Magyar Egyház, 1969 (48. évfolyam, 1-12. szám)

1969-08-01 / 8-9. szám

MAGYAR KGYHÁZ

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the > ínéra1 curator of the entire Reformed Church,” it was only a title of gratitude. In 1734, however, the Conventus of Bodrogkeresztur declared the need for general curators to stand hy the bishops and for assistant curators to stand hy the seniors. The bishops accepted this new structure officially (except in the Transtihiscan District). However, the idea having a general curator over all church districts as well as a general consistorium did not materialize although it was attempted (Miklós Beleznai, 1773). The districts remained independent from each other. The II Carolina Resolution in 1734 brought a change to the effect that hy fixing the number of church districts in the Reformed Church to 4, the Cistihiscan District finally elected its first bishop in 1735. Let it he mentioned that the idea of having curators may have stemmed from Transylvania, where there had been a Supremum Consistorium consisting of clergy and prominent laymen since 1709.

The influence of the lay element did not go unchallenged, particularly in the Transtihiscan District, which, as mentioned above, did not welcome the office of curator. A test of strength came to the fore when Bishop István Szathmári Paksi died in 1791, and the clergy agreed to let only the clergy vote for the new bishop. Miklós Sinai, a prominent professor at the College of Debrecen was thus elected. He was a defender of the “old rights.” His election, however, had to he confirmed hy the King. But General Secretary (of the Transtihiscan District) Ferenc Hunyadi, Sinai’s adversary, refused to deliver the seal of the district. Although all 13 seniors rushed to Debrecen with their seals to seal the document needed to petition the King’s confirmation so Sinai could go to Vienna, the laymen declared Sinai’s election invalid, convened another synod and called upon the congregations for a new vote, reminding them that they could vote against the wish of their pastors. This action was sufficient to have Hunyadi elected bishop, to depose Sinai, and even to deprive him of his chair at the College of Debrecen. Upon appeal, the King decided for Hunyadi, followed hy the 9-year-long so-called Sinai process, characteristic of the battle between the (not quite correctly named) hierarchical and kyriarchical parties and principles. Most interesting in the whole matter was the final, constitutional foundation of the regimen ecclesiaslicum mixtum, the parity of clergy and lay element in the leadership G» church government.

The diet of 1790-91 restored the legal status of tlie two Protestant Churches. Its decisions were entered as Article XXVI into the Corpus Iuris Hungarici. Important as this was, it did not contain any major change in regard to the bishop’s office. It is

interesting to note, however, that this law has never officially received the King’s confirmation—directly that is. In 1819 the Transtihiscan Synod voted to implement the provisions of this law. Bishop Mihály Benedek appealed to the King on the grounds that the law had never been confirmed hy the crown. The King referred the matter to the General Conventus of the four church districts (provided hy the article and, in fact, functioning)—thus indirectly confirming 1791 :XXVI.

The hierarchical-kyriarchical fight flared up again in 1841 over the dispute whether the meeting of the Conventus (the joint meeting of the districts) should have single or dual chairmanship. A new general synod was to he called, hut subsequent historical events (1848-49) prevented it. After the oppresive measures following the unsuccessful war of liberation, the compromise of 1867 opened the door to a final consolidation. The opposition of the Transtihiscan District prolonged it for another 14 years. The need for the unification of the Church was widely accepted. This called for the transformation of the General Conventus from a merely consultative into an executive body. The Transtihiscan District, however, was against the establishment of a uniform, national church administration (although they accepted the idea of uniform church laws). After two unsuccessful attempts and four years of preparation, the Synod of Debrecen, in 1881 created the final, all-comprehensive and unified church constitution— which with several subsequent amendments, was in effect until the recently enacted new church laws. Including now also Transylvania, the Reformed Church in Hungary had 5 districts, with all judicatories constituted on a parity basis of clergy and lay elements. The bishop and general curator, senior in rank, were to become presidents of the General Conventus and of the General Synod. As of 1885, ranking bishops and general curators of the Protestant Churches sat in the House of Magnates (since 1926 in the Upper House). This was abolished in 1945.

Bishops in the Reformed Church in Hungary have always been elected for life. An attempt to change this was made in the late thirties of the twentieth century hy Bishop Imre Révész (Transtihiscan District) who called for a procedure of reelection every 3 years. The suggestion, however, did not find any following after Bishop Révész.

The new constitution of the Reformed Church in Hungary, promulgated in 1967, does not show significant changes in regard to the office of bishop. A thorough examination and evaluation of the new constitution will he necessary, however, to confirm this statement.