribute to the evolution of a modern theological curriculum that aligns more closely with current pastoral realities and supports churches in refining their missional strategies.
Református Szemle 117.4 (2024)
› Research article
› Practical theology
Pecsuk Otto
› 360 -- 366
The new ecumenical Hungarian Bible translation project began in 2017, following guidelines established by the Vatican Dicastery for Promoting Christian Unity and the Bible Societies. This translation effort involves both Catholic and Reformed experts and has received approval from the Hungarian Catholic Bishops’ Conference. The project is characterised by a novel approach, where biblical scholars from philological, exegetical, and theological perspectives refine the base text prepared by the stylist. The goal is to enhance understanding for readers without a theological background by using shorter sentences and focusing on larger text units. Additionally, the project aims to avoid or clarify theological “technical terms” that are less known or have lost their meaning today.
Református Szemle 117.4 (2024)
› Research article
› New Testament
Hubai Péter
› 348 -- 359
The emergence of new manuscripts often raises the question of whether they contain authentic sayings of Jesus. What criteria can we use to determine if the Gospel of Thomas includes similar logia? This paper argues that ancient authors considered reports authentic in ways different from our modern judgments. Methodologically, this article first attempts to filter out non-authentic sayings. Approximately half of the logia in the Gospel of Thomas are presumably authentic, paralleling sayings preserved in the Synoptic Gospels. However, there are at least two previously unknown logia that could conceivably be authentic sayings spoken by Jesus.
Református Szemle 117.4 (2024)
› Research article
› New Testament, Antiquity studies
Debreczeni Ákos József
› 333 -- 347
This study examines the Egyptian vision of resurrection, initially developed in the cults of the gods Isis and Osiris. In this belief system, the deceased could unite with Osiris and find eternal rest in him. Initiates of Isis could escape the cruel power of fate, and Serapis, a near-human deity, offered a connection to mortal man. The mysteries were relatively easy to join and accessible to all, which sometimes led to confusion in the early Christian churches. The cult of Isis and Osiris spread rapidly throughout the Mediterranean. In contrast, the apostle Paul, in his letters to the Corinthians, had to clarify the Christian doctrine of resurrection.
Református Szemle 117.4 (2024)
› Research article
› New Testament, Antiquity studies
Kun-Gazda Gergely
› 278 -- 285
In the 19th century, the need to understand the past became increasingly prominent. However, archaeology as an independent science was not yet established. This is important to emphasise because the literature often describes Gábor Téglás as an “enthusiastic dilettante” in archaeology, as there was no such training available at Hungarian colleges, and it was still in its infancy at foreign academies. Flóris Rómer studied humanities, while Henrik Finály studied engineering, mathematics, physics, and ancient literature at the University of Vienna. Arnold Ipolyi also did not start his archaeological work as a trained archaeologist. However, Ipolyi, Rómer and Finály did everything they could to educate themselves as soon as the opportunity arose. Téglás, on the other hand, rigidly refused to do so and did not keep pace with the methodology, scientific results and broader context of discoveries in the now independent science of archaeology. As a result, the new, now professionally trained generation of archaeologists took his work less and less seriously. Téglás made lasting contributions with his geological and mining studies, as he also obtained a qualification in geology alongside his humanities studies. Nevertheless, he contributed to the establishment of Hungarian archaeology with his 355 writings on archaeological subjects.
Református Szemle 117.3 (2024)
› Research article
› Antiquity studies, Other
Lőrinczi Petra
› 252 -- 277
This paper provides a concise introduction to Korean Buddhism, Confucianism and Neo-Confucianism, examining their relationship with Protestant Christianity, which emerged on the Korean Peninsula in the 19th century. Initially, the main aspects of Buddhism are discussed. The paper briefly highlights the contributions of Hungarian, Korean and other international researchers on the topic. It aims to identify the key points through which the relationship between Buddhism and Protestant Christianity can be explored.
Református Szemle 117.3 (2024)
› Research article
› Systematic theology
In the Culture of Love, All Are Welcome to Live in this Land. Biblical-theological reflections on Joshua 2:1–21
Katanacho Yohanna
› 244 -- 251
In his article, Yohanna Katanacho discusses the relationship between Israeli Jews (both indigenous and settlers) and other indigenous people classified as foreigners. His thoughts focus on the issue of equal ownership of the country. He believes that Jews originally owe their land to God’s covenant, specifically his love and mercy, rather than their military successes. Implicitly, his writing echoes the Deuteronomic declaration that the people received the land from the Lord as a dwelling place. He derives the legal basis for the possession of the land from the Book of Ezekiel (33:23–29). In his argument, he rejects the classification of non- Jewish citizens as second-class citizens, a categorisation imposed by politics. As a reassuring solution, the author proposes the introduction of ethnic and religious multiculturalism.
Református Szemle 117.3 (2024)
› Research article
› Old Testament, Systematic theology
Geréb Zsolt
› 229 -- 243
The mission of our churches is to proclaim the good news of the Bible amidst the belligerent atmosphere of the 21st century. According to the teachings of the New Testament, peace cannot be achieved through diplomatic procedures or military tactics, but only through God’s grace. The author of the Epistle, a disciple of Paul, emphasises both aspects of peace: reconciliation among people and between humanity and God. The author adopts a hymnic form to highlight that Jesus Christ’s death on the cross ended the enmity between the sons of Israel and the Gentiles who had been baptized in the name of Christ.
