Hagyomány, Identitás, Történelem

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Open Access
A 18. századi ellenreformáció Eszterházy József posthuma memoriája alapján
(2026) Gyócsi Ádám; Történelemtudományi Doktori Iskola; Károli Gáspár Református Egyetem
Through his trusted men, Eszterházy continued the court’s Counter-Reformation policy throughout his dominions, albeit on a small scale. He supported his own Catholic Church, sometimes at the expense of Protestant churches, and he also enlisted the help of settled Slavic and German settlers to do this. His brother Ferenc assisted him in this endeavour and continued his legacy after his death. However, his son was less enthusiastic, so he entrusted his secretary to fulfil his legacy according to his wishes. Although the Memoria only describes the struggles of Protestants living on the Eszterházy estates due to the landlord’s religious policy, a tangible, albeit incomplete, positive change in the lives of Protestant denominations occurred in the „long 18th century” with the 1781 Edict of Tolerance, which was completed in 1848.
Open Access
Csendes esték. A holland szigorú reformátusok és a magyar reformátusok
(Károli Gáspár Református Egyetem Hittudományi Kar Egyháztörténeti Kutatóintézet, 2025) Pusztai Gábor; DE - Bölcsészettudományi Kar
One of the high points of Dutch-Hungarian relations dates back to the 1920s and 1930s. This conjuncture began with the so-called “children’s trains”, an aid operation on a gigantic scale, in the emergency period of post-Trianon Hungary. Between 1920 and 1930, tens of thousands of Hungarian children were allowed to holiday, rest and recover from the trauma of war in Dutch foster homes. The revitalised relations were also reflected in the church. The neo-Calvinism, represented by the Dutch “strict” Reformed Church (Gereformeerde Kerken in Nederland) known in Hungary primarily as “historical Calvinism”, also found Hungarian followers. The most prominent among them was the theological professor from Budapest, Jenő Sebestyén (1884–1950. In this paper, we will discuss one of the publications on Dutch neo-Calvinism, the booklet by Gerda Jakosné Nederbragt: Pictures from the Life of the Dutch Reformed People, published as the fourth booklet in the series Silent Evenings, edited by the Reformed pastor Géza Pap. On this occasion, I would like to talk about the not always smooth relationship between neo-Calvinism and the Hungarian Reformed Church, which also harboured the danger of a church split in Hungary.
Open Access
Dr. Fónyad Dezső „börtönbibliája” és levelezése
(Károli Gáspár Református Egyetem Hittudományi Kar Egyháztörténeti Kutatóintézet, 2025) Bárány Zoltán; Hittudományi Doktori Iskola; KRE - Hittudományi Kar
This study presents a historical and theological analysis of Dr. Dezső Fónyad’s “prison Bible” and his prison correspondence during his unjust detention in 1945. A Reformed pastor and public intellectual, Fónyad was accused of war crimes without concrete evidence, becoming a victim of political persecution in the pre-communist era. Despite the ordeal, his annotated Bible and deeply personal letters reflect unwavering Christian faith and moral strength. These sources reveal his spiritual battles, concern for his family, and refusal to betray others under interrogation. His writings show a man enduring psychological and physical suffering, clinging to hope through Scripture and prayer. The prison notes demonstrate his Calvinist worldview and theological interpretation of suffering. Fónyad viewed his trial as a public spectacle and maintained that only divine justice could ultimately prevail. This paper contributes to the understanding of clerical persecution during Hungary’s postwar political transformation.
Open Access
Duka Tivadar és a magyar bibliaterjesztés és -kiadás ügye
(Károli Gáspár Református Egyetem Hittudományi Kar Egyháztörténeti Kutatóintézet, 2025) Szász Lajos
This study aims to present the life of Tivadar/Theodore Duka from the perspective of the Hungarian Bible publishing and distribution. Following the 1848/49 War of Independence, Duka served as a military doctor in England and the British colonies, and later played an important role in the leadership of the British and Foreign Bible Society. As such, he became the mentor of the revision of the Károli Bible. He facilitated the communication between the Bible Society and the Hungarian translation committee. Duka played a significant role in the realization of the 1890 commemoration of Gáspár Károlyi and the completion of his statue. Duka helped the Lutheran and Reformed churches in Hungary to resolve problems related to the distribution of Bibles by the Bible Society. He intervened to have the Bible sellers conducting the Baptist mission brought into line.
