Theses

This thesis presents the internal functioning, as well as the social and legal structures of the Reformed Church District of Transylvania in the 19th century, through an analysis of the minutes of the General Synod of 1830. The study focuses on the key and emphasized topics of the minutes: matrimonial jurisdiction, the living conditions of ministers and teachers, and church administration and decision-making processes. Special attention is given to the life, ministry, and theological orientation of Bishop János Bodola, as well as the significance of the Endemann case, which exemplifies the tensions between orthodoxy and enlightened Protestantism. The source-based approach of the thesis combines legal, theological, and social historical perspectives, uncovering the mechanisms that sustained the church’s renewal and community-shaping role even amidst the challenges of the era.

The aim of this thesis is to present the history of the Reformed Church of Magyaró between 1820 and 1921. The research examines the religious, social and institutional life of the congregation based on archival sources, registry data and local traditions. Special attention is given to the parish's real estate and asset management, the condition of the church, school, rectory and mill, and the community significance of their maintenance. The development of religious life was shaped by the ministry of pastors, the order of worship, episcopal visitations and education. The thesis provides a detailed picture of the demographic changes in the congregation, the challenges caused by epidemics and wars, and the historical background of community self-organisation and identity preservation. The research highlights how the Reformed community in Magyaró preserved its faith and institutional independence in the changing political and social environment of Transylvania.

The aim of this thesis is to develop a series of lesson plans targeted at newly confirmed youth (aged 14–15), which contributes to a deeper understanding of the Reformed worship service and supports the integration of young people into the congregation. In the theoretical part of the thesis, we explored the theology of the Reformed worship service and the role of its liturgical elements. The practical section examines the characteristics of the targeted age group, their developmental psychological crises, and generational differences. We then present the key features of the applied KáTéM (Catechetical Learning Method), followed by a detailed presentation of the lesson plans. The series consists of ten sessions. These lesson plans can serve as support materials in pastoral ministry, and their content enriches the young participants' knowledge while connecting them more closely to the life of the church community.

In my thesis, I examine funeral practices in nine Reformed congregations of Kalotaszeg, focusing on paraliturgical elements and their communal role. The topic is relevant from both ethnographic and theological perspectives, as it reveals living traditions of the congregations, shows how acts of diaconal service are expressed, and highlights local attitudes toward death and mourning. The research, based on questionnaires, explores the theological, cultural, and practical aspects of funeral customs, analyzing how these rites take shape in practice and how they involve grieving families, relatives, neighbors, church officials, and congregation members. My findings show that traditional community-based practices once centered around the family home have gradually been replaced by more formal and simplified customs, a process accelerated by the Covid-19 pandemic and the rise of chapels.

In congregational life, pastors often face situations where conflict creates a deep divide between members of the community. This paper explores how a deeper understanding and resolution of such situations can be facilitated by tools drawn from systematic theology, attachment theory, contextual pastoral care, and the methodology of motivational interviewing. The theological foundations—especially the doctrines of the incarnation, atonement, and the relational model of the Trinity—reveal how the realities of sin and redemption shape human relational dynamics. Attachment theory helps uncover how childhood attachment patterns influence adult conflict resolution responses. Within the framework of contextual pastoral care, the tension between constructive and destructive entitlement, as well as the dynamics of forgiveness and exoneration, prove essential for identifying underlying, often unconscious relational burdens.

This thesis highlights that the life of the Reformed Church of Uzon in the 18th century was far from free of difficulties. The community was struck by fires and wars, while internal tensions and conflicts (such as disputes over the seating order in church) also undermined its cohesion. A deeper understanding is provided through the study of the history of the Sepsi Church District, primarily on the basis of the works of Kolumbán, Tóth, Pokoly, and Juhász. The thesis also examines the movable and immovable property of the congregation, relying chiefly on the Annotamenta Ecclesiae Uzoniensis Reformatorum (1648–1717) and the Liber Ecclesiae, which continues up to 1744. Further important sources include the studies of Árpád Csáki, the description of the church by Kinga Tüdős, and data provided by Barna-András Ungvári, the current pastor. As part of the research, document-value records preserved exclusively in the parish archives have been digitized.

This thesis explores the Christological interpretations found in 16th–17th-century Unitarian theology, with a particular focus on how early Unitarian thinkers perceived the nature and role of Jesus Christ. The central research question asks whether Christ was understood merely as a moral teacher or rather as a divinely commissioned figure with spiritual authority. The study assumes that early Unitarian Christology was not only a rational theological construct but also a deeply held spiritual conviction grounded in faith. The main body of the thesis is structured around four theological focal points: the incarnation of Christ, the concept of atonement and redemption, the doctrine of justification, and the question of adoratio whether Christ should be worshipped. These themes serve as touchstones for evaluating the theological diversity and development within early Unitarian thought.

