Calvin Synod Herald, 1973 (73. évfolyam, 1-12. szám)
1973-10-01 / 10. szám
4 CALVIN SYNOD HERALD the cities, they seek work in the factories or as janitors, but if their hopes are not fulfilled soon, they join the uncontent mass of proletarians-communists. They have no desire to return to their villages, and therefore are lost to the Church and found by the communists. Statistics. Of the population of France, about ten million belong to the Church; but out of this figure only about four million are practicing, observant Christians. In the farming areas, about thirtyeight percent of the population follow Christianity. The second ten million people are sympathetic with the Church, the third ten million are indifferent to the Church, and the last ten million are hostile against the Church. The Protestant number about eight hundred thousand; about four hundred fifty thousand belong to the Reformed faith, and three hundred ten thousand to the Lutheran faith. Past. In less than fifty years after the Reformation, two thousand congregations were formed with twenty to thirty percent of the people accepting the Reformation. In 1561, Cardinal de Sainte Croix, wrote to Rome: “Le Rayome est plus qu’á demi hugenot.” In Colliguy’s report there were 2,150 congregations, and for this there were needed four to six thousand ministers. During the persecution period they were deminished. During this persecution period, the Roman Catholic Church abolished the Reformed Church and with it, the possibility of a renewal. The country became lost, not only for the protestants, but the Roman Catholic Church as well. With no Christianity, France became a field for communism. Renewal — Awakening. The nineteenth century was a period of reconstruction. Under the British and Swiss influence, the following organizations were formed: In 1817, the Societe Continental de Lourdes, in 1827 the Societe de Mission Continental, and in 1830, the Societe Evangelique de Geneve. By 1862, every village in France had been visited by Bible colporteurs. French Evangelistic Societies were later formed in Paris, in the North and South. They federated in 1846 and called themselves the Societe Central d Evangelisation. After the French-German war in 1871, the French slogan was “France needs to be re-made,” while the Church said “France needs to be evangelised,” and as a result of this, the Evangelical Home Mission Board was formed. The so-called Social Evangelism with its paper, Le Christianism Social, had a great influence on the people. Societies of Evangelism. The Societe Central d Evangelism is under the guidance of the French Reformed Church and works close with the local churches. They organized many new posts and congregations, and by 1939 there were one hundred thirty new congregations. The McAll Mission was organized in Paris in 1871, under the name of, Mission Populaire Evangelique with their emphasis on “milieu.” Trying to win the unchurched to Christ, they rented halls, calling them, Salle neutres, Fraternites- and Solidarites, with the result that within twenty years, they opened one hundred thirty-six evangelistic centers, with fifty in Paris. The Salvation Army had a great influence in this period, but it is regretable that they claim to be a church and do not work for the churches. Besides these three great evangelistic societies, the YMCA, the Protestant Scouting and the Cimade had a great influence on the French Youth. Their work is mighty, their task is noble for the Kingdom of God. Francis Vitéz DR. BELA VASSADY BORN: Arad, Hungary, December 30, 1902, son of Louis & Margaret Vassady; Father was superintendent of education in Hungary. MARRIED: Serena Nagy, Halmi, Hungary. CHILDREN: Naomi, 1934; Bela, Jr., 1938; Timea, 1939. EDUCATION: B.D. (cum laude), Central Theological Seminary, Dayton (1924); Th.M., Princeton, 1925; Th.D. (summa cum laude), Debrecen University, Hungary; Diploma of Private Docentship, Debrecen, 1932; Additional study in Vienna, Berlin, Leipzig, Paris and London. ORDAINED: Cleveland, Ohio, 1924. HONORS: Essay on “The Psychology of Faith” won him a 2000 German Reichsmark prize in the Kant Gesellschaft (Berlin, 1931): Fellowship, Lilly Foundation, study in Germany, 1959-1960. PROFESSIONAL CAREER: Supply Pastorates — Buffalo, N.Y. & Debrecen, Hungary; Professor of Education & Philosophy, Papa, Hungary (1925-28): Professor of Systematics, Sárospatak, Hungary (’28- 34); Professor Systematics, Univ. of Debrecen (1934- 48 — was for two terms Dean of Divinity Faculty, President of the Theological Faculty, ’44-48); Guest Professorships held at McCormick Seminary, Chicago; Princeton Seminary; Fuller Seminary, Pasadena; University of Dubuque and its Seminary, Dubuque, Iowa, 1947-52. Professor of Systematic Theology, Lancaster Seminary, 1952-present. PROFESSIONAL ACTIVITIES: Society of Reformed Theologians in Hungary, founder and 1st Pres.; Reformed Ministers Association, Hungary, Executive Secretary; Ecumenical Council of Churches,