Open Access
Az első nagy református újjászületés-vita Magyarországon. A vita kibontakozása 1867–1877
(Károli Gáspár Református Egyetem Hittudományi Kar Egyháztörténeti Kutatóintézet, 2026) Kovács Kálmán Árpád
In 1874, Sámuel Szeremlei identified ten significant issues within Protestantism. The debates associated with these issues are difficult to present individually because, as soon as the author references one of the subjects, at least two or three related issues begin to emerge, generally resulting in at least eight other issues being raised by the time two or three commentators have spoken. Furthermore, the aforementioned ten issues are permeated by an eleventh issue: the question of spiritual rebirth. This subject was discussed in relation to at least three other topics in Protestant press debates: first, church discipline; second, home mission; and third, the ‚associated’ debate. From a Protestant perspective, the years between 1867 and 1877 were notable for four significant political events: the Austro-Hungarian Compromise of 1867; the inauguration of Ágoston Trefort as Minister of Culture in 1872; the Great Depression of 1873; and the inauguration of Kálmán Tisza as Prime Minister in 1875. From an ecclesiastical historical perspective, the three key events of this period were the establishment of the Protestant Association in 1871, the sovereign’s mandate to consolidate the Protestant school system in 1873, and the publication of the Debrecen Confession of Faith in 1875. This study examines the place and role of spiritual rebirth in the Debrecen Confession of 1875, contextualising it within the framework of Protestant press statements and debates between 1867 and 1877. According to Ferenc Balogh’s diary entry for 23 March 1872, the declaration had been finalised by that time but was not published until the first issues of the Evangelical Protestant Newspaper (Evangyéliomi Pro testans Lap) in 1875. It was backdated (or more precisely re-dated) to 14 November 1874. The reasons for the delay in publishing the statement were as follows: the faith community of the Hungarian Calvinists; the denomination’s specific spatial structure; the failed liberal church reform; and the changes in the Dualist State’s religious policy. Notably, there was no Protestant minister in the government of the Kingdom of Hungary between the end of 1872 and the beginning of 1875; before and after that period, there were generally three to four of them. In this slowly evolving situation, arguments against publishing a confessional discussion document were no longer valid. It was no longer believed that a declaration of neo-Orthodox teachings could cause dangerous intra-denominational disunity.
Open Access
Az Erdélyi Református Egyház 18. századi püspökeinek irodalmi munkássága
(Károli Gáspár Református Egyetem Hittudományi Kar Egyháztörténeti Kutatóintézet, 2025) Tasnádi István; Hittudományi Doktori Iskola; KRE - Hittudományi Kar
This article examines the literary legacy of the bishops of the Reformed Church in Transylvania in the 18th century. It provides a bibliography of the written works of the 17 authors and analyzes this data, focusing on the genres in which the bishops wrote, the locations of publication, the languages used, and any potential correlation between their writings and their election. The study reveals that nearly two-thirds of the 135 works are funeral sermons. The large number of joint services conducted by later bishops suggests a strong connection between representative funeral services and their election. Most bishops published at least one Latin disputation during their studies abroad, but the vast majority of the books were written in Hungarian and printed in Kolozsvár. The sermon texts, theological works and literary writings vary significantly, reflecting each bishop’s ndividual field of work and interest.
