Hungarian Church Press, 1950 (2. évfolyam, 4-13. szám)

1950-06-01 / 10. szám

-5-«P01ITIC0-ECC-1ESIASIIC1I EVENTS IN THE HOLY YEAR"

The Press Department of the Reformed General Conventuá has just published a booklet under the above title by Dr. L.M. Pákozdy, professor of theology at the Debrecen University. In his essay, Prof. Pákozdy reveals the politico-ecclesiast'ical and political background of the "Holy Year". "The present Holy Year fits very well into the many-faceted politics of Rome which aims at world rule* The Vatican calls now the believers to Christian unity, «.of course, under the primate of the Pope, - and, on the other hand, foments war everywhere by all instruments of worldly diplomacy and politics"- concludes Prof. Pákozdy.

NEW REGULATION OP CHARITABLE WORK IN THE REFORMED CHURCH

As in most Protestant Churohea, so in the Hungarian Reformed Church too, the work of Christian charity - the Biblical * diakon ja*» used to be carried on, particularly in cases of specialized Taslcs, ’ by voluntary associations. But there was, for some time, a noticeable development, away from this arrangement, which has now found its consummation in the decisions of the recently held sessions of the General Conventus.

In view of the significance of this change, we asked Dr. Richard Dodoky, Referendary of the Committee on Charitable Y/orks, to comment on the new decision concerning the work of Christian charity in the Reformed Church.

"If is really a matter of a peculiar historical development - said Rev. Bodoky. The resolution of the last plenary session of the General Conventus and Synodal Council, on May 12-13, actually marks the end of a process which, has now led to the new arrangement whereby the entire charitable service of the Hungarian Inner Mission agenoie-s are organically integrated and incorporated in the Church herself.

All such institutions hove either become the property of the Church or have come under the control and direction of the Church. We have become, in this respect also, a "spectacle unto the world", and we pray that we may furnish an example to the other Churches. We are fully conscious of our tremendous responsibility.

"I must first of all emphasize that the societies of Hungarian Inner Mission, which had a long record of blessed service to their credit, always stood much closer to the Church than it was usually the case abroad. These associations were already conscious of their task in the Church, when as yet the Church herself was more or less indifferent as to their activity. Most of them were created by the revival movement of the nineties.When the Church began to tak~ interest in their activities, when she began to appreciate them and to avail herself of their services,negotiations were started, in the thirties, with the aim of more closely coordinating their work with the Church, as the first step, the oldest Hungarian Deaconess Institute, the Filndelfia Mother House, was organically incorporated in the • Church on Januaiy 1, 1933. This process of integration, as far as the Reformed Deaconess Institutes are concerned, was completed by 1947.

Accordingly, the plenaiy session of the General Conventus in 1949 created and put into effect a new "Deaconess statute" of the Hungarian Reformed Church. This statute begins by expounding the Biblical foundations of charitable work as well ns those of charitable service, having an official character. The first section con-Hungarian Church Press