This thesis examines the life and work of Gerő Szász, a Reformed pastor, editor, and poet, who was a significant yet today little-known figure in the Protestant ecclesiastical and intellectual life of 19th-century Transylvania. The aim of the research is to shed new light on this multifaceted personality through the study of his preserved manuscripts, sermons, funeral orations, letters, and journalistic writings, and to interpret his role within and beyond the church in the public and social processes of his time. Particular attention is given to Szász's public conflicts, editorial work (especially with Protestáns Közlöny), literary contributions, and his involvement in the relocation of the Theological Faculty to Cluj (Kolozsvár). His activity reflects a church and societal vision grounded in the close interweaving of faith, national identity, and freedom.

This thesis, "Pastoral Care in the Early Modern Hungarian Reformed Church," investigates pastoral care in the 17th-century Reformed Church and assesses its similarities to present-day spiritual care models. The study concentrated on István Melotai Nyilas's 1621 agenda, synodal decrees, and ecclesiastical discipline records. These materials demonstrate that although the term "pastoral care" wasn't employed then, the activity itself was vital to pastoral work. Melotai's question-and-answer teachings, the stress on self-reflection before communion, visiting the ill, and comforting those condemned show that ministers took their congregations’ spiritual difficulties and uncertainties seriously. Concurrently, disciplinary records indicate that neglecting pastoral care led to serious outcomes, with church officials holding ministers responsible.

This thesis aims to conduct an interdenominational examination of the sacrament of the Lord’s Supper, using the Reformed doctrine as the primary point of reference. The study analyzes the teachings and practices of seven Christian denominations – Roman Catholic, Eastern Orthodox, Lutheran, Pentecostal, Baptist, and Seventh-day Adventist – seeking to identify similarities and differences in comparison with the Reformed tradition. After presenting each denomination, a separate section addresses the theological contrasts and parallels with Reformed theology. The analysis focuses on theological and liturgical aspects of the Lord’s Supper, with particular attention to views on the presence of Christ, the efficacy of the sacrament, its role within the church community, and its relation to personal faith. The aim of the study is not to promote ecumenical dialogue, but rather to offer an objective and systematic overview of denominational distinctives in the light of Reformed teaching

The aim of this thesis is the examination of how effective catechesis can be among 7–10-year-olds, with special regard to the involvement of the family and the method of cooperative learning. The thesis examines the foundations of Biblical and Practical Theology, the interconnections among catechetics, pedagogy and missiology, as well as the characteristics of the individual generations, especially the Alpha, as well as the Z, Y, and X generations, taking into account that today these generations form a family. Our thesis emphasizes that the primary scene of faith education is the family; therefore, the process of education will be effective if parents (and siblings) actively join in the catechesis. By them the tools of cooperative learning provide such a learning space where the child, with the presence and support of the family, can live in faith.

Our thesis examines the discourse of the Apostolic Fathers concerning the death of Jesus Christ from both linguistic-stylistic and theological perspectives. Special attention is given to the rhetorical structure, conceptual vocabulary, and historical-contextual background of the texts. The thesis does not aim to formulate dogmatic conclusions but rather to explore how the event of Jesus Christ’s death is represented in the writings of the Apostolic Fathers, particularly in terms of temporal designation, soteriological interpretation, and rhetorical emphasis. The study offers a detailed analysis of key passages from Clement of Rome, Ignatius of Antioch, and Polycarp of Smyrna, as well as from the Epistle of Barnabas and The Shepherd of Hermas. Furthermore, it addresses the testimony found in the Epistle to Diognetus and eucharistic passages. The research is based on a comparative exegesis of the texts in their Hungarian and Greek versions.

In the case of Judges 4–5, we encounter a fascinating phenomenon of the Old Testament: both chapters – first in narrative prose and then in poetic form – present the oppression of Israel by a Canaanite city-state named Hazor, while recounting a military episode that concludes with Israel’s victory. These events are set during the period of the prophetess Deborah. The two accounts do not exhibit substantial differences in terms of characters or the basic events described; however, notable differences emerge in genre and in certain plot details. While the phenomenon of parallel accounts is not unknown in the Hebrew Bible, Judges 4 and 5 stand out as exceptional, since the same episode of Israel’s recorded history is presented both in prose and in poetic form. This paper aims to discuss the literary interrelationship between these two accounts. The first section of this study contains the Hungarian translation of Judges 4–5.

