Journal index

The present study examines from the perspective of dogmatics Eduard Böhl’s book entitled Christologie des Alten Testamentes oder Auslegung der wichtigsten Messianischen Weissagungen published in 1882. The study deals mainly with the introductory chapter. E. Böhl, professor of Reformed Systematic Theology at the Protestant Theological Faculty in Vienna from 1864 to 1899, was strongly influenced by the theological vision of H. F. Kohlbrugge (1803–1875), a Reformed pastor from Elberfeld, Germany. As a systematic theologian he followed the orthodox Reformed position which emphasised the inseparable unity of Scripture. From this hermeneutic stance he defended the Christology of the Old Testament. Böhl testified that God in Christ, in fact, repeated, confirmed, and accomplished on a higher level what had happened in the lives of Old Testament confessors. Old Testament writings legitimize Jesus’ coming, incarnation, salvation, suffering, death, and resurrection. The essence of Böhl’s standpoint is that some of the messianic texts do not refer directly to Christ, but above all to “types”, figures who carry the promise of salvation. Other parts, however, such as the psalms discussed in detail in his book, are unequivocal pieces of evidence of the promises of the Messiah who is embodied in Jesus Christ. In support of his view, he cited “the exegesis of the New Testament,” the apostles and evangelists, and the Targums, the Book of Enoch, and the Talmud among the Jewish religious literature. With his theological vision and writings, through his Hungarian disciples, Böhl exerted a decisive influence on the Reformed theological thinking and the New Orthodoxy in Hungary. This theological trend took up the fight against the spread of theological liberalism with its centre in Debrecen during the second half of the nineteenth century. Böhl, as a defender of traditional Calvinism, was a sure point of reference with respect to important theological issues.

Eduard Böhl (1836–1903), a scholar of the second half of the nineteenth century, was professor of dogmatics at the Protestant Theological Faculty in Vienna for 35 years. His lifework was his “Dogmatics”, which he wrote for 23 years. In this unfairly forgotten work, he formulates cardinal Reformed beliefs providing the reader with accurate guidance regarding theology, anthropology, soterology, and eschatology. This study analyses Böhl’s teaching based on the last major chapter of his book, concerned with the “End of Times”. In order to gain a better understanding of the theological issues discussed by Böhl, this work parallels Gábor Szeremlei’s chapter on “Eschatology” which can be found in his book of Dogmatics entitled “Christian Religious Science”. A study of this issue provides insights into what theologians of the nineteenth century formulated in relation to this question, and how biblical approaches and ideas emerged within the debates of orthodox and liberal theology.

Als Otto Weber, der bekannte reformierte Theologe seine Intitution-Übersetzung ins moderne Deutsch 1938 veröffentlichte, bearbeitete er den Text in einer Weise, die den deutschen Lesern bis heute eine praktische Lesehilfe gibt. Um ihre Bedeutung zu verstehen, müssen wir die ursprüngliche Textordnung der Institution vor Augen halten. Die vier Bücher in Calvins Werk enthalten insgesamt 80 Kapitel. Calvin selbst schrieb als Kopfleiste sowohl zu den vier Büchern, als auch zu den 80 Kapiteln eine thesenartige Überschrift. Ein Kapitel zählt im Durchschnitt 15 bis 20 Seiten – für moderne Leser ein viel zu großer Umfang, kaum zu über- blicken. Zwar teilte Calvin die Kapitel in kleinere Abschnitte auf, die Ordnungszahlen erhielten, aber diese Nummerierung hilft kaum weiter. Nun verfasste Otto Weber zu jedem Kapitel der Institution etwa 20–50 Untertitel, welche den Inhalt der einzelnen Abschnitte angeben. Wenn man dieses ausführliche Inhaltsverzeichnis durchblättert, bekommt man einen schnellen und direkten Einblick sowohl in die Detailfragen, als auch einen Überblick auf das Ganze des calvinischen Denkens.

Durch die ungarische Übersetzung wollten der Übersetzer und der Lektor diese Lesehilfe als Weg zum besseren Verständnis Calvins den ungarischen Lesern zugänglich machen. Dadurch bekommt ihre praktische Übersetzungsarbeit auch einen wissenschaftlichen Wert.

We are always seeking for the sense of the life, for ourselves and for the place in our family and community. Religion shows a new way to us, according to Jesus Christ’s principles. The son of God not only created a religion, but gave us an example how to live, and sacrifice himself for us. Sándor Karácsony reckons religion as a spiritual behavior, the base of our social contacts. We have to see into our lives and character according to the message of Jesus Christ. The right and appropriate personality can be evolved by individual training.

The views of Sándor Karácsony about religious education can be clearly discerned from his writings. The main task of reformed pedagogy is to activate continuously the divine notions in this continuously changing world. Protestant teachers must accomplish their daily work according to the Gospel of Christ. The Hungarian Reformed Church was a so-called “church of schools” for hundreds of years. This means that even between WWI and WWII it owned more schools than churches. The number of Reformed schools is significant even today. Sándor Karácsony claims that only Reformed people and communities are able to maintain Reformed schools by people who “are ready to serve and sacrifice themselves” for this cause (Karácsony, Sándor: A magyarok Istene. Széphalom Könyvműhely, Budapest 2004, 172).