Open Access
Gulácsy Lajos mint missziós munkás és az élő Ige szolgálója (életútvázlat a lelkipásztorrá történő szenteléséig)
(Károli Gáspár Református Egyetem Hittudományi Kar Egyháztörténeti Kutatóintézet, 2025) Szamborovszkyné Nagy Ibolya; II. Rákóczi Ferenc Kárpátaljai Magyar Főiskola (Beregszász)
Lajos Gulácsy served as the bishop of the Transcarpathian Reformed Church (TRC) from 1994 to 1998. This period was a time of visible and tangible revitalization for the KRE, making him perhaps the most well-known figure among Transcarpathian clergy within the Reformed Church of the Carpathian Basin, due to his actions, public confessions, and the impact of his work. Meanwhile, very little is known about his activities prior to his ordination as a pastor. The goal of our research lies in this gap, as we aim to systematically and chronologically uncover Lajos Gulácsy’s life journey, from his involvement in missionary work to the beginning of his pastoral ministry in 1978, based on contemporary sources, reminiscences, and documents. We believe that only by understanding the life path of this late pastor, church secretary, and later bishop, can we comprehend his driving motivations. By following his activities throughout his life, we also aim to demonstrate how his multifaceted work contributed to the spread of the living Word. There is not much to be said about the research background of the mentioned period, as only two publications have attempted to outline the full life path of the late bishop. The results were more modest than successful, as they present a notably incomplete and rough picture of the period up to 1978. Since one of these works is authored by the writer of these lines, we have made an effort to fill in this gap. For this reason, we have sought to enrich the sources of the topic by incorporating as many diverse documents and types of sources as possible, including court records from Lajos Gulácsy’s arrest in 1949, interviews with the later pastor, and even his self-published autobiographies. Nevertheless, a common feature of these widely known documents is that they primarily focus on the period after his arrest and conviction, as well as on his activities during the revitalization period of the TRC.
Open Access
Hagyomány és/vagy korszerűség: az erkölcsi nevelés kérdései a reformkorban
(Károli Gáspár Református Egyetem Hittudományi Kar Egyháztörténeti Kutatóintézet, 2026) Czeglédi Sándor; Történettudományi Intézet; Ókortörténeti és Segédtudományi Tanszék; KRE - Bölcsészet- és Társadalomtudományi Kar
This study examines questions about moral education that emerged during the Hungarian Reform Era, as reflected in three pedagogical manuals and two influential periodicals. The authors – Pál Edvi Illés, János Warga and Fidél Beély – agree that education should have a religious and moral foundation, and that love plays a significant role. While the Protestant authors advocated influencing emotions, the Catholic Beély urged a balance between intellect and emotion. In terms of educators’ personalities, all three considered love and empathy to be the most effective methods, while viewing praise as counterproductive. In addition to German philosophy, the Protestant authors were influenced by physico-theology. Differences emerged regarding corporal punishment: the Catholic journal Religio és Nevelés (Religion and Education) defended it, whereas the Protestant Church and School Gazette resolutely opposed it. The study highlights that the pedagogy of the era was a synthesis of Enlightenment ideas and Biblical and ancient traditions. It also emphasises that the principles of moral education can only be authentically interpreted within their own context.
Open Access
Hagyomány, Identitás, Történelem I. 1 (2024)
(Károli Gáspár Református Egyetem Hittudományi Kar Egyháztörténeti Kutatóintézet, 2024) Egyháztörténeti Kutatóintézet; Földváryné Kiss Réka (főszerk.); Lányi Gábor (főszerk. h.); KRE - Hittudományi Kar
Open Access
Hagyomány, Identitás, Történelem I. 2 (2024)
(Károli Gáspár Református Egyetem Hittudományi Kar Egyháztörténeti Kutatóintézet, 2024) Egyháztörténeti Kutatóintézet; Földváryné Kiss Réka (főszerk.); Lányi Gábor (főszerk. h.); KRE - Hittudományi Kar
Open Access
Hagyomány, Identitás, Történelem II. 1 (2025)
(Károli Gáspár Református Egyetem Hittudományi Kar Egyháztörténeti Kutatóintézet, 2025) Egyháztörténeti Kutatóintézet; Földváryné Kiss Réka (főszerk.); Lányi Gábor (főszerk. h.); KRE - Hittudományi Kar
Open Access
Hagyomány, Identitás, Történelem III.1 (2026)
(Károli Gáspár Református Egyetem Hittudományi Kar Egyháztörténeti Kutatóintézet, 2026) Földváryné Kiss Réka; KRE - Hittudományi Kar
Open Access
A heidelbergi magyar peregrinusok könyves műveltsége
(Károli Gáspár Református Egyetem Hittudományi Kar Egyháztörténeti Kutatóintézet, 2026) Oláh Róbert
In this study, we examine the influence of the University of Heidelberg on the culture of the Carpathian Basin by analysing the booklists of seven Hungarian Reformed peregrine students, totalling around 800 items. The surviving booklists analysed are those of István Miskolci Csulyak (deacon of Zemplén), János Albensis Nagy (pastor of Marosvásárhely), István Geleji Katona the Elder (bishop of Transylvania), Benedek Károlyi Sánta (pastor of Szatmár), Máté Csanaki (court physician to Rákóczi György II and rector of Kolozsvár), Péter Alvinci (pastor of Kassa) and György Csulai (bishop of Transylvania). Finally, we review the areas that stood out during the analysis, highlighting those that testify to the influence of Heidelberg University and its book market.
