Diakonia - Evangélikus Szemle, 1990
1990 / 1. szám - Summary, Aus dem Inhalt
DIAKONIA Summary Lutheran Review Publication of the Lutheran Chitrch in Hungary Editorlmre Veöreös Assistant editor:I^ászló Nagy Editorai and Publishing Office: H-1088 Budapest, Puskin u. 11 Subscriptions to above address. Annual Subscription: 160.-Forints. In ’Confessions about Lutheranism’ the journal presents the personal views of four intellectuals. Sociologist Rudolf Andorka values openness in sciences, including historical criticism in Bible research, support of social development, tolerance in different views, national commitment, fraternity with local ethnic German and Slovak Lutherans, support of Jews in times of persecution, the significance of situation ethics, and a Jesus-centred theology. Professor of music Árpád Fasang Sr. outlines the different stages of his life in relation to his maturing in Lutheran faith. For teacher Endre Liska Luther formulated the summary of Christian faith. According to him the fundamental Lutheran attitude combines conscientious reliability with open-mindedness. Physicist Jenő Sólyom has understood from childhood the adjective ’Lutheran’ to be synonymous with the words ’right’ and ’true’. As an adult, besides the teaching ’by grace through faith’, his thinking was determined by the Protestant work morality and Luther’s teaching about the two dominions. Pastor István Szépfalusi conducts the Hungarian Ministry within the Lutheran Church of Austria from his Vienna headquarters. Extracts from his 1987 annual church report throw light on the fundamental conflict of Hungarians living abroad, primarily in Austria, namely their dual allegiance to the old and the new country. In a linguistic and cultural sense these Hungarians are part of the Hungarian nation. Lecturing in Budapest in December 1989, the author pointed Out that this dual allegiance in church relations might lead to dual church membership. Sociologist László Cseh-Szombathy writes about the increasing role of the changing family. The socio-economic changes in the past 40 years, the communist policy suspicious of the family, and Western trends have loosened up the traditional family type. In 1967 a favourable change in the family policy affected already instabilized families. By that time the birth rate had dropped sharply. Besides a better living standard positive changes will require also the recognition of the importance of the family. The curches have a significant role to play here. Writer Gábor Albert addresses the questions of truth, Protestant ethical conduct, the church’s ethnic tasks, and the Hungarian Protestant Cultural Society founded in 1989 of which he is secretary. With a view of tending, preserving and asserting Protestant traditions and ethics in culture and education, with twelve departments the society covers practically the entire cultural spectrum. It is striving to revive the Protestant Review banished forty-six years ago which could serve as a creative workshop. Professor of theology in retirement István Ferdinánd writes about Dostoievsky’s portrayal of man. He regards the unity of thought and action, the swaying of the spirit between opposite extremes, and the acceptance of the other person with his burden of sin typical of the Russian mind. He presents the author’s anthropological findings in three areas: in atheism where Ivan Karamazov reaches the deepest abyss, in theodicea: how can God allow man his wicked deeds? and in collectivization where he points out that the author was primarily looking for the roots in religion and faith. Besides the papers reviewed above also a full Table of Contents is included in the English and German languages.
