Református Szemle 109.4 (2016)

This article considers the theme of politics from the perspective of Dan 4. YHWH gives people power of which they can take advantage. This power is controlled and judged by YHWH, who, on his turn, looks for human representatives who understand His will. The tree surrounded by a band (Dan 4:12) points to the possibility of perseverance in the judgment, which is proclaimed by means of human agents. Anyone dreaming of a better policy has to be-come YHWH’s servant which requires humility and obedience.

In the background of the increasingly popular group dynamics one should be aware of the loosening ties within the communities of the modern society. The essence of a small group is that it enables special, experimental and interpersonal learning. Their efficiency as live, open systems can be measured in the existential change of the personality. In our analysis we examine cases of adaptation to the church life at the level of complex ecclesial communal events.Studying the Bible in small groups is a genuine heritage of the Reformation, although it had taken centuries to be considered socially relevant. According to the pastoral-psychiatric practices, the most proper “social sphere” of repentance as the existential spiritual change of the personality is provided by the Bible-study groups. Group-phenomena such as group-cohesion, altruism, wholeness, dynamic balance can be matched very well to the spiritual qualities of the church as a unity of the living body of Christ. Group dynamical process will facilitate a live and fresh ecclesial life. Church services as moderated large-groups are to provide social integration for the Christians through concentric circles. Through the internalisation of a consensus-able dialogue-culture the ecclesial communities would be enabled to formulate a community model based on the love of Christ. To assign proper place of dialogic Bible study, the importance of groups should be increased within the system of church services and complex ecclesial occasions.

This article is concerned with the question of dichotomy and trichotomy of the human person. Following an earlier semantic analysis of biblical terms (published in Református Szemle 105.3 (2015)), the present paper introduces the reader into the significance of theological anthropology for the most important authors of the Early Church.

The Women’s Alliance of the Királyhágómellék Reformed Church District was established eighty five years ago, on 3 September 1931, 11 years after the formation of this Hungarian church body geographically covering the western part of today’s Romania. Besides providing a historic background with unique details, our study pays a tribute to the devotion and immense work of the Reformed women on behalf of the Church. The Women’s Alliance has played a most important missionary role within the Királyhágómellék Reformed Church District.