Calvin Synod Herald, 1976 (76. évfolyam, 1-12. szám)
1976-11-01 / 11-12. szám
4 CALVIN SYNOD HERALD Religious Education in the Hungarian Reformed Churches in the U.S. A. 1. Stages ancl Language of Hungarian Reformed Education The first Hungarian Reformed Church was organized in the United States on May 3, 1891 in Cleveland, Ohio with the leadership of the Rev. Gustav Jurányi. In the spring of that same year a church was under organization in Pittsburgh but there was no available minister. The two churches still dispute who was the first, however, since Cleveland had a minister, it seems to have the edge over Pittsburgh. Thus, the year of 1891 is accepted as the date for the beginning of Hungarian Reformed church life in America. (In 1853, Lajos Kossuth’s Chaplain organized a church in New York City and another in Newark, New Jersey but they were short lived. In 1881, Rev. Ferenc Kecskemethy also made an attempt to organize a church in New York City, but it also was short lived.) With mass immigration until the onset of the first World War, church membership grew and the number of congregations reached about 130. These years prior to World War I constitute the first stage of our American life which was purely Hungarian. The second stage commences with the first World War and stretches to the end of World War II (1945). During this time the need for the English language arose for the young people and children and marks the beginning of bi-lingual religious education and the introduction of English into our Worship Services. It was during this period that many people who had planned to return to Hungary were unable to do so because of the War and so settled permanently here in the United States. The third stage begins with the end of World War II and reaches to the present time. Following the War, there was an influx of white-collar Hungarian immigrants which came as a rebirth for the Hungarian congregations. This rebirth, however, was short lived since these middle class immigrants quickly spread all over the United States and assimilated quickly; much quicker than the first immigrants who were a lower class and did not readily assimilate. The Hungarian congregations again received a push following the 1956 Hungarian Revolution; but this influx was rather emotional and did not constitute a meaningful rise for the Hungarian churches. Meanwhile, the language shifted more and more to English. Totally English Worship Services were introduced and the attendance grew until the 1960’s and the Hungarian attendance dwindled week by week. The language at church meetings and activities was purely English and in some congregations, even at the meetings of the older ladies at the Ladies Aid Societies was English. In the first half of this period,, the language of the young people is English, Hungarian summer schools were still in existence, but slowly this also came to an end, and the summer school became Daily Vacation Schools. Occasionally, Hungarian classes are held once a week for an hour or two, and even rarer during the summer at Daily Vacation Schools. Now already for the third and fourth generation, Hungarian may be a sweet remembrance, but to some, it is completely meaningless. II. Denominational Affiliation of Hungarian Reformed Congregations Before the Hungarian churches were organized, our forefathers attended Worship Services in the Reformed (German) or Presbyterian churches. When these people were ready to organize their own Hungarian congregations, their respective ministers and churches assisted them along with the help of the mother church in Hungary. The earliest Hungarian churches therefore, were affiliated first of all with the Reformed or Presbyterian Church. In 1896, a chassis was organized by the Reformed Church of Hungary, but some congregations remained in the Reformed (German) Church or Presbyterian Church. Following World War I, the Reformed Church in Hungary was unable to assist congregations in the United States, so in 1922, the so called Tiffin Agreement was drawn up and signed, in which the Reformed Church of Hungary released the American congregations either to the Reformed or Presbyterian Church. Some congregations, however, remained independent. When the Reformed Church and the Evangelical Synod merged to form the Evangelical and Reformed Church, the Hungarian congregations were authorized to form a Hungarian Synod. At the present time there are about 130 Hungarian congregations in the United States. In the Presbyterian Church there are about thirty Hungarian congregations belonging to the geographical Synod where they are located. Although there is no legal Hungarian organization, there is a Hungarian Conference. These congregations follow the policy of the Presbyterian Church and are the closest to complete integration. In the United Church of Christ, there are about seventy Hungarian congregations out of which about fifty form the Calvin Synod (formerly Magyar or Hungarian Synod). The other congregations belong to the respective local Conferences (formerly called Synods) and are close to a complete integration. The Calvin Synod within the United Church of Christ enjoys a semi-independent life with its own policy and bishop and being the largest Hungarian Reformed Church group claims the rights of a Hungarian Reformed denomination; caring for the Hungarian Reformed diaspora and having its own policy