Open Access
Holland egyetemi bíróságok ítéletei magyar diákok ügyeiben
(Károli Gáspár Református Egyetem Hittudományi Kar Egyháztörténeti Kutatóintézet, 2026) Bozzay Réka; Debreceni Egyetem
This study examines the functioning of early modern Dutch university courts and their rulings in cases involving Hungarian students. These courts were founded on medieval academic privileges, which granted universities legal jurisdiction over students and academic citizens. Hungarian students mainly appeared before university courts in civil cases, particularly disputes over unpaid rent and financial obligations, but criminal and moral cases also occurred. The largest number of cases emerged in Franeker, which had the highest number of Hungarian students enrolled. University courts generally aimed to preserve academic order while handling cases carefully and impartially. Severe offences occasionally resulted in expulsion or exile, but most cases resulted in fines or negotiated settlements. Overall, Hungarian students were involved in relatively few legal disputes over the course of two centuries, which suggests that they were effectively integrated into academic life.
Open Access
Károlyi Gáspár a világi felsőbbségről
(Károli Gáspár Református Egyetem Hittudományi Kar Egyháztörténeti Kutatóintézet, 2025) Leeuw van Weenen, Marco de; Protestáns politikatörténeti kutatócsoport; Károli Gáspár Református Egyetem
During his studies in Braşov and Wittenberg, furthermore also when serving as a pastor in Gönc, Hungarian bible translator Gáspár Károlyi experienced life in a community ruled by chosen leaders. At the university in Wittenberg he probably became familiar with Melanchthon’s views on worldly authority, as a church leader he committed to the views laid down in the Confession of Tarcal and Torda (based on Beza’s confession) and the Second Helvetic Confession written by Bullinger. Károlyi also wrote a book on the causes of the good and bad luck of all countries, in which he stated his wishes for a protestant king and nobility. In his interactions with several persons of authority, he always emphasized their responsibility to defend and support the protestant religion. In Károlyi’s opinion the worldly authorities were supposed to be exemplary members of the Christian church, who have their own field of responsibilities, but can always be rectified by the leaders of the church.
Open Access
Egy kettétört barátság története. Viták a Budapesti Református Egyházmegye élén, 1944-ben
(Károli Gáspár Református Egyetem Hittudományi Kar Egyháztörténeti Kutatóintézet, 2025) Erdős Kristóf
For the first dean of the Reformed Presbytery of Budapest, Imre Szabó, the real threat of the Nazi ideology to Christianity had been known since the early 1930s. In his sermons, lectures and newspaper articles, vhe voiced this opinion. In his congregation and in the Presbytery, his lay colleague in leadership was András Tasnádi Nagy, who as Minister of Justice had introduced the second anti-Jewish law (1939). Their political differences came to a head in the summer of 1944, when Tasnádi blocked Szabó’s initiative to have the Presbytery protest the deportation of rural Jews. As a result, their friendship ended. In 1946, Tasnádi was sentenced to death as a war criminal. On the initiative of dean Szabó, the Presbytery submitted a petition for clemency to save his life, which the President of the Republic accepted. Tasnádi’s sentence was changed to life imprisonment and he died in prison in 1956.
Open Access
Konfliktuskezelés Técső református egyházközségében 1780-1825 között
(Károli Gáspár Református Egyetem Hittudományi Kar Egyháztörténeti Kutatóintézet, 2026) Berecz Ágnes
This study examines the first surviving protocollum of the Reformed Congregation of Técső, located on the eastern border of Hungary (now Ukraine), and the conflict situations that occurred there and how they were resolved. These situations can be classified into four distinct categories (with some exceptions): between the parish and the diocese; between the parish and its members; between members of the congregation; and between married couples belonging to the congregation. The presbyterial council takes its decisions after hearing the persons concerned in person, demonstrating careful preparation and gradualness. Initially, the decisions were warnings and admonitions. If necessary, this process was repeated, while the congregation’s elders and the pastor worked to bring about positive change on a personal level. Only then were harsher sanctions taken, such as pastoral warnings, referral to the city council, temporary denial of the sacrament, burying relatives without singing or bells, loss of parish office and drafting a personal obligation (reversalis). The most severe punishment was a public confession of repentance before the whole congregation. A milder form of this was ‚privata poenitentia’, which took place on weekdays in front of church officials only. There was also a growing assertion of civic consciousness and morality, and it can be verified that, from the end of the 18th century to the first third of the 19th century, the strictness aimed at controlling private lives gradually weakened. (More precisely, the interpretation of the ‚private sphere’ expanded over time.) In summary, the conflict management methods of the Reformed Congregation of Técső are exemplary in that, in all cases, decisions were made by the congregation according to rules based on biblical principles, with the aim of maintaining the purity of community life.