Református Szemle 117.3 (2024)
› Research article
› New Testament
Aalders Maarten Johan
› 193 -- 206
Between 1920 and 1930, the relationship between Hungary and the Netherlands was extra¬ordinarily intense. Famous are the so-called children’s trains, with which more than 28 000 Hungarian children travelled to the Netherlands to recover for a while in host families from the hardships that the and revolution had brought to the Hungarian people. But there was also help in the theological and ecclesiastical fields. Especially the followers of Abraham Kuyper (1839–1920) waged a fierce struggle. In Hungary it was and still is rumoured that this Kuyper church was bent on splitting the Calvinist church of Hungary. In this article, the author shows that this was not the intention of the Dutch leaders. Jenő Sebestyén, the main ally of the Dutch theologians, was also not out for a schism.
Református Szemle 117.2 (2024)
› Church history
Bajusz Anna
› 163 -- 192
István Téglás (1853–1915) is a well-known and recognised researcher in archaeology, but his work in pedagogy, which was his original profession, has received little attention so far. Using Téglás’s school inspection notes and drawings from Turda-Arieş county, we will focus solely on the situation and condition of the Romanian denominational schools, taking into account the Hungarian educational policies and legislation of that time. In our study, we aim to contribute to the body of Hungarian history of education and minority policy at the turn of the 19th–20th centuries through microhistorical source publication, striving to provide additional qualitative knowledge.
Református Szemle 117.2 (2024)
› Research article
› Church history, Other
Csukás Gergely
› 146 -- 162
In searching for the core of Heinrich Bullinger’s theology, various approaches have been given, the most appropriate being “communion with God” (Peter Opitz). However, it is better to understand his theology not in a circular model with one core point, but rather as an ellipse with two focal points: God and man, respectively, Christ and the Church, which are related to each other. Therefore, his theology is essentially what I would call a “relational theology”. This, too, manifests in his ecclesiology. The epithets taken from tradition and the biblical metaphors with ecclesial connotations are strictly related to Christ, thus demonstrating the communal and participatory character of his ecclesiology. This is not only evident in relation to the Roman church but also to the Lutheran church. His relational theology is essentially dynamic and pastoral which, therefore, still can be fruitful for the churches standing in the tradition of the Second Helvetic Confession, such as the Hungarian church.
Református Szemle 117.2 (2024)
› Research article
› Systematic theology, Church history
Herczeg Pál
› 125 -- 145
In the editorial-theological concept of Luke, his message is not always formulated as a finalising conclusion. Often, he reports on certain events as a starting point. Thus, the events described follow one another in a vague or artificial chronological order. These descriptions often also implicitly determine the events and descriptions that follow them in canonical, or even in chronological order. As far as baptism is concerned, Acts 2:38-47 summarises all that was essential for the Church in the apostolic age, since the events that guide it, the mention of baptisms, the integration of the disciples of John describe the situation of the Church. And if it does not raise a particular problem of principle, the mention of baptism remains a mere statement of fact.
Református Szemle 117.2 (2024)
› Research article
› New Testament
Bálint Péter
› 61 -- 87
The representation and perception of female beauty and ugliness in tale narratives varies depending on the situation. Both phenomena are accompanied by ethical and existential pre-dicates. For centuries, church teachings have determined the peasant perception of beauty and seduction with beauty. The preachers’ exhortations and parables often appear in the parable tales, which fit in with the moral order of the local community.
Református Szemle 117.1 (2024)
› Research article
› Other
Bacsó István
› 38 -- 60
Theosis or its concept is perhaps less known to the Western Protestant trained theologian. Even to the Transylvanian Reformed theologian and pastor living at the meeting point of East and West it would be of value to get to know this characteristic teaching of the Eastern Orthodox Church. In our study, we describe the formation of the doctrine of deification, its dogmatic background, its development, and some of its elements, whilst searching for the answer to the question of whether there is any connection with the Reformed Church.
Református Szemle 117.1 (2024)
› Research article
› Systematic theology
Ledán M. István
› 5 -- 37
In our study, we examined the ancient Greco-Roman liberality-ethos from the Hellenistic to the early imperial period. By examining the terminology of gift-giving and liberality in the ancient Greek world and the New Testament, we can discover quite a lot of analogies between the Greco-Roman philosophical ideals of liberality and the theological basis of giving in the New Testament. But despite the fact that, in terms of principles, we can discover a number of analogies between the Greco-Roman conception of liberalitas or εὐεργεσία and the theological basis of giving in the New Testament, it is the differences that are crucial. It is not the quantitative analogies but the qualitative differences that are decisive. It is particularly significant that liberality (giving) in the Greco-Roman world, respectively in the New Testament have quite different orientations, since they have different target groups in mind. It would therefore be difficult to argue convincingly that Christian liberality (giving) has its origins in the Greco-Roman ethos of liberalitas.
Református Szemle 117.1 (2024)
› Research article
› New Testament
Név Nélkül
› 662 -- 668
› Református Szemle 116.6 (2023)
› Announcement
› Systematic theology, Church history