Theses

This thesis examines the confrontations between the Sadducees and Jesus. In the course of my research, I first compile and analyze data drawn from various sources, examining the relevant works of Flavius Josephus, their occurrences in the New Testament, as well as passages concerning them in rabbinic literature. I then synthesize the collected data and, on this basis, seek to develop a comprehensive picture of the Sadducee group.

In New Testament textual criticism, a broad consensus has emerged that the Markan shorter ending, the scene of Jesus' agony (Luke 22:43–44), and the story of the adulterous woman (John 7:53–8:11) did not originally belong to the text of the Gospels. Because the traditions underlying these passages are early, the most recent critical editions of the Greek New Testament print them in the main text. On the basis of an analysis of these early traditions, the present study contends that (1) the conclusio brevior was appended to the Gospel according to Mark as part of the Vorlage for the earliest known Old Latin translation; (2) the Agonia Christi was inserted into the "Western text" of Luke's Gospel as an anti-Gnostic polemic; and (3) the Pericope Adulterae was incorporated into John as an anti-Novatianist polemical discourse via the Greek exemplars underlying the Vulgate.

This thesis examines Leibniz's Theodicy and its problem: how the existence of evil can be reconciled with the perfection of God. It explores the interrelation of metaphysical, physical, and moral evil with divine goodness, omnipotence, omniscience, and providence. The thesis pays attention to the theory of possible worlds and to Leibniz's claim that God chose the best among all possible worlds. The thesis also analyzes the relationship between divine foreknowledge and freedom, focusing on the distinction between certainty and necessity, as well as determination and coercion. According to Leibniz, actions may remain free despite having determining reasons, provided that they arise from the agent's will and inner motivations. The study concludes that Leibniz's system offers a coherent attempt to preserve divine goodness, responsibility, and providence simultaneously. Nevertheless, it does not resolve the problem of suffering.

Numerous textual records have preserved the father-son structure of scribal families in the ancient Near East and Egypt. This phenomenon was likely present in Israel as well, and is particularly reconstructable in the activities of the Shaphanide family, which formed the core of the Deuteronomistic circle (2Kgs 22–25; 2Chr 34–36). The chronological framework of the Book of Jeremiah coincides with the period of Josiah's reign and the final days of Judah (Jer 1,1–3). This book features names belonging to the Shaphanide family with considerably greater frequency than in the reform texts, raising the possibility that those names are Jeremiah's close relatives. I attempted to substantiate the possibility proposed in this paper on the basis of Jeremiah's Confessions (11:18–12:6; 15:10–21; 17:14–18; 18:18–23; 20:7–18). However, the analysis neither confirms nor refutes the hypothesis.

Addiction is one of the biggest social, health and spiritual problems of our time, and it affects a lot of teenagers. This thesis looks at how the Church can help young people avoid addiction. The research is based on reviews of the literature, along, with some practical experience. The thesis explains what addiction is, what kind of addiction exist, and how it connects to medicine, addiction studies, psychology. It also looks at the important role of the family during adolescence, and at the different forms of substance and behavioral addictions. One section deals with the theological side, showing that the Bible also speaks about addiction. The findings suggest that the Church has an important role, especially in prevention, but also in noticing supportive communities. The thesis concludes that church-based prevention works best when it is done together with professional helpers.

This thesis examines the representation of transcendent beings in the Jewish literature of the Second Temple period, with special attention to 1 Enoch and the Book of Jubilees. Its aim is to explore how ideas about angels, fallen beings, demons, and heavenly mediators developed in connection with the historical, religious, and cultural changes of the period. Using religio-historical, text-critical, and comparative methods, the study analyzes Babylonian, Persian, and Hellenistic influences, as well as the figures of the Watchers, Asael, and Mastema. It concludes that these traditions do not indicate a weakening of monotheism, but rather form part of theological reflection on the origin of evil, divine justice, and human responsibility. The texts under discussion played a significant role in shaping later Jewish and Christian demonological and angelological thought.

The Epistle of Jude is one of the most complex yet historically marginalized texts of the New Testament. This thesis aims to address the closely interrelated issues of authorship and dating by examining the letter's historical and contentual questions in unity. Utilizing a historical-critical approach, the study integrates literary, theological, and rigorous linguistic-exegetical analyses. Beginning with canon-historical data and the second temple Jewish apocryphal background, the scope is progressively narrowed to the exegesis of core Greek terms in pivotal passages (Jude 3–4; 17–21). The analysis demonstrates that the content of faith appears as an authoritative yet still open apostolic tradition. Through the synthesis of linguistic and theological data, the thesis attempts to provide a well-founded definition of the letter's early ecclesial context and circumstances of composition.

