Reformed Church Research Articles

“We Must Participate with the Fruits of Our Faith in Building Socialism”. The Preaching Committee in the Danubian Reformed Church District in the Mid-20th Century

As a result of the communist takeover in 1948, the Bishop of the Danubian Reformed Church District, László Ravasz was deposed, and Albert Bereczky took his place. In the end of 1951, Bereczky wrote a report to the general meeting of the Reformed Church in which he requested the authorization to set up a “preaching committee” with the aim of supervising sermons. He believed it was important for the pastors to talk about issues of their time in sermons because “we don’t preach in a vacuum space but to real people”. In reality, the committee’s function was the full control over pastors and the search for the ideological/theological content (which is called “narrow-road” theology) in preachings. That is why every pastor was asked to send in one sermon that was to be delivered between 1/01/1952 and 25/02/1952. József Bodonhelyi, head teacher of practical theology at the Faculty of Theology of the Reformed Church, who was also member of this preaching committee, wrote notes about these received texts and sermons where he probably appeared in person. We could find certain qualifications in his notes that seriously affected the careers of the pastors (for example, “he doesn’t address the issues of our time”; “his teaching is dangerous”; “he must urgently retire”). Keywords: Albert Bereczky, Reformed homiletics, history of preaching, preaching, Church history

The Confiscation of the Landholdings of the Reformed Church in the Kecskemét Reformed Church County (1945–1952)

In my study, I examine how the newly established communist government in the Kecskemét Reformed Church County, located in the central part of Hungary, deprives the congregations of their landholdings, which are one of their most important financial bases. As a result of increasing pressure from the party-state, the “nationalization” of the church lands took place gradually, up until 1951, when all remaining areas had to be offered to the state for “purchase”, under strictly fixed conditions. During the process, congregations lost their financial independence and became vulnerable to state funding. Keywords: forced nationalization of landholdings, confiscation of church lands, abolition of the financial independence of churches

The Significance of Relations between Hungarian and Dutch Reformed Congregations under the Single-Party State – With a Special Emphasis on the Dutch Connections of Dezső Szabó, Pastor in Káloz, in the Focus of the State Security Services

The study provides a glimpse into the ministry of Dezső Szabó, the Reformed pastor in Káloz (Hungary) in the 1960s, when he rebuilt informal church relations – independent of church leadership – with Dutch congregations. Prior to the war, Dezső Szabó studied in the Netherlands on a scholarship. The party-state authorities, however, did not approve of inter-church relations with Western churches, but in the changed environment of church politics and church law brought on by the 1960s, Dezső Szabó seized the opportunity to rekindle old ties through his former theological acquaintances. Dezső Szabó’s activity was monitored by state security, and the records also provide information on the situation of the Dutch Reformed Church. The study draws attention to dilemmas of wayfinding and identity, full of challenges, during the second half of the 20th century. Keywords: neo-Calvinism, identity, surveillance, single-party state, Káloz

Ministry in the Highland Countries: Lay Readership and Ordained Ministry in the Swiss Reformed Church and the Church of Scotland

Ministry in the Highland Countries: Lay Readership and Ordained Ministry in the Swiss Reformed Church and the Church of Scotland

Stropkov – An Unknown Chapter of the Upper Hungarian Reformation

The history of the Reformation in the Upper Zemplin town of Stropkov has remained outside the interest of history and church history. Nevertheless, Stropkov was Protestant for several decades. The establishment of the Reformation in the town was made possible by the lordship of Peter and Gábor Perényi in the second third of the 16th century. The existence of a Reformed parish is evidenced by three mentions from the late 16th and early 17th centuries. The Protestant period in the history of Stropkov ended with a change of landlords when János Pethő of Gerse became the owner of the entire estate. Baron István Pethő invited Franciscans from Poland to the town, who re-Catholicized Stropkov in a short time. The town, along with the estate, thus became the first re-Catholicized area in the Zemplin region and one of the first in the whole of Upper Hungary. Keywords: Stropkov, Reformation, Reformed Church, re-Catholicization, Franciscans

Teladan Hidup Nabi Yeremia dan St. Vinsensius sebagai Model Panggilan Kenabian Zaman Sekarang