The thesis includes and analyzes the conscriptions of five congregations: Csittszentiván, Mezőbergenye, Mezőpanit, Harcó, and Mezőbánd. These conscriptions date back to 1687 and originate from the oldest matricula of the Reformed Church District of Maros. The matricula is rich in data, providing detailed information about the congregations' movable and immovable assets, donations, and social conditions. Initially, the thesis presents an overview of the Reformed Church District of Maros, with particular attention to its historical context, the Reformation, and the characteristics of the period in question. This is followed by brief historical descriptions of the five congregations. During the analysis of the conscriptions, special attention is given to church property elements such as communion vessels, textiles, books, lands, and buildings.

At the center of my thesis stands pastoral care, in the light of the transgenerational perspective, with particular attention to the context of marriage. Transgenerationality refers to legacies that span across generations, which have an unconscious impact on the individual’s life and relationships. The aim of my thesis is to point out that the effectiveness of pastoral care can be increased if we keep in mind the systemic approach and the patterns inherited across generations. The theoretical background of the thesis consists of a combination of biblical, psychological, and family therapy perspectives, with special emphasis placed on Böszörményi-Nagy Iván’s contextual therapy. I outline the key role of loyalty and transgenerational effects in detail, and—based on the issues of partner selection patterns, conflict resolution, and intergenerational responsibility—I extend the focus to marriage, as one of the most sensitive channels of transgenerational transmission.

The aim of my thesis is to present and analyse in detail the 1687 conscriptions of five congregations in the Maros Reformed Church District, namely: Csejd, Kebeleszentiván, Jedd, Koronka, and Marosszentkirály. The primary source of my research is one of the oldest surviving matriculas of the Maros district, which provides valuable insight into the life and financial circumstances of the congregations in the 17th and 18th centuries. In the first part of the thesis, I offer a brief historical overview of the formation of the church district, followed by a concise history of the five settlements concerned. Based on the conscriptions, I then carry out a detailed analysis of the congregations’ movable assets (e.g., communion vessels, textiles, books) and immovable property (e.g., landholdings, pastors’ and teachers’ residences), as well as the role and types of donations.

Today, suicide has reached shocking proportions among people, but also in our churches. This paper is about how to approach the issue, to give an introduction to how to accompany bereaved people whose relatives have resorted to suicide, and to give some pointers to consider in their pastoral care. It aims to identify the factors that complicate the grieving process and the reasons that may predispose the bereaved to turn their grief into complicated bereavement. The present thesis research focuses on these factors and aims to reveal the interrelationships and significant differences by examining and analysing real cases. Eleven interviews were conducted with individuals whose immediate family members (e.g. father, spouse or child) had given up the struggle, resorting to suicide. The results indicate that bereaved people face serious problems after the fact of suicide.

In my thesis, I examine the current state of the institution of marriage and family from a practical theological perspective, with special attention to the marriage and family counseling service operated by the Bonus Pastor Foundation. I seek to answer the question of to what extent the CSAKIS camp model can be applied within an expanded, church-level marriage and family counseling ministry. The practical part is preceded by a detailed theoretical foundation, presenting the Christian understanding of marriage and family. The theoretical section traces human life from the moment of choosing a partner, through marriage, and up to family life, with particular emphasis on parental roles. The research thus investigates the program and effectiveness of the CSAKIS camp through the evaluation of questionnaires, which serves as the basis for drawing conclusions regarding the applicability of the model.

The ethical discourse about euthanasia is a rather controversial topic, recent lowering of age requirements just made it more relevant. This study aims to present the reader with the contemporary legislations and practical methods about different forms of euthanasia concerning minors. As a reformed christian, it is alarming to watch, how the legislations about euthanasia are becoming more and more accepted, defined and upgraded in recent years. The latest update happened just last year, in 2024, when the Netherlands gave green light to the practice of euthanising children aged between 1 and 12 years. Even though the authorities and several physicians are involved in the process, and they claim that it is a well documented and safe practice, many feel that they have crossed a dangerous border.

The title of my thesis is "Our Losses. Losses and Their Processing." My thesis focuses on the concept of loss and the process of coping with it, with particular emphasis on comparing two main types of losses: material losses and the loss of living persons. The aim of this work is to explore what grief truly means, what types exist, and how grief affects individuals both psychologically and socially. I also address the topic of death and mourning from a theological perspective. The thesis highlights that grief is not exclusively associated with death, but can also be linked to other kinds of losses. In comparing these two types, I examine similarities and differences such as the intensity of emotional reactions, the duration of the grieving process, and the role of societal attitudes. In conclusion, I have found that although everyone grieves, we do not do so in the same way or within the same timeframe.