This thesis examines the extent to which the congregation members' image of God is influenced by the pastor's image of God. Pastors occupy a prominent position within the religious community, and many people regard them as role models in their faith and in their relationship with God. For this reason, pastors bear a heightened responsibility to ensure that their understanding and representation of God accurately reflect reality. In order to make the results measurable, the study first investigates various images of God, including the factors that may give rise to distorted God images, the effects these distortions may have on individuals and their surroundings, and the ways in which a correct understanding of God can be attained. Subsequently, the relationship and interaction between pastor and congregation are analyzed. Based on the synthesis of this information, the empirical research section is developed using a self-designed comparative questionnaire.

In this study, I examined the eighteenth-century aristocratic funerals and the pastoral ministry performed during these ceremonies. My research sought to reconstruct and describe, step by step, the funeral practices of the period, to identify all relevant references in synodal records, canon law, and contemporary diary entries, and to draw conclusions and establish broader patterns based on statistical data derived from the bibliographies of eighteenth-century funeral sermons. Aristocratic funerals of the period were among the most significant events in Transylvanian Reformed society. They provide valuable insights into contemporary culture, social and ecclesiastical dynamics, the theological thinking of reformed ministers, and the traditions of aristocratic burial customs, many of which can be traced back to the Middle Ages.

This thesis examines occultism and exorcism as contemporary challenges for Protestant pastoral care. The study employs an interdisciplinary approach, integrating theological, historical, anthropological, psychological, and pastoral-psychological perspectives. It presents the historical development of exorcism and explores the similarities and differences between Catholic and Protestant practices. Particular attention is given to the Protestant interpretation of demonology, the medical and psychological factors associated with alleged possession phenomena, and the spiritual needs underlying interest in occult practices. The thesis argues that the primary task of pastoral care is not the sensational treatment of demonic phenomena but the provision of biblically and theologically grounded guidance and support.

Across Transylvania, countless people struggle with addiction, to the extent that nearly everyone is affected, either individuals themselves or at least one of their close or distant family members. The issue of addiction is exceedingly complex, as it manifests on physiological, psychological, familial, and social levels, while also impacting the spiritual life of the individual. Just as addiction is complex, so too is providing assistance to those affected. In my thesis, I sought to answer how pastors and congregations can collaborate with the church-based assistance currently available in Transylvania. For decades, The Bonus Pastor Foundation has been helping individuals seeking recovery by combining person-centered therapy with family-focused attention. Pastors need to complement this ministry to make it even more effective.

This thesis examines the sacrament of baptism in the teachings of different Christian denominations. It focuses on the Reformed, Roman Catholic, Orthodox, Baptist, Seventh-day Adventist, Pentecostal, and Unitarian churches. The aim of the study is to explore the theological foundations of baptism and to compare these teachings with the doctrine of the Reformed Church. The research is based on confessional writings, theological works, and official church documents. A separate section discusses the biblical basis of infant baptism and believer's baptism. The study shows that almost all denominations teach that baptism was instituted by Christ. However, there are important differences in the understanding of baptism as a sacrament, the role of grace, and the practice of infant or adult baptism. The findings suggest that while many churches share similar biblical foundations, their interpretations differ.

This thesis is a continuation of a previous research project examining the little-known phenomenon of foreign-born wives of Reformed ministers in the Transylvanian Reformed Church between the eighteenth and twentieth centuries. Building upon an earlier study that primarily focused on identifying and mapping the phenomenon and the individuals involved, the present work aims to provide an in-depth exploration of individual life stories and marriages. The research is based on archival sources, ecclesiastical records, parish registers, personal correspondence, family genealogies, and other original documents. Through a series of case studies, the thesis examines, among others, the marriages of Borosnyai Lukács Simon and Margarethe Hugh, as well as ifj. Eperjesi Zsigmond and Maria Wiskofski. The analysis demonstrates that foreign-born wives were required both to meet the expectations associated with the role of a minister's wife and to adapt to an unfamiliar cultural environment.

