Egyháztörténeti Szemle 17. (2016)

2016 / 3. szám - SUMMARIES IN ENGLISH - Sas Péter: From Bishop László Ravasz of Dunamellék official correspondence

Summaries in English

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From Bishop László Ravasz of Dunamellék official correspondence

Sas, Péter

László Ravasz (1882-1975) theologian, a religious writer, one of the dominant personalities of the 20th century Hungarian Protestantism, quickly rose through the ranks of the Church's talent. In 1907, he became a professor at the Cluj-Napoca Reformed Theological Academy, in 1918 the Transylvanian Reformed Church District chief clerk. In 1921, the Bishop of the Dunamellék Reformed Diocese, for four decades in Budapest Kálvin Square Church pastor. Between 1926-44 a member of the Upper House. In 1948, he resigned as bishop of rank and retired from public life. Thanks to the revolution in 1956, he dedicated a few months for his old his work.

His vocation in the service of God may be related to the choice of a finding of this general message „the Transylvanian Hungarian Reformed man's life together has intertwined the church's life closely”. In 1921 going to Budapest he had to separate from his homeland. The extended concept of home land for both geographical territory has took him through hard times.

That’s no secret, we can not mention the name László Ravasz without critical voices, as he voted for the first and second Jewish laws. As a man of faith he protested against the third Jewish law. Part of it was that on 20 October 1942, the Hungarian Reformed Church Universal Convent founded the Good Shepherd Jewish Rescue Mission Commission. As of today he remained subject of polemics.

The letters published from Transylvanian intellectuals, politicians (Lajos György, Farkas Gyalui, József Nyirő, Bernády György, György Buday, Count Bálint Bethlen, György Kristóf, Elemér Gyárfás, Count Pál Teleki, Singer and Wolfner Literary Institutes) were written to the bishop of the Dunamellék Reformed Diocese. For the memorial meeting for the 125th anniversary of his birth, pastor Zsolt Kozma, professor of theology, both Hungarians and Transylvanians, he has spoken about „our László Ravasz”. Knowing from correspondence it can not be concealed that his heart was beating stronger towards his Cradle Place.