Calvin Synod Herald, 1989 (89. évfolyam, 1-2. szám)
1989-09-01 / 2. szám
CALVIN SYNOD HERALD- 8 — REFORMÁTUSOK LAPJA The Pictures of the Annual Summer Youth Camp-----------------Bishop’s Inauguration Ceremony (Continued from Page 4) Church of Hungary deemed it important to retain the office of bishop in a modified version but in perfect conformity with Evangelical principles. The bishop first was elected by the ministers, then later by the presbyteries of congregations; therefore he is not the ruler of the ministers and presbyters and by no means is he the Lord and Master of the Church, but only ‘first among the equals’, whose prime obligation is to serve with even greater zeal than the others. The office of bishop in the interpretation of the Reformed Church never involves hiararchy, since the lay-presidential establishment over two hundred years ago, the bishop cannot rule alone but always in cooperation with the lay-presidential partner in all important decisions. The office of bishop is not even simultaneous among all Synods of the Church. While in three synods it had its beginning in the middle of the 16th century in the Northern Region only 189 years ago. In that Synod the leaders — in fearful observence of their autonomy — elected their first bishop only in the year of 1735 as a result of the Carolina Resolutions after the Bodrogkeresztúr Convent. Until that date the four classes of that Synod lived in union but were independently governed by their four deans. The strict adherence to autonomy produced strange differences even among the four Synods in the Nation, in me two synods on the two sides of the Danube River the bishop is instalj led by the bishop of one of the sister synods. In the other two synods on the two sides of the Tisza River the installation of the bishop is being done by the deans of the respective Synod. On the two sides of Danube the spirit of fraternity is dominant: on the two sides on the Tisza the spirit of autonomy is imperative. I myself at the present, on whose installation no brother bishop’s prayer and benediction was administered, readily came here with joy on your invitation. In this very same church I served in my youthful days, together with your new bishop of Trans-Danubia, Sunday after Sunday we were praising God here together. I came here at this time that in fervent prayers, with all those here assembled, I may ask upon your new bishop the benediction of our God, the Father of us all.”
