Diakonia - Evangélikus Szemle, 1979
1979 / 2. szám - Summary
95 Diakonia Lutheran Review Summary Pastor Sándor Cserháti of Szeged finds that critical Bible science is able to eliminate conflicting views arising out of our scientific concept of the world and our mistaken interpretation of the Bible. He reviews the major milestones in Bible research. It is characteristic of the modem believer’s attitude to the Bible that he takes it seriously that God approaches man in a human way. This, however, does not relieve him of making the decision in faith: to hear the divine message in the human words! According to the biologist author of ’Improbable Reality’ life is an almost improbable, uncertain phenomenon even though we imagine we know the rules it is governed by. An unstable balance characterizes the state of life, its continuity and spreading being attributed to successful self-adjustment; but herein lies the problem that a live being is capable to resist certain influences from the outside world. The author outlines the currently accepted scientific theory about the origin and perfection of life as a possible solution to its development in the dimension of existence on earth. However, he considers life a fact beyond human logic and a gift that ultimately involves obligations to the Creator. It was 300 years ago, during the last three decades of the 17th century, that the great Hungarian war of independence broke out against Hapsburg despotism and Counter-Reformation oppression. The rising was headed by Lutheran Imre Thököly, great-grandson of prominent leaders of Hungarian Protestantism. The study by Tibor Fa- biny, church historian, traces the roots from which the adolescent youth developed later the ability for statesmanship partly to inherited spiritual and mental qualities and partly to the education he received at the later famous Lutheran College of Eperjes (Presov, CSSR). Stephan Pilarik’s Communion Jug — made in 1685 at the mining town of Selmecbánya (today Banska Stiavnica, Publication of the Lutheran Church in Hungary Responsible Editor: Dr. Zoltán Káldy Editor: Imre Veöreös Editorai and Publishing Office: H—1088 Budapest, Puskin u. 12. Subscriptions to this address too. Published every six month. Annual subscription 100,— Forint CSSR) in the north of Hungary — is an outstanding example of Hungarian Baroque silversmith work. The jug was ordered by the Lutheran pastor of the town who later became superintendent and whose literary activity and church organizing talents were outstanding. András Szilágyi describes in his study that the front of the jug is adorned by a copy of the front cover of the ’Kur- fürstenbibel’ published in 1641. The seven biblical scenes with their closely connected inner meaning lend special significance to this work of art which is the property of the Hungarian National Museum and is currently exhibited at the Lutheran National Museum. Miklós Komjáthy portrays the octo- generian scientist Elemér Mályusz whose family is almost as old as the Hungarian state itself and the family’s Protestant faith dates back to the Reformation. As professor of history at Budapest University between the two World Wars Mályusz was among the first to lift his voice in protest against the anti-Hungarian distortions in German nationalist historiography. In one of his longest and best monographs (Edict of Tolerance) he opposes Gyula Szekfü’s attempts to repaint the Counter-Reformation with the colours of victorious Catholic Baroque. Pál Rédey gives an account of retired Lutheran bishop József Szabó’s Madách collection in the Museum at Győr. Since early youth József Szabó has shown active interest in Madách’s chief work “The Tragedy of Man” — a drama written in the past century that spans world history. Following his retirement he has had more time for researching Madách’s entire life wojrk and for collecting a wide range of relative material. This unique collection — which is still in József Szabó’s care and which he continues to amplify — contains translations of the Tragedy in 33 languages. Besides these selected articles a table of contents may also be found in English and German.
