Calvin Synod Herald, 1988 (88. évfolyam, 1-5. szám)
1988 / 2-5. szám
CALVIN SYNOD HERALD-7-REFORMÁTUSOK LAPJA PAROCHIAL SCHOOL FOUNDATION ESTABLISHED The "Gönczy Pál School Foundation” was established in late July to accept donations for the the revival of a second Reformed Church affiliated grammer school in Hungary. Having received permission to establish the Foundation from the government, the foundation’s members plan to solicit support from that segment of the population which does not have contact with local churches, where church members will be participating in fund drives. The Foundation was established by six professionals, laypersons representing the arts, the building profession, the educational community, and the legal profession. The support of such a church-related school will need extensive funding, as the students will live on campus. Currently the only other church supported grammer school (which also has on-campus housing) is located in Debrecen, part of the highschool and seminary complex. It is the hope of the Foundation members that the government will assist in this venture by returning to the Reformed Church one of the two grammer schools in Budapest which were at one time part of the Church’s educational system. (hcp> FOREIGN LANGUAGE WORSHIP SERVICES For those traveling in Hungary, worship services in languages other than Hungarian are available. The Scottish Mission in Budapest has offered English language worship services since World War 11; currently English language services are held the third Sunday of every month at the British Embassy in Budapest. In addition, during the months of July and August German language worship services were available this year in eight different communities, two on Saturday evenings, and six churches held services either mornings or evenings on Sunday, chcp) RELIGIOUS EDUCATION CONFERENCE A national conference of religious educators was held at the Gyenesdiás conference center from May 24 to 27, 1988, to assess the situation of religious education in the congregations. Topics of discussion included the revision of existing cirriculum and texts, and possibilities to making available teaching aids in religious education. It was reported that rather than the usual lecture format, the participants were called on to present new ideas to be used in the future of Christian education in the Church in informal discussion sessions, (hcp) BIBLE MUSEUM AT RADAY COLLEGE On September 14, 1988, the Bible Museum was opened on the ground floor of the Reformed Church’s Ráday College in Budapest. This is only the second such Bible Museum in Europe, the other being located in Amsterdam. The dedication of the Bible Museum, which is under the auspices of the Ráday Collection, was attended by Bishop Dr. Károly Tóth, Bishop of the Reformed Church in Hungary, Dr. Ulrich Fick, General Secretary of the United Bible Societies, and Dr. István Villangó, Senior Departmental Officer of the Ministry of Culture. The decisive role of the Holy Bible in Hungarian culture and literature was emphasized at the opening ceremonies. The Bible Museum presents a historical overview of the Bible in the Hungarian language, with early volumes such as the Husite Bible (1416-1446) and the Vizsoly Bible. The main exhibition hall depicts the most historic stages in the handing down of the Scriptures throughout the centuries, and depictions of the Biblical world in coins, statues and pictures. Included at the Museum are numerous examples of foreign language Bibles; some 100 modern Bibles are also on display. The Bible Museum was created with the help of the Reformed Church, the Hungarian Bible Council, the Ministry of Culture, the Dutch Reformed Churches, the national Bible societies, and Hungarian museums. BIBLES TO SLOVAKIA This past June 15 the Hungarian Bible Council sent 3,500 Hungarian Bibles to the Reformed Christian Church in Hungary. Included were 1,000 new translations, 2,000 medium-sized Károli Bibles, and 500 Károli family Bibles. (HCP) CONSCIENTEOUS OBJECTORS IN HUNGARY On October 6, 1988, the ''Magyar Nemzet’’ (Hungarian Nation) carried an interview with Bishop Dr. Károly Tóth concerning alternative military service which the Bishop hopes will be introduced in law, effective January 1, 1989. Two possibilities for Conscienteous Objectors could be noncombatant status in the military, or "alternative service" in public service or social service institutiions. "This has to be discussed", said Dr. Tóth, "because one can presume that there is a need to give expression to our religious conviction and faith among the young men doing active military service." (hcp)
