Church history

Karl Barth’s Letter to the Romans is the theologian’s best-known and most influential work. In any case, it cannot be ignored when examining theological developments in the 20th century. This presentation will focus on where this epoch-making work can be placed between a hermeneutical manifest and classical commentary literature. Of particular interest are the intertextual aspects of Barth’s work, which this paper emphasizes.

Miklós Bánffy (1873–1950) as member of the Count Bánffys of Losoncz family was born in Kolozsvár, and returned there twenty-six years after his death. The writer, artist, politician and cultural organizer, who had a wide-ranging and rich life, repeatedly returned to his native town to start life anew, and these homecomings continued after his death through the wavering successes of his memory and his legacy care.

This study examines the formative pastoral ministry of Bishop János Vásárhelyi during his early career, spanning his one-year assistantship in Cluj-Napoca (Kolozsvár) and seven-year ministry of the Reformed Congregation in Bistriţa (Beszterce). Vásárhelyi prioritized preaching as fundamental to effective pastoral ministry while implementing comprehensive home mission programs including adult and youth Bible studies, Sunday school, religious education, and devotional services.

This study examines the journalistic contributions of Mihály Basa, a Reformed minister whose written works demonstrate significant engagement with contemporary educational discourse. Basa’s publications reveal a sustained commitment to popular education advocacy, positioning him as a prominent voice in Transylvanian educational reform movements. His comprehensive reform proposal systematically addressed critical educational challenges facing Transylvania during his era. His recommendations reflect both pedagogical insight and practical consideration of regional educational needs.

This article examines the establishment and significance of the Reformed Study Fund, which enabled Hungarian students to pursue theological education at the Free University in Amsterdam or the Theological University in Kampen. Established in 1921, this fund continued the tradition of the 1761 Bernardinum Scholarship, which facilitated Hungarian and Palatine students’ studies in Utrecht.

This study provides insight into the life trajectory, pastoral development and ministry of Mihály Basa, a Reformed minister, whilst examining the civil and ecclesiastical conditions of 19th-century Transylvania and the intellectual endeavours of the period. The paper pays tribute to Basa’s unwavering faith and resolute action during the turbulent 1848–1849 revolution and war of independence.

This study examines the emergence and spread of Protestantism in Korea from the late 19th to early 20th century. Christianity, particularly Protestantism, exerted significant influence on Korea’s social and political development, especially in education, healthcare and modernisation. Schools and hospitals established by American and European missionaries contributed substantially to the widespread acceptance of Christianity.