Bárdossy György szerk.: Credo. Evangélikus Műhely. A Magyarországi Evangélikus Egyház folyóirata. 2 (1996) 1-2. sz.

Kulturális figyelő

Credo Lutheran Workshop Summary Journal of the Hungárián Lutherban Church Editor: György Bárdossy Chairman of the Editorial Board: Róbert Frenkl Postal Address: H-1085 Budapest Üllői út 24. Published twice a year Price: 190 Ft Several studies of the present issue of this periodical are connected with two important anniversaries. One of them is the 450th anniversary of Martin Luther's death. His theology is analysed by Vilmos Vájta, a Hungárián theologian living in Sweden. Following Kirkegaard he finds the essence of Luther's theology in the corrective, which cannot stand against the normative and comprehensive character of theology. This corrective cannot be understood in an individualistic and subjective way but always within the framework of the church as a community. On this ocassion we also publish Anders Nygren's adress delivered on the statutory assembly of the Lutheran World Federation in 1947, in which the author urged a shift from the slogan "back to Luther" to the imperative of "ahead with Luther". Zoltán Csepregi investigates the roots of the Hungárián historical pietism laying particular stress on Spener's Lutheranism. An outstanding Hungárián representative of this pietism is György Szeniczei Bárány. Pál Szontagh introduces Luther the teacher. The other important event is the HOOth anniversary of the Hungárián conquest. On this ocassion we publish an interview with Gyula László archeologist, one of the leading experts of the period. The histórián István Nemeskürty deals with the connection of nation and Christianity in his essay. The Hungarians of the Reformation period contributed to the preservation of the Hungárián language and Christian culture. Düring the four decades of the communist regime both the nation and Christianity suffered. After the changes of 1990 it is not easy to restore and strengthen the broken relationship between them. A special section is devoted to an introduction of the renewed interest in the quest for the historical Jesus. An American scholar, Edgar V. McKnight, surveys the three epochs of the history of this research. Márta Cserháti discusses a book about Jesus written by the American Borg anáAndrás Csepregi introduces the monography written by the Hungárián Catholic, Rókus Kereszty. Tamás Fabiny analyses the books written in the past decades about Jesus by Jewish authors (Klausner, Vermes, Flusser, Lapide) calling attention to what Christian theologians can learn from them: the use of Rabbinic sources, a sociological approach and a particular stress on the Christian-Jewish rapprochement. Two studies focus on the recent past of the Hungárián Lutheranism. Imre Veöreös looks back to the renewal coming after the Second World War, to those three years when church life was conducted in relative freedom. He places church events in the historical and cultural context of the time. Róbert Frenkl, as one of the signers of the "Brotherly Word" published 10 years ago looks back at the circumstances surrounding its birth and the repercussions. This document criticised the theology of diakónia and it insisted on church reforms. This declaration had a very important role in the changes of the churchlife in the years to come. At the same time he expresses regret that the one-time signers have broken up into two groups. Two studies by outstanding sociologists are also published. Rudolf Andorka writes about the role of the church in a society struggling with a loss of values; Iván Szelényi asks the question whether there has been a shift in the economic and political elité in the new Eastern European socieites. Péter Szentpétery writes about sects (including destructive ones), cults, occultism; and the way they are evaluated in the church. Aliz Wiszkidenszky deals with the Christian view of contraception. The art historical analysis of János Végh discusses Dürer, whose drawings not only decorate thisissue, but his carving of a open gate is also the emblem of the present periodical. The cultural section gives an account of a number of newly published theological and literary works, dráma and opera Performances as well as exhibitations.