Open Access
„Krisztus Király egyszerű katonája”. Kalydy Miklós (1912-1994) református lelkipásztor életútja
(Károli Gáspár Református Egyetem Hittudományi Kar Egyháztörténeti Kutatóintézet, 2026) Pusztai Gábor; Debreceni Egyetem
Miklós Kalydy (1912–1994) lived through most of the turbulent 20th century. As a child, he experienced World War I, the Spanish flu pandemic, the Asters Revolution, the Soviet Republic, the Red and White Terror, the Romanian occupation and the consequences of the Treaty of Trianon. As a young man, he witnessed Hungary’s shift to the right during the Horthy era, the Vienna Award, and the horrors of World War II firsthand. Between 1933 and 1937, he studied at the Theological Academy in Sárospatak, after which he worked as a Reformed assistant pastor in Sárospatak, Sajókaza, Nagybarca and Miskolc. In 1941, he became a pastor in Bódvavendégi (now part of Slovakia), where he witnessed the horrors of the war in 1944–45. He and his family were expelled from Slovakia in 1945. After the communist takeover, he observed the church moving closer to power. He then worked as a religious education teacher in Sárospatak until 1952, before becoming a pastor in Tiszaszederkény. As a Reformed pastor, he was one of those priests who quietly carried out their work during the years of dictatorship. They built up the congregations entrusted to them, striving to hold on to their principles under the given circumstances without abandoning their congregation members or the Reformed Church. They did not seek higher positions or attention, but consistently stood by their convictions. He retired in 1981 and passed away in Miskolc in 1994.
Open Access
Mozaikok a Táci Református Egyházközség történetéből a kezdetektől az 1730-as évekig
(Károli Gáspár Református Egyetem Hittudományi Kar Egyháztörténeti Kutatóintézet, 2026) Borsos Mátyás; Történelemtudományi Doktori Iskola; Károli Gáspár Református Egyetem
The village of Tác in Fejér County was founded in the 1670s following the destruction of the medieval Föveny settlement. There are no surviving records detailing the early organisation of the church, and identifying the first three ministers has proven difficult. This changed in 1689 when András Patai arrived in the village and started to keep the parish register. His records provide insight into the life of a community that had just been freed from Ottoman rule. A school was built in 1691, and a new church was erected on the site of the old one in 1696. This church still stands today. Unfortunately, during the War of Independence under Rákóczi, the parish register fell into foreign hands and was not recovered until the late 1730s. Alongside the register entries, this study also includes two letters written in the 1720s by János Jámbor, the parish priest of Ozora. In these letters, he complains about Bálint Balassa, the notary of Tác. These texts may offer useful information for researching the history of the church during this period, particularly for studies focusing on individuals’ lives and careers (prosopography).
Open Access
A romániai magyarságról felvidéki szemmel, a Református Világszemle 1931-40-ben megjelent lapszámai alapján
(Károli Gáspár Református Egyetem Hittudományi Kar Egyháztörténeti Kutatóintézet, 2026) Petheő Attila; Szegedi Tudományegyetem
As a creative village pastor, Béla Csekes established and maintained excellent foreign relations for the benefit of his fellow pastors who were experiencing difficulties. He spoke several languages. He visited America and Canada, served in Bečej (Óbecse) in Hungary, and then returned to his small homeland. My aim is to raise public awareness of his life’s work and publicise the magazine he published, Református Világszemle (Reformed World Review), which provides an excellent insight into the situation of the Reformed Church in Romania in the 1930s.