This research focuses on the life example of the prophet Jeremiah and St. Vincent as a model of prophetic vocation today. Jeremiah is one of the great prophets in the Old Testament and St. Vincent is a Church reformer in the context of evangelizing the poor. The prophet Jeremiah played a major role as God's intermediary with the people of Israel. Likewise, St. Vincent continued the work of God in serving the poor. Their example became a model for the people of their time. In other words, people today can also follow the example of Prophet Jeremiah and St. Vincent. The method used in this research is descriptive qualitative by referring to literary sources in the form of Scripture, books, and journal articles related to the topic of this research. The life story of Prophet Jeremiah can be found in the Old Testament. Likewise, the experience and testimony of St. Vincent's life can be obtained through the writings of people close to him and many followers and successors of Vincent's work. The results of the study show that the prophet Jeremiah and St. Vincent can be used as a model for prophetic vocations today. The statement can be found through the journey of life, vocation, and ministry. Prophet Jeremiah carried out his prophetic duties so well that he was able to bring the Israelites to repentance. The same thing was done by St. Vincent around the 17th century in doing apostolic work to the poor. Although they lived in different times, these two figures had the same role as God's intermediary with mankind. Therefore, people today can also follow the example of these two figures.

The Creative Heritage of Maksim Grek and the Formation of Spiritually Significant Texts for the Old Believers

This article deals with the formation of the canon of sacred texts among the Old Believers, which determined their system of book authorities. The relevance of the topic is connected with the need to get a more comprehensive idea of the formation of the religious and social movement that received the name “Old Believers”. The author pays attention to an important aspect of the study of the Old Believer ideology, which was determined by the system of book authorities. The defenders of Old Belief followed the traditions of the scribes of Old Rus and maintained a special attitude to the text, bordering on its sacralisation. From the first steps of the reform, they turned to manuscripts and early printed books to find evidence of the illegality of introducing innovations into the liturgical practice of the Russian Church. The Story of How to Make the Sign of the Cross by Maksim Grek was cited by opponents of the church reform as an argument in defence of the negative view of the introduction of the three-fingered sign of the cross by Patriarch Nikon. It is shown that the Solovetsky monks largely determined the attitude to this work. They not only copied it, but also began to defend the authority of Maksim Grek when the representatives of the official Church expressed doubts about the sincerity of the author’s opinion on the twofingered sign of the cross. The next generations of the Old Believers continued to search for evidence of the veneration of this Athos monk by the Patriarchs and the Russian Church, in order to convince readers of his holiness. The analysis of the collections of the Old Believers helps get an idea of a completely scholarly approach to the search, which allowed the Old Believers already at the beginning of the eighteenth century to gain access to a fairly complete circle of sources on the life and work of Maksim Grek in Russia, even according to the ideas of researchers of the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, to copy them and make them known to other Old Believers. The works of Maksim Grek were of particular importance, and their study made it possible to include them in the canon of sacred texts. It is concluded that the authors of the essays and the compilers of the collections did a lot of work to strengthen the authority of Maksim Grek among the Old Believers, and the writings of the Athos monk were included in their system of book authorities.

Transformative light and thresholds: exploring metaphor in brutalist church architecture

In this paper I consider the interaction between architectural space and embodied spiritual experience. In an example of a South African Dutch Reformed Church building designed by architect Roelof Uytenbogaardt in the town of Welkom, and the church of the light in Osaka Japan, by Tadao Ando, these aspects are highlighted and read through the lens of metaphor, phenomenological architectural interpretation, and image studies. These differing lines of inquiry are brought together, if we accept architectural theorist Juhani Pallasmaa’s premise (1996, 2005) that architecture can direct our consciousness back to the world, to our own sense of self and embodied being; and we in turn base our analysis on art historian Ellen Esrock’s (2010) concepts concerning emphatic bodily projection; it may be argued that new insight into the way architecture underscores embodied spiritual experiences could be gained. The selected church building is analysed from a phenomenological point of view, emphasising architectural features, the interpretation of the metaphors of light and threshold, and how architectural space may contribute to congregants’ experience during a service.

