This presentation advocates for the revival of theology as a craft, specifically by teaching theological students the craft of a theologian. To achieve this, it raises three questions: 1. What is the artisan mentality compared to the peasant mentality? 2. How should theology be understood as a craft, and how can it be taught as such? 3. Is it even permissible to pursue theology as a craft?
The concise concept of bibliotherapy encapsulates its fundamental principles: healing through literature. The method’s positive outcomes have spurred a resurgence in research, training and practical application in recent decades. In Hungary, this approach has yielded fruitful results, diversifying traditional psychological sessions and other forms of individual and group support, making it more accessible to those who may have hesitated to seek help otherwise.
The primary objective of my research was to contextualise the psychological dimensions of attachment theory within a theological framework. Specifically, I aimed to scrutinise the broad spectrum of interpretations stemming from Bowlby’s work from a practical-theological perspective, with a particular focus on pastoral and pastoral-theological aspects. In doing so, I intend to construct a meaningful bridge between the realms of psychology and theology.
In the field of homiletics, one of the most intriguing questions is the dynamics of the text-pastor-preacher triad. It is notable that these constituent elements are often more amenable to individual scrutiny than when examined collectively. What constitutes the text? Who embodies the role of the preacher? And what precisely characterises the sermon? In contemporary discourse, we possess a clearer understanding of these components than ever before.
After the Treaty of Trianon, the Transylvanian Reformed Church found itself in a completely new and unprecedented situation. In the years following the change of empires, there was an ideological search not only in literature and public life but also within the church. The intellectual elites of Hungarian Transylvania, including the leaders, theological professors, and ministers of the Reformed Church, significantly contributed to this quest, with their reflections and thoughts still holding significant content and influence today.
Nowadays, we often come across the concept of secularization. What did it mean in the past, and what does it mean today? This study explores the question, clarifies the terminology, outlines the brief history of the process, examines the biblical understanding of the phenomenon, identifies theological misconceptions, and sheds light on the possibilities, challenges, and tasks for Christian congregations within the process of secularization.
Psychologist John Bowlby, the father of attachment theory, maintains that “attachment plays a fundamental role in human life from the cradle to the grave”. In my research, I bridge the gap between the psychologically grounded theory of attachment and pastoral theology. My aim is to shed light on how attachment patterns formed in childhood (secure, anxious-avoidant, anxious-ambivalent and disorganized) influence adulthood, particularly the relational systems of pastors serving as leaders within congregations. To explore this, I employ empirical research methods.
In the intertestamental period, the term “proselyte” acquired the meaning of a pagan-born individual who converted to the Jewish faith. During this era, the prerequisites for conversion were formulated, and the sequence and significance of essential ritual acts were established. The Jewish diaspora was more receptive to proselytes compared to the Palestinian context. However, Roman citizens living in major imperial cities, who held contempt for Jewish communities, viewed proselytism negatively, considering it aggressive encroachment or a political maneuver by Jews.
In this paper we confront a provocative issue. Is Christianity responsible for the worsening environmental crisis? How can we interpret the dominium terrae mandate from the perspective of creation care? A contextual reading of the creation narratives reveals that the exercise of the dominion that God has given to man is subject to certain conditions and circumstances. Humanity is called to fulfil this mandate as the image of God, as part of the community of creation, living in the shadow of sin, but under God’s rule and with responsibility towards God.
The study was prepared for the 360th anniversary of the publication of the so-called Várad-Bible. In the context of the Hungarian New Testament translations of the 20th century, it examines the unique interpretations of László Ravasz’s translation published in 1971, as well as the in his commentaries to the New Testament given in Bible study groups within the church. The present research focuses mainly on chapters 17–18 of the Book of Revelation.