Journal index

Why is there such an interest among modern Christians, in particular Reformed and Lutheran theologians, for Jesuit spiritual exercises? My answer can only be hypothetical. But one thing is certain. The spiritual exercises of Saint Ignatius of Loyola have an immortal soul. Thus, despite the old-fashioned character of some of its parts seeking for a reformation, in its entirety, it is able to promise spiritual benefits to Christians in this modern world as well.

The purpose of this paper is to present and to sum up the results of a historical and theological research into the use of the Heidelberg Catechism in Transylvania. It focuses on those commentaries on the Heidelberg Catechism which have never been printed because of various reasons, but are still in use for almost two centuries in the schools and pulpits of the Church. Most of the manuscripts mentioned in this study –mainly from 17th-18th century – have never been extensively researched. The current analysis aims to classify the various types of commentaries written in different historical circumstances and based on different argumentations. Moreover, it also gives a taste – as it serves as a basis for a broader research – of the colourful insights into the rightly appreciated Heidelberg Catechism and its explanations.