‘Raskolniks ’ and ‘Inorodtsy ’: A Mutual Attraction

Abstract Old Belief emerged as a broad social and religious movement in the second half of the 17th century as a result of church reform. The Old Believers who did not adopt the reforms were forced to flee to the outer reaches of Russia and were persecuted by both the church and secular powers until the beginning of the 20th century. This contributed to a great extent to the development of eschatological opinions and the striving for social and general isolation. A distinctive feature of the Old Believers’ culture is traditionalism, which is expressed in both everyday and religious practice. Old Belief, as a form of Christianity, is seen among most scholars and the general public as an exclusively Russian phenomenon. However, it was also quite widespread among a number of Finno-Ugric peoples; in the territory of the Ural and Volga region most of the non-Russian Old Believers were Mordovians or Komi-Permyaks. The main reasons for the process of transition from ‘inorodtsy’ (‘infidels’) to ‘raskolniks’1 (‘schismatics’) were the lack of social barriers (both were religious outsiders) and the conflict caused by the State’s policy of violent Christianisation. There were many different nuances in this process related to the problem of language, the perception among Finno-Ugrians of the use of books, and the closed nature of the group. In this paper, I would like to describe this based on archival documents and my own field research.

Kerklike tug: Verleentheid of nuwe geleentheid?

Church discipline: embarrassment or a new opportunity? In 2004, 2007 and 2011 the General Synod of the Dutch Reformed Church decided that the way in which church discipline functions in the church, should be researched and investigated. This article is based on the doctoral study of the co-author, who tragically died of COVID-19 during the pandemic of 2020-2021. She investigated the development of church discipline in the Dutch Reformed Church from 1652 to the present day, to determine why church discipline has become an embarrassment to the church. This article is based on a part of the outcome of her research. The article discusses the purpose, nature of and need for church discipline, and states that the way in which members of the church understand discipline in the church, should change. The authors emphasise that church discipline must be built on the foundation of brotherly love within the framework of tolerant care. This will not only help to change the understanding of informal and formal church discipline but will also challenge the church to create a safe space for confession, forgiveness, and reconciliation. By doing so, church discipline as tolerant care will become part of the spiritual journey of members of the church. As such, it will change from being an embarrassment to becoming a huge opportunity for spiritual growth.Intradisciplinary and/or interdisciplinary implications: The article focuses on church discipline as tolerant care. In doing so, church discipline does not only function as part of the study field of Church Polity, but it also incorporates Practical Theology. The most important implication is that discipline is understood as care.

The Reverend Joseph F. Berg: Revivalism, the Protestant Crusade, and the Mercersburg Movement

ABSTRACT The Reverend Joseph F. Berg was pastor of First German Reformed Church in Philadelphia from 1837 to 1852. He was a revivalist in the tradition of Charles G. Finney. In addition, he was an active participant in the Protestant crusade against the Roman Catholic Church. His anti-Catholic sermons and writings contributed to the emotional atmosphere that culminated in the Philadelphia Riots of 1844. The faculty of the German Reformed Church Seminary in Mercersburg, Pennsylvania, was composed of Philip Schaff and John W. Nevin. Berg accused Schaff and Nevin of having “Romanizing Tendencies” in their writings, which resulted in heresy trials. He left the German Reformed Church to become a minister in the Dutch Reformed Church in Philadelphia. Later, he became the Professor of Polemic and Didactic Theology at the Dutch Reformed Seminary in New Brunswick, New Jersey.

Leading Maranatha Reformed Church of Christ beyond hundred years through serving and cell groups

Leading Maranatha Reformed Church of Christ beyond hundred years through serving and cell groups

Activities of Parish Guardianships of Tobolsk Diocese in Second Third of 19th — Early 20th Centuries

The article examines the issues of creation, functioning, and main directions of activities of parish guardianships of the Tobolsk Diocese in the second third of the 19th — early 20th centuries. The study is based on materials from federal and regional archives, as well as the “Tobolsk Diocesan Gazette.” It is noted that the organization of guardianships was part of the church reforms during the reign of Alexander II aimed at revitalizing parish life. The conclusion is drawn that the guardianships did not live up to the expectations placed on them. Despite their quantitative growth, parishioners preferred to allocate funds for decorating churches rather than improving the clergy’s standard of living. Even in the most affluent parishes, expenses did not focus on enhancing the priests' material well-being. The alienation of the clergy and laity, dissatisfaction of diocesan authorities with the possible loss of control over church revenues and expenditures, and priests’ fears that guardians might try to isolate them from parish affairs were reasons for this phenomenon. Nevertheless, the work of the guardianships prompted parishioners to rethink their rights regarding parish self-government and had a positive impact in this regard.