This research examines organ transplantation from the perspective of unitarian ethics, focusing on questions of human life, bodily dignity, autonomy, justice, and responsible love. Its aim is to demonstrate how the medical and legal framework of organ donation intersects with moral, theological, and pastoral concerns. The analysis brings bioethical principles, unitarian moral thought, and pastoral experience into dialogue, leading toward a deeper relational theological interpretation. This study is based on the assumption that, from a unitarian perspective, organ transplantation may be regarded as ethically acceptable when it rests on free consent, fair access, and respect for the human body. At the same time, it rejects coercion, the exploitation of vulnerability, and organ trafficking. In this sense, organ donation gains fuller meaning within the responsibility human beings bear toward God, themselves, and their fellow human beings.

This thesis addresses the challenges of small-group catechesis (5–10 participants) within the Transylvanian Reformed context, characterized by declining youth participation and fragile faith commitment in the context of the Romanian Reformed congregations which comprise 2.38% of the population according to 2021 census. The central research question examines how Motivational Interviewing (MI) can be applied in catechetical settings so that faith commitment and ecclesial integration emerge from intrinsic conviction rather than external obligation. The theoretical framework integrates congregational pedagogy, Elaine B. Johnson's Contextual Teaching and Learning Theory (CTL), and the MI model developed by Miller and Rollnick. Theological evaluation rests on ecclesiological, christological, and ethical foundations.

The aim of my thesis was to shed light on what the world of the Bible means and what images it conceals. It explored what it means to follow God with a pure heart and soul. The biblical stories, in turn, help us to get to know God better. The books by Péter Nagy and János Hübner were helpful in completing this work, particularly in understanding the significance of biblical stories. They helped me see the world of the Bible more clearly through the lessons they articulated. Péter Nagy's writings mostly demonstrated how one should and can put all of this into practice. It is true, however, that the two authors examine the common themes from different perspectives. The rest of my thesis summarizes the lives of Péter Nagy and János Hübner, as well as Péter Nagy's textbooks. I will then present the stories and, at the end, outline the similarities and differences between the two authors' works.

This thesis examines the theology of the intermediate state, focusing on the dogmatic and pastoral significance of the unconscious state of the dead for the contemporary church. The research interprets the state between death and the final resurrection by comparing Reformed and Seventh-day Adventist perspectives, highlighting its practical implications for comforting the bereaved. Using historical and comparative methods, the study analyzes trichotomous, dichotomous, and monistic models, concluding that these theological differences are shaped by distinct anthropological presuppositions. Adventist theology understands death as an unconscious state of the whole person until Christ's return. By contrast, Reformed theology maintains that the believer's soul remains in conscious communion with the Lord after death, awaiting bodily resurrection. Ultimately, a responsible interpretation of the intermediate state is essential for authentic Christian comfort.

Congregational histories play an important role in church history, particularly within the study of Transylvanian ecclesiastical history. While they reflect broader historical developments, they also preserve unique local events that enrich our understanding of the past. This thesis examines the history of the Reformed Congregation of Margitta between the sixteenth and eighteenth centuries, and I want to give special attention to the Synod of Margitta in 1681 and the life of pastor László Huszti. The first part of the study places Margitta within the Reformed community of the Érmellék region, outlining the origins of the settlement and the spread of the Reformation. The following chapters, based on archival sources and historical literature, explore the congregation's development, including the history of its church building, financial situation, clergy, educational institutions, and connections with prominent Reformed colleges.

This thesis examines the emergence and influence of liberal theology within the Transylvanian Reformed Church through the life and work of Bishop Péter Nagy. The aim of the research is to explore how nineteenth-century theological rationalism and liberalism appeared in Transylvania, what its principal teachings were, and how it influenced Reformed theological thought and religious education. The first chapter presents the origins and main characteristics of liberal theology, with special attention to its understanding of revelation, Scripture, and the person of Jesus Christ. This is followed by an overview of the historical background of its spread in Hungary and Transylvania. The third chapter discusses the life and ecclesiastical activity of Péter Nagy, while the final chapter analyzes his smaller and larger catechisms.

This thesis examines the possibilities of integrating young adults aged 18-25 into the congregational life of the Reformed churches of the Somlyó Diocese from a congregational pedagogical perspective. The study explores how contemporary social, psychological, and spiritual processes influence young adults' relationship with the church and how pastoral and catechetical approaches can support their integration into church communities. The first part of the thesis presents the ecclesiological foundations of the church and the role of the congregation as a spiritual community. The second part analyzes the characteristics of young adults, with particular attention to Generation Z and Alpha, identity formation, and the challenges of emerging adulthood. The practical section offers thematic lesson plans aimed at strengthening community belonging and spiritual growth among young adults.