Magyar Egyház, 1959 (38. évfolyam, 1-12. szám)
1959-12-01 / 12. szám
MAGYAR EGYHÁZ 9 Remembering the foundation of our Church 35 years ago, we should never forget the great distinctive teachings of the First Constitutional Assembly. Free Magyar Refored Church had to he organized in order that the God-given treasures of the Hungarian Reformed faith and tradition should have an enriching function in American Protestantism. Although we are similar to many of our sister denominations, we carry great many distinctive and uniquely Hungarian Reformed traditions which may have a decisive voice in the ecumenical conversation of today. And here is our first temptation, too: We should never minimize these distinctive characteristics like our fathers minimized the things common with others. We are not only the receivers of the benefits of an ecumenical era, we must take our distinctive, unique part in it. If we are ever forced to give up what we believe to be the truth revealed to us, we are unworthy of our heritage. We should not deny our traditions just because it is the thing others expect us to do. There is certainly a danger of losing our identity in this era of “enforced uniformity” sometimes practised by people only pretending to be really ecumenical. The other great temptation of our church life is the willingness of many of us to forget, that we are a Hungarian Reformed Church IN AMERICA. Dr. Nanassy and his friends started the Free Magyar movement because they were true Americans, understanding the great tradition of separation of church and state. Dr. Vincze used to call our denomination and Archdean Daróczy agreed wholeheartedly with him: the example of the Hungarian Reformed Church of the future, not only here, but also in the old world. We are not a ghetto held together by our racial background. Such an idea is very much hostile to the true spirit of Hungarian Calvinism which carried out a historical mission to Slovaks, Croatians, Roumanians, and even to Czechs. He who accuses Hungarian Calvinism of narrow-minded chauvinism should learn history first. But this lesson should be given to those in our midst who endanger the true symphony of the Hungarian Reformed faith, emphasizing only the first part of this expression at the very expense of the Reformed faith. Our Church is a confessional Reformed Church. Duquesne in 1924 glorified God in the true spirit of the Second Helvetic Confession. It did not err towards shallow indifferentism, otherwise there would be no Hungarian Reformed Church in America today. But equally, it was to be a Reformed Church and not a national society. Both temptations may become very real for us. The writer belongs to a very late generation of ministers of the Hungarian Reformed Church in America. Yet, in one point he may be very much old fashioned; he believes that the very existence of our Churches depend upon the reaffirmation of the very same confessions the Duquesne Assembly accepted. It is the true apostolic tradition for us. It is our mission, our service to America and to our people. Aladar Komjáthy On Christian Unity NEWS — OPINIONS — COMMENTS Rome: Roman Catholic Ecumenical Council Not Before Three Years (EPS). The Ecumenical Council of the Roman Catholic Church announced by Pope John XXIII will not be held before another three years, Vatican Secretary of State, Domenico Cardinal Tardini, has announced. When convened, it will be an “internal affair” of the Roman Catholic Church and will not permit any “giving and taking” with Protestant representatives, Cardinal Tardini told reporters in one of his rare press conferences. The prelate said that representatives of other Christian groups will be welcome as “observers” but, so far, there is no intention of issuing individual invitations. The primary task of the Council, he said, will be to “promote the development of the Catholic faith; to bring new life to the traditions of the Christian people and to bring up to date ecclesiastical disciplines in accordance with the necessity of the times.” * * * Chicago: Anglican Prelate Would Accept Pope As Leader The second-ranking prelate of the Church of England said in a news conference in Chicago, 111., that he would accept the Roman Catholic Pope as the Christian Church’s No. 1, but not infallible leader. “I am willing to accept the Pope as a presiding bishop among the bishops of Christendom, but not as infallible”, Dr. Arthur Michael Ramsey, Anglican Archbishop of York, declared. * * * Salzburg: “Psychological Difficulties of Union” A prominent Roman Catholic leader has suggested that it would be “better psychologically” if the Roman Catholic Church referred to Protestants and Orthodox as “separated brethren” rather than as “heretics and schismatics”. The Rev. Dr. Thomas Sartory, OSB, a leader of the Una Sanota movement, said in a speech in Salzburg, Austria, that the Ecumenical Council called by Pope John XXIII will have to pay special attention to “psychological difficulties which are an obstacle to reunion”. “It is a mistake”, he added, “to blame the Protestants and Orthodox alone for the division of the Church. Nor should the reunion of the Church be envisaged merely as a return of those churches to the bosom of Rome. The aim should rather be unity when, where and how God wills.” Una Sancta is a movement of clergy and laity of both the Roman Catholic and Protestant churches for Christian unity. * * * Sydney : Roman Catholic Attitude Major Obstacle to Christian Unity Dr. William N. Pittenger, professor of Christian apologetics at the General Theological Seminary (Protestant Episcoppal), New York, said that one of the “real difficulties” in reaching union is the “unwillingness on the part of the Roman Catholics to take other than a stand inviting complete submission to Rome, without any attempt at cooperative understanding”.