The Response of the Dutch Reformed Church Mission to Labour Migration from Malawi to South Africa 1889–1994: A Leaf to be Borrowed by the 21st Century African Churches

This article mainly highlights what southern African Churches can learn and borrow as a leaf from the contribution of the Dutch Reformed Church Mission to labour migration from the Central Region in Malawi to South Africa between 1889 and 1994. It is argued that although push factors for labour migration were the legacy of Western economic imperialism, the Malawi government’s inability to create jobs for its citizens and some Malawians’ belief that migration from Malawi to South Africa was a means to fulfil their heart-felt and lifetime desire for economic opportunities, the mission played an important role in responding to labour migration. While it is understandable that the contexts of the 19th century and 21st century are different. Also, the truth that the Dutch Reformed Church in South Africa supported the apartheid government, this article arguably stresses that there are important lessons the Southern African Churches may learn from the mission’s response to labour migrants.

What Was the Role of the Dutch Reformed Church and Land in Identity Formation on Klipfontein Farm?

Historically, the Dutch Reformed Church (DRC) or Nederduitse Gereformeerde Kerk (NGK) was at the centre of the Afrikaner dynamic, legitimising white Afrikaner nationalist ideals. The strong connection between the DRC (hereafter the church) and the nationalist government meant that the church was the spiritual link to the then ruling National Party for most Afrikaners, justifying the racially based policies and actions of the government. Paradoxically, it was this same church and its teachings that would also be adopted by “coloured” or “brown” Afrikaners to help establish their own group identity. It developed into a mechanism that helped the Klipfontein community, in Eastern Cape, South Africa, in establishing an identity which they could assert against the (white) authorities and neighbours when their right to occupation of Klipfontein was threatened. Thus, a spiritual connection with the land was formed and developed through biblical teachings and rituals. In recent years, a revivalism in Khoe-San identity and its popularity has seemingly threatened this identity. In a country like South Africa, where land and land (dis)possession are perpetual points of contention, Klipfonteiners have adopted an identity that is inextricably linked to their land. Using primary sources, such as archival documentation and interviews conducted with Klipfonteiners as well as those who have dealt directly with Klipfonteiners, and secondary sources dealing with South African coloured identity and the church, this article seeks to address the pivotal role which the church and religion have played in the formation of an identity that seeks to protect Klipfonteiners’ rights to the land from external and internal forces.

Zwingli and the Anabaptists: How Friends Became Enemies

In Zurich, two Reformation churches emerged within a few years, both of which can be traced back to Huldrych Zwingli and his associates: the Reformed Church and a branch of Anabaptism, from which the Amish and Mennonite churches emerged. While Zwingli advocated a Reformed state church, the Anabaptists pleaded for the founding of a free church that would put into practice what was recognized as right from the New Testament, regardless of political sensitivities. The latter was so contrary to the self-image of the Zurich state that it led to serious conflicts with Zwingli and the authorities.

Mission Rivalries, Conflicts, and the Construction of Protestant Christian Identities in Colonial Malawi

This article delves into the historical background of mission work in colonial Malawi, specifically focusing on the crucial link between mission boundaries and the development of Christian and ethnic identities. The study examines the collaboration and conflicts that arose among missions due to overlapping spheres of influence and territories. It highlights the extent of cooperation between the Livingstonia Mission, Dutch Reformed Church Missions, and other missions operating under the Federated Board of Nyasaland Mission. In particular, the article will discuss the extent to which missionary boundaries affected the self-understanding of Christians and other ethnic groups and how they were expressed in the communities in which they lived. It is argued that Christian identity in colonial Malawi was a by-product of mission rivalries, which manifested in boundary disputes.

