Magyar Egyház, 1982 (61. évfolyam, 1-12. szám)
1982-05-01 / 5-6. szám
mwuMMmiuiü 9. oldal LÁSZLÓ HUNY ADY: THE MAGYAR REFORMED CHURCH---------------------A short summary of our Christian Religion------------------GREETINGS TO THE READER Our Magyar Reformed Church is one of the Protestant churches. We are called Christians because we are followers of the faith and teaching of Jesus Christ. Jesus taught that faith and life are inseparable and our commitement to practice the presence of God through our entire life is in essence our religion, which we express in the form of worship of God and brotherly love toward all men. We are seekers of happiness. In this endeavor we cannot afford to be ignorant of the essence of Christianity: the faith and teachings of Jesus—the Gospel—because that is the ultimate standard by which all teachings, doctrines, resolutions, and confessions are measured. In this respect we are not identical to any of the other Christian churches and denominations: We follow the faith and teachings ofJesus in their simplicity as did the very first Christian followers of Jesus. There are more than three million members in our Magyar Reformed Church. More than half of them are scattered and live outside of the Motherland, Hungary. Our Magyar Reformed Religion is the most precious heritage given to us by God. We live in a mixed human society. We have dealings with men whose religious beliefs are not identical to our Faith. Our next door neighbor may be a Buddhist, a Moslem, a Hindu, an Israelite, a Mormon, or a member of any other Christian denomination. — They are all children of God; they believe and live as they were taught to believe and live. — Among them, we meet crusaders who try to convert us to be followers of their faith. We meet aggressive preachers who offer us prodigious rewards in this and in a future life if we join them. They tell us miraculous stories; they put sayings in the mouth of Jesus that Jesus never said. Jesus often said, “Beware of false prophets!” (Mt. 7:15, 24:4; Mk. 8:15, 12:38; Lk. 12:15, 20:46.) Therefore, it is essential for each one of us to know the fundamental elements of our religion: our Christian Faith — the Faith and Teachings of Jesus, because these are the guides for our entire life; they direct us in how we have to live in our family and how we should manage our lives in the fellowship of all men. We believe that the Universe is the domain of God, who created, sustains, and governs the whole world; and we are the sons and daughters of God, who loves and cares for all of us with infinite wisdom and impartiality. We believe all we possess is given to us by God in stewardship; therefore, we have faith in God. Faith is trust, commitment, and loyalty to God as Jesus taught it. We commit ourselves to God’s fatherly care and we are convinced that if we follow the Faith and Teachings of Jesus Christ: trust and obey the laws of God and live in His presence, we need not fear any judgement or condemnation. "If any man would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it', and whoever loses his life for my sake and the gospel’s will save it. For does it profit a man to gain the whole world and forfeit his life?” said Jesus (Mk 8:34-36). “By this all men will know that you are my disciples if you have love for one another,” Jesus told his disciples (Jn 13:35). “ Why do you call me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ and do not what I tell you?” Jesus asked (Lk 6:46). Jesus taught that faith and life are inseparable. Faith is only worthy of the name when it erupts into actions. “So faith by itself, if it has no works, is dead, ” says the Bible (Jas. 2:17). True faith is unconditional trust in God, as revealed in the Gospel, and obedience to His commandments. HISTORICAL BACKGROUND The Magyars conquered the Danubian Basin from the Carpathian Mountains to the Drava River in the third quarter of the eighth century. After various efforts in the tenth century, Christianity was effectively established in Hungary by King Stephen I (997-1038), the organizer of the Hungarian monarchy. Pope Sylvester II conferred the title “Apostolic King by the Grace of God” and sent a crown with an Apostolic Cross in recognition of Stephen’s missionary works. King Stephen created ten bishoprics and donated large estates to each of them; schools were established and a University was built at Veszprém. Since this time, Christianity has prospered in the land of the Magyars. In 1241 Batu Khan with his Tatár army invaded and devostated Hungary destroying many towns and vilages. Most of the population was annihilated, but many people escaped to the swamps and marshes. The Tatárs left Hungary the following year and under the wise guidance of King Béla IV, the Magyars rebuilt their land. From the 14th to the 17th century, Hungary defended herself and Christian Europe from the Moslem Turkish Empire. — In 1526 the Hungarian army was defeated, and the Turks occupied two-thirds of Hungary until 1686. During the ravages of the wars, many noble families died and their estates were usually donated to the Church by the kings. Thus, the Church became the largest landowner in Hungary. The veneration of too many cannonized saints became a heavy burden on the common people. On saints’ days, work was prohibited. — Although Pope Gregory IV designated November 2nd as All Saints’ Day, zealous clergymen demanded that the people also observe the days of their preferred saints. The common people lived in unimaginable poverty and superstitions were also rampant. The corruption of the Church debased faith and morality. The spread of Humanism, the Waldens, Wycliffism, and Huss’ Bohemian reformation reached Hungary
