Magyar Egyház, 2001 (80. évfolyam, 1-3. szám)
2001 / 1. szám
MAGYAR EGYHÁZ 7. oldal k k k Despite catastrophes such as flooding in Hungary, Trans-Carpathia and Mozambique, civil unrest in Zimbabwe, and civil war in Colombia, The Bible League was able to see increases in the results of all their international programs. Throughout the world, they provided Scriptures and training that resulted in 181,090 new church members being baptized. The League’s church planting program resulted in 2,731 new churches in 2000. The Project Philip program, in which the existing churches are trained to disciple seekers through Bible study, proved to be the premier follow-up and discipleship program of most countries where it has been implemented, according to Rev. Dave Stravers, Executive Vice President of Ministries for The League. He also stated, “Our church planter training programs continued to function as the most cost-effective means to plant new congregations.” A record number of people completed their first course of Bible study through programs led by Christians who have been trained by The League. In total, 1,692,605 people gathered in Bible study groups. Over the past 14 years, more than 11 million people have completed a Bible study course from The League, nearly half a million small groups have been formed, almost 1,5 million new Christians have been baptized, and nearly 20,000 new churches have been established. Statistics like these indicate the sweeping spiritual hunger. The Bible League is able to provide Scriptures at an average cost of $4 for a Bible and $1.50 for a New Testament. These figures include all administrative, fundraising, production, and placement expenses. Since 1938, they have provided a total of 598,049,553 Scriptures. HE LIVED AS A PAUPER TO CAPTURE LIFE At the turn of the 20th century, like the prince passing himself off as the pauper, aristocratic artist László Mednyanszky disguised himself and painted images of the underbelly of society. Even though the topics were grim, the work demonstrates remarkable originality, variety, and beauty. You will be touched by the exhibition at the Museum of the American Hungarian Foundation in New Brunswick, NJ. The Mednyanszky exhibition runs through September 16th 2001. Mednyanszky was one of the most original Hungarian artists. His works ranged from symbolic mountain and forest landscapes inspired by the Barbizon School, and later Impressionism, to intimate images of those marginalized from society. Viewers become emotionally connected to the portrayals of human suffering and loneliness during peacetime and war. Born and raised in an old northern Hungarian aristocratic family, and educated in Hungary and Switzerland, Mednyansky was drawn to nature and animals on the one hand, and to the dispossessed of human society on the other. He not only depicted the underbelly of society, but alienated from his own class by his hypersensitivity; he was drawn to live with these people and to help them. He often dressed in rags and passed himself off as a vagrant. During his lifetime, Mednyanszky was shown in both Vienna and Budapest. In Budapest, he was awarded the Mindszentek napjan prize. In 1897, gallery exhibits from his collected works were arranged in Paris. In 1952, a memorial exhibition of his work was presented in the Budapest Art Gallery. The largest numbers of his paintings are found today in the Hungarian National Gallery in Budapest. The Art of László Mednyanszky in Context - Works form the Salgo Trust for Education is curated by Oliver A.I. Botár and produced in conjunction with Patricia Fazekas, Curator of the Museum of the American Hungarian Foundation, and Eileen Baral of the Salgo Trust for Education. According to Dr. Botár, “Mednyanszky was a consummate artist. Educated at top European art centers of the day in Munich and Paris, and responding to contemporary trends in the arts, he left behind him a large oeuvre of remarkable originality, variety, and beauty.” Patricia Fazekas pointed out that; “this show presents, for the first time together, the 22 freshlyrestored Mednyanszky works offering a comprehensive overview of the artist’s work.” The show, by including paintings by other major Hungarian artists of the period, offers points of comparison between Mednyanszky and his peers. Included are Mihály Munkácsy, Karoly Rónai and Janos Mattis-Teutsch. For more details and to find out how to organize an exhibition of a Hungarian artist, call Rev. August Molnár, president of the American Hungarian Foundation, at : 732-846-5777. Lebanon: The Armenian genocide during the first World War was the first of many such stains on the record of the 20th century. Brutal massacres and deportations of Armenians living in the Anatolian land of Turkish Armenia saw many thousands die and others flee into Russian Armenia. Rev. Dikran Antreassian (1888-1962) was a driving force in convincing the Armenian population of Musa Dagh to retreat to the mountains and fight for their existence in 1915 and, as president of the three-member leadership team, was also instrumental in the outcome of the heroic defensive battle.
