Itt-Ott, 1994 (27. évfolyam, 1. (123.) szám)

1994 / 1. (123.) szám

According to Malinowski’s theory of “structuralfunctionalist” approach to culture, culture must satisfy all the needs of the human organism. These “integral imperatives of culture” include religion1. Religion is important to society, as well as to the individual. It gives meaning to life and explains man’s physical and social environment.2 Religion is a system of organized activities in ritual as well as in ethics3 and is “based upon culturally shared beliefs in sacred, supernatural powers”.4

Regarding the role and function of religion, Johnstone quoting Dürkheim states “all religious acts tend to reaffirm society’s legitimacy and bind its members more closely together.”5 For Christians, which includes Calvinists, the place of worship is the church, which in Durkheim’s words is a “society whose members are united by the fact that they think the same way in regard to the sacred world and its relation with the profane world, and by the fact that they translate these common ideas into common practices.”6

Clifford Geertz defines ethnicity as “primordial bonds” which include common religion, language, affinity to a certain place and customs.7 Novak sees ethnicity as being larger than the self, and serves an important function of bridging the self to the past.8 These definitions apply to the Hungarian immigrants, to the Hungarian language, distinctive traditions and customs, and several religions, including Calvinism.

1- Bronislaw Malinowski, A Scientific Theory of Culture and Other Essays (New York: Oxford University Press, 1960), 37-38.

2- Serena Nanda, Cultural Anthropology (Belmont, CA: Wadsworth Publishing Co., 1991), 361.

3- Paul Bonahan and Mark Glazer (eds), High Ponts in Anthropology, 2nd. ed. (New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 1988), 290.

4- Annemarie Malefijt de Waal, Religion and Culture (New York: Oxford University Press, 1960), 12.

5- Ronald L. Johnstone, Religion and Society in Interaction (Englewood Cliffs, NJ, 1975), 32.

6- Emile Dürkheim, The Elementary Forms of the Religious Life (New York: Free Press, 1965), 59.

7- Clifford Geertz, The Interpretation of Culture (New York: Basic Books, 1973), 277.

8- Michael Novak, The Rise of the Unmeltable Ethnics (New York: Macmillan, 1975), xiixiv.

Data concerning the First Hungarian Reformed Church in 1977 was obtained from the Rev. Gyula Nagy, who since has retired. The new data was given by the Rev. Zoltán Vass, who until recently was the Assistant Pastor at Hollywood Hungarian Calvinist Church in Los Angeles. Data regarding the Hungarian Reformed Church was collected from the Rev. Gábor Csordás, the Minister of the Church, in 1977 and 1991.

Information about the life and activities of these churches was not only gathered from their pastors, but also from members of the congregation interviewed in 1977 and 1991. Data was collected through questionnaires, church publications, and discussions with the pastors. The questionnaires were written in Hungarian.

Informants for the project were grouped as follows: immigrants residing in New York City and vicinity: since 1) before World War II, 2) after World War II, 3) since 1956, and 4) recent arrivals from Hungary and Transylvania. Information was received from eighty persons. The data shows that the interest of those who attend either the religious services or the social functions, or both, ranges from deep religious conviction to the need for social fellowship.

The social stratification among the different groups shows the following pattern: 80% of the immigrants before the Second World War were farming stock, and 20% blue-and-white collar workers. In this country most became blue collar workers, and a small percentage white collar workers. Eighty percent of the Displaced Persons, (DP’s) who came here after the Second World War were professionals and white collar workers and 20% blue collar workers. Among the 1956 refugees, 50% were professional and white collar workers, and 50% farmers and blue collar workers. From 1956 to the present, there has been a steady flow of immigrants. Their number is difficult to assess, but according to the pastors, at least 30 or 50 persons come to the church for information and help per year; however, to the present day only a few have become active members of the church.

Among the present members of the two churches approximately 40% belongs to the professional and white collar class , and 60% to the blue collar class. (The above approximate data was obtained from the pastors of the two churches).

Among the first three groups there are several

ITT-OTT 27. évf. (1994), 1. (123.) szám 35