Magyar Egyház, 1968 (47. évfolyam, 1-12. szám)
1968-01-01 / 1. szám
MAGYAR EGYHÁZ 9 The resolution urged that “police action be more effectively proportioned to the dangers of disorder so that law may be maintained and the innocent protected without inflaming passion further by unnecessary violence.” “No amount of police enforcement will be able to establish a secure peace in a situation of profound injustice and inhumanity.” In a concluding action, the Council elected a chairman and a vice-chairman to serve during the next year. Chairman is the Rev. Harry G. Williams of Trinidad. Clerk of the Caribbean Assembly Of Reformed Churches. He is the first Caribbean to head the North American Area Council. The North Ameriican Area Council of Reformed Churches is composed of 13 churches in the United States, Canada, and the Caribbean and represents some 10 million members. Bishop Louis Nagy and Dr. Andrew Harsanyi represented the Hungarian Reformed Church in America. THE SECOND HELVETIC CONFESSION RENDERED IN QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS God’s Catholic Church and Her Only Head (continued) 1. Can the earthly church be properly governed and kept in good order without the Roman bishop who claims to be the head of the earthly church as the vicar of Jesus Christ? Yes. The ancient church which did not have any Roman head was properly governed and kept in good order under the government which was taught by the apostles. 2. What is the danger of having one man over the church as her only absolute lord? The danger is that he may become a tyrant and hinder the necessary reformation, purification and renewal of the life of the church. 3. Were there controversies ocassionally about doctrines in the church? Yes. Even Apostle Paul had to correct Apostle Peter because of his incorrect teaching. However. God used these controversies for His own glory and for the vindication of the truth; and the church remained intact. 4. Which church should be regarded as the true church of Jesus Christ? Only that church in which the signs of the true church can be found. These signs are: a. The pure preaching of the Word of God from the writings of the prophets and the apostles. b. The believers live in the unity of peace and love. They worship only God and invoke Him through the only Mediator, the Lord Jesus Christ. They do not seek life and truth but in Jesus Christ. They recognize only Jesus as the head of the church. With true repentance, they daily renew their faith and patiently carry their crosses. c. They live with the sacraments of the Lord according to His instruction. 5. Are we allowed to leave the church which becomes unfaithful of Jesus, and in which the signs of the true church cannot be found? According to the apostle, we must leave such a church. 6. Is it necessary for us to be in the true church of Jesus Christ? It is so necessary that if we separate ourselves from the true church of Jesus Christ, there is no life and salvation for us. 7. Does this mean that everybody is lost who is outside of the earthly church? No. It might happen that some of the elect of God, because of certain circumstances, or because their faith occasionally weakens are not in the earthly church, even they do not live with the sacraments, yet they are not separated from Jesus Christ in their souls. 8. Can the true church cease to exist entirely? No. Although God may let the church disappear almost entirely at times, because of his righteous judgment, as it happened in the time of Elijah, but even then the church lived further in the spiritual unity of the true believers. This unity of true believers of all ages is called the invisible church. 9. Is everyone a true member of the church, who lives within it? No. There are seemingly good members of the church who lack the enlightenment of the Spirit, the true faith, the purity of heart and real perseverance. 10. Should the nominal members be put out of the church? As long as their presence does not do harm to the church, they should be endured. However, the believers should be always watchful lest the wicked destroy the church. 11. In what should we see the real unity of the church of Jesus Christ? Not in identical ceremonies and customs, but in the same doctrines, in the true and harmonious preaching of the gospel of Christ and in the faithful following of the ordinances of our Lord. Stephen Kovács NEWS FROM HUNGARY (Budapest) The Reformed Church of Hungary has changed its policy of excluding from the Lord’s Supper members who have agreed to educate as Roman Catholics children born to a confessionally mixed marriage. All church members who have been affected by this regulation will now be re-admitted to the Lord’s Supper, “on condition of repentance.” At the same time, the Church’s Synod has confessed its guilt having “used the same weapons as the Catholic Church in this conflict, which was forced upon us.”—RPPS • 115 Students Enrolled in Hungarian Seminaries. 115 students of theology were enrolled in the two Reformed seminaries in Hungary at the beginning of 1967-68 winter semester. The Reformed Seminary in Budapest had 70 students, 21 of whom were beginning their first year of study. In Debrecen 45 students were registered, 12 of them starting their first semester. —RPPS GOOD NEWS FOR MODERN MAN Although some people insist that the Bible is a religious relic and that even God is dead, there is an unprecedented demand for Scriptures in modern languages. A little over 10 months after the American Bible Society published “Good News for Modern Man,” the New Testament in Today’s English Version, more than four million copies had been distributed. In addition the ABS had placed print orders for at least another two million copies.