Pengaruh Media Pembelajaran Infografis Statis Terhadap Hasil Belajar Siswa dalam Mata Pelajaran Sejarah

This research is motivated by problems in learning activities in History subjects, namely the lack of use of learning media amidst developments in technology and information. Learning media is something that is used to convey messages in the form of learning materials. An example of learning media that can be used is static infographic media. Static infographic media is media that synergizes data, text and images in the form of simple media aimed at readers. The use of text and images in static infographic media can make it easier for students to absorb the information contained in the media so that the use of static infographic media can influence student learning outcomes. The aim of this research is to determine the effect of using static infographic media on student learning result in the History subject class XI IPS at SMA Negeri 1 Martapura. In this research, quantitative method choosen as research method with Quasi Experiment model. Purposive sampling technique choosen as sampling technique in this research. The instruments used in this research are test instruments in the form of multiple choice questions to measure student learning results and non-test instruments in the form of student response questionnaires, media expert validation questionnaires and material expert validation questionnaires. The research results showed (1) the learning outcomes of experimental class students in the history of the Renaissance and Church Reformation subjects were higher than those of the control class, with an average score for the control class of 75.41 and the experimental class of 85.57. (2) based on data analysis of post-test values using the t-test, with the results of a significance value of Sig. (2-tailed) obtained is 0.000 < 0.050, meaning that Ha is accepted and Ho is rejected. This shows that there is an influence of the use of static infographic media on the learning outcomes of class XI IPS students. The conclusion from the research results is that there is an influence of the use of static infographic media on learning outcomes. This is shown by the difference in post-test scores for the experimental class and the control class. The post-test score in the experimental class was higher than the post-test score in the control class.

Образ Пятидесятницы в иконографической программе алтарного кивория Собора во имя первоверховных апостолов Петра и Павла в Санкт-Петербурге

The article is devoted to the unique monument of Peter the Great Baroque – the altar ciborium of the St. Petersburg Peter and Paul Cathedral. The study presents an analysis of the decoration of the ciborium (1722-1729, I.P. Zarudny). First of all, the connection of the iconographic and iconological program of the monument with the circumstances of the apostolic dedication of the cathedral of the new capital of the Russian Empire in the context of the church reform carried out by Peter I is traced. The synodal reform is proposed to be considered from the point of view of the principles of the structure of the ancient Church as a justification for the transition from patriarchal governance in favour of the conciliar Most Holy Governing Synod.In the article, the altar canopy of the Peter and Paul Cathedral is compared with the baldachin of the Assumption Cathedral of the Moscow Kremlin, with the imperial coronation baldachins of Catherine I and with the baldachin of D.L. Bernini from Saint Peter's Basilica in Rome. The external imitation of the European fashion for baldachins was perceived as an embellishing decoration, which didn't prevent the continuation of the Moscow tradition of church decoration in the St. Petersburg monument, and the preservation of its archetypal relationship with the Jerusalem temple. Thus, the semantic connection of the royal and Divine thrones, laid down in the early Byzantine period, continues until the beginning of the XVIII century. It has found its artistic interpretation, including in the composite monogram crowning the Cathedral of Peter and Paul, the variant of interpretation of which is proposed by the author. The theme of the kingdom in the decoration of I.P. Zarudny's ciborium is intertwined with the theme of apostolic succession and the foundation of the church. The apostolic dedication of the Peter and Paul Cathedral was embodied in the artistic solution of the entire altar composition, for which the image of the "Descent of the Holy Spirit on the Apostles" became central. The establishment of a new Church and a new Jerusalem, manifested in the image of "Pentecost", indicated a particularly important role for the new state symbolically denoting its continuity from both the artistic tradition of Byzantium and the tradition of the Western Christian world.

Die bedieningbehoeftes van Afrikaanssprekende universiteitstudente in Suid-Afrika

The ministerial needs of Afrikaans-speaking university students in South Africa. This article is the result of an empirical study conducted in the student congregations of the Dutch Reformed Church, the Netherdutch Reformed Church of Africa and the Reformed Church in South Africa. The study has been done to answer the question: What are the miniserial needs of Afrikaans-speaking university students in South Africa? The research problem that necessitates this study is a lack of knowledge and understanding of the ministerial needs of Afrikaans-speaking university student members of the Reformed student congregations in South Africa. Recent research on student ministry to support student ministers and congregations in the South African context is scant. The research question is formulated to determine the ministerial needs of university students and the implications those needs have for ministry to university students. The goal of the research is to identify the ministerial needs of university students in South Africa and to empower the student congregations to minister to these students more effectively. From the research, three primary ministry needs have been identified: (1) the need for faith formation; (2) the need for mentoring; and (3) the need for a faith community.Contribution: The contribution of this article is original empirical research on the ministerial needs of Afrikaans-speaking university students in South Africa. The research contributes to the current void in South African research on student ministry.