Magyar Egyház, 1967 (46. évfolyam, 1-12. szám)
1967-10-01 / 10. szám
8 MAGYAR EGYHÁZ II. On October 31 of this year the Protestant world observed the 450th anniversary of the Reformation. Many articles were written, a great number of speeches were given to explain the historical meaning of what Luther had done on October 31, 1517 by nailing his 95 theses on the door of the chapel in Wittenberg. We, too, have to be witnesses of this celebration. What does Reformation mean to us, who is Martin Luther to us? We believe that the Reformation was the second great Pentecost for the Church. The same Holy Spirit that formed the first Church completed the Reformation. The same Holy Spirit that filled Philip touched Martin Luther’s heart. Luther was a monk who could not find God in the lonely cell of a monastery, he was a man who could not believe in a God, who would give salvation for gold, or even for pious deeds. He was searching for God like the Ethiopian and like him, Luther did not even dream of the fact that angels in heaven were gathering, making ready to help and that he would mount the fast chariot of history to explain to God-searching and salvation-seeking men of centuries to come that the just man lives by faith. Luther, Calvin, Zwingli, Melanchton, Beza, Buliinger, and the many others are Philips of the kingdom of God who since that time accompany the God-searching men cf the passing centuries and teach us that Jesus Christ is the Son of God, our Lord Saviour; that man cannot get rid of his sins by his own good deeds: Man is justified by faith, through the grace of God, by the merits of Jesus Christ. We have no Mediator before God, except Christ. No organization or dogma of man can stand between God and man. God gave man His Word as the rule of his life, and as God’s messengers explain to man who God is, he feels he becomes an instrument of God himself. As he continues on his homeward pilgrimage he praises God with a thankful heart and with the fruits of his faith. The few nails that Luther drove into the chapel door at Wittenberg have cracked the marble cathedrals of the Middle Ages. When Luther burned the Papal Bull, in that fire all human efforts were burned that closed the heavens to mankind. The greatness of Luther and Calvin was that they reformed the church to its original apostolic form. We dearly love their memory and we are grateful to God for them, because they were angel-sent interpreters of the Word to us, who ride with us in history’s chariot. in. The Reformed Church in Hungary, too, had a Pentecost, February 24, 1567, in Debrecen when our forefathers brought to our fate’s chariot, the Second Helvetic Confession. The Second Helvetic Confession, together with the Heidelberg Catechism, has accompanied the Reformed Church in Hungary throughout 400 long years of historv. drenched by the martyrs’ blood, and it has led the thirsty souls of the Hungarians from the written to the living Word. The Second Helvetic Confession was our interpreter of the Word of God, our commentary, which helped us to fathom the depths of the Word of God. A creed can never replace the Scripture but it will always point to the living Christ. The Second Helvetic Confession was our symbol, our banner, our coat of arms, it was the sign to mark those who all were members of one faith. This work by Buliinger became so much our own that until 1881 we called ourselves Evangelicals according to the Helvetic Confession. In regard to the reasons why this Confession was adopted by our Church, let us see what the great Bible translator, Gáspár Karolyi, wrote to Theodore Beza in 1568: “We admit that the creed of your church (the Second Helvetic Confession) is the one that we like the most, because among all of them this is the clearest, and it agrees with the Holy Scriptures of the prophets and the apostles the most.” The Second Helvetic Confession has given priceless service to the Reformed Church in Hungary. Its acceptance brought along the church’s theological, ecclesiastical, and organizational unity. In the time of faithlessness it stopped extremism. In the time of great spiritual drought it directed everyone to the refreshing springs of the Gospel. It was an angel-sent, blessed travelling companion. It was a saving power at home, and it was a special saving power for us, Hungarian Reformed Christians in America. The Second Helvetic Confession reminds us where we came from, who we are, and that we must be faithful to our forefathers’ faith. Gaza, Wittenberg and Debrecen teach us that the God-seeking man will find God in His Word, the God Who gives us salvation by His grace. It is He Who has called us into His Church so that, confessing continually that Jesus Christ is our Lord and Saviour, there shall be joy in our heart until our life’s journey is finished and the chariot of history reaches the end of time. Reformed Church Leaders Arrested in Hungary The following is the English translation of the letter sent by the American Hungarian Ministerial Association to Bishop Dr. Tibor Bartha, on September 7, 1967. The text of the letter was accepted unanimously by the plenary session of the Association at its annual meeting in Ligonier. Pennsylvania. Ligonier, September 7, 1967 The Right Reverend Bishop Dr. Tibor Bartha, President The General Synod, Reformed Church in Hungary, Budapest, Hungary Dear Bishop Bartha, The American Hungarian Reformed Ministerial Association at its Annual Meeting on September 5 and 6, in Ligonier, Pennsylvania, received the news of the arrest of the Reverend Balint Kovács, minister in Budapest, and Elders Denes Batiz, M.D. and Maty as Bugarszky. The news of the arrest of the above mentioned churchmen filled the members of the Association with anxious concern, and they turn to your Excellency, as the President of the General Synod, with the request, that, if it is in your power, you would inform your brother pastors in America about the causes and circumstances of this affair. According to information reaching us through various channels, the reason for the arrest of these men was their ecclesiastical activities, which fact, if true, would unfavorably effect the brotherly relationship between the Reformed Church in Hungary and Calvinists of Hungarian background in North America, developing in such promising manner in the past few years. The membership of the Ministerial Association is waiting with loving anxiety for Your Excellency’s answer, which will be made known to the entire membership. Asking the Lord’s blessing upon Your Excellency and the Church under your leadership we remain With brotherly greetings, Dr. Andrew Harsanyi, President Ministerial Association Copy to: Mr. Joseph Prantner, President State Office for Church Affairs Budapest, Hungary
