Theses

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.

This thesis examines the unitarian liturgical treasures displayed in the exhibition opened in 2018 at the House of Religious Freedom in Cluj-Napoca, with a particular focus on their historical background. The research analyzes sixty-five communion vessels originating from twenty-nine Unitarian congregations and is based primarily on episcopal and deanery visitation records, as well as other manuscript church sources. These documents make it possible to identify the earliest references to the objects, trace their acquisition by individual congregations, and reconstruct the circumstances under which they entered ecclesiastical use. Since the history of these vessels is intertwined with that of the communities that used them, their study also provides insight into the historical development of the congregations themselves.

This thesis examines the value crisis among young men of Generation Z from a sociological, psychological, and practical theological perspective. The study explores why young men born between 1995 and 2009 are experiencing an unprecedented mental health crisis characterized by depression, anxiety, purposelessness, and withdrawal from the real world. Drawing on Krisztián Steigervald's generational research, as well as the works of Jonathan Haidt, the thesis analyzes the consequences of growing up in a digital world: smartphone addiction, sleep disorders, attention fragmentation, the harmful effects of social media and video games, the role of pornography, and the disappearance of "third spaces." It highlights the long decline of men in education, the "failure to launch" phenomenon, and the reduction in risk-taking behavior. The thesis defines the concept of value, criticizes postmodern relativism, and identifies absolute moral standards within the Christian worldview.

This paper summarizes the life of a 20th-century Transylvanian Reformed pastor who was born under Hungarian rule and lived under Romanian rule. He grew up as a war orphan and, after choosing to study theology, embarked on a career in the ministry. He spent the longest period of his ministry in Pankota, Arad County, but also served as an assistant pastor in Szalárd and Nagyszalonta, and as a deputy pastor in Bősháza prior to his retirement. Due to his religious activities, he was sentenced to 20 years in prison and forced labor, but was eventually released early thanks to a pardon. His accounts reveal that his love for God was the driving force behind his determined effort to share the Gospel with everyone. Based on what we can see from the surviving documents, it appears that he truly loved even his enemies. One of the most unique sources in this paper is Sándor Szilágyi's autobiography, in which he described his experiences in the years following his imprisonment.

In this paper examines the church-image and attitude toward the church among the 14-16 age group, focusing on the youth of the Crasna (Kraszna) Reformed Parish. The research is rendered timely by the fact that this adolescent generation constitutes both the present and the future active membership of the congregation. This life stage is also characterized by the most intense period of self-discovery and a partial distancing from the community.

The thesis consists of two main sections: a theoretical and a practical part. The theoretical section clarifies the theological concept of the church in the light of confessions and statutes and analyzes the psychological characteristics of adolescence alongside the opportunities for religious education. The practical section presents the diverse programs offered by the congregation, describing their specific characteristics and produced, as well as the responses provided by the youth.

The Book of the Prophet Jeremiah contains four visions that are generally accepted by scholarly consensus: 1:11–12; 1:13–16; 24:1–14; and 38:21–23. This thesis examines the origin, structure, and possible interpretations of these visions, with particular attention to identifying and analyzing elements that indicate visionary experience. The book also contains several other passages that include vision-related elements, namely: 4:23–28; 11:18–23; 13:1–11; 25:15–38; 23:19–20/30:23–24; and 4:13–18. These disputed passages are also examined in the thesis. In this context, I summarize scholarly opinions regarding their literary classification and possible interpretations. This makes it possible to see which elements support the interpretation of these passages as visions and which arguments have been put forward against such an understanding. The concluding section of the thesis presents a synthesis based on the four visions accepted by scholarly consensus.

This thesis presents and analyzes the inventories of six congregations: Mezőmadaras, Mezősámsond, Mezőkölpény, Székelykövesd, Mezőfele, and Mezőcsávás. These inventories originate from 1687 and are preserved in the oldest matricula of the Maros Reformed Diocese. The thesis begins with an overview of the formation of the Maros Reformed Diocese, addressing the spread of the Reformation in the region as well as the ecclesiastical and social conditions of the period. This is followed by a brief presentation of the history and historical background of the congregations under examination. The analysis of the sources reveals the economic situation and property holdings of the individual congregations. The inventories provide information about real estate and land owned by the congregations, as well as objects used in ecclesiastical life, including communion vessels, textiles, and books.

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 master's thesis examines the ego concepts of the New Age and postmodernism, weighing them against the gospel and the Christian confessions. The research explores the birth of the modern self, focusing on how humanity shifted from following the divine order to creating its own identity. The thesis critiques the unstable, fluid identity of postmodernism, as well as the self-worshipping ego of the New Age movement. Based on Scripture and Reformed confessions, the work contrasts these modern secular ideas with the biblical worldview. The research concludes that true human dignity and stability are not found in absolute independence, but exclusively in a restored identity, redeemed in Christ and reconciled with the Creator.

The thesis examines the posthumous memory and cult of Mózsa Berde, a 19th-century Unitarian benefactor. Known for his austere frugality during his lifetime, Berde's bequest of his vast fortune to the church, primarily for educational purposes, generated profound institutional reverence. The core of the research analyzes the memorial speeches delivered with the "Berde goblet" at Chief Council dinners between 1899 and 2025. The study demonstrates how these rhetorical acts transformed Berde into a moral compass for the community, elevating him as an ideal of self-sacrifice and duty. The narratives evolved over time, particularly after the loss of the estate following the 1921 Romanian land reform. Consequently, the focus shifted from nation-building and material wealth to his spiritual and moral legacy. Ultimately, the thesis highlights how this dynamic cult has continually reinforced Transylvanian Unitarian identity amidst shifting historical and political contexts.

The primary aim of my thesis is to examine how and in what direction the image of God held by individuals struggling with addiction changed during rehabilitation in various rehabilitation centres. I also investigated whether this change influenced their therapy, especially in relation to abstinence. To answer these questions, I conducted 21 interviews, taking into account the complexity of the image of God. The study focuses on childhood images of God, family and religious socialization, changes in the image of God during active addiction, and the new image of God formed during rehabilitation. It also examines which activities, experiences, and institutional teachings contributed to this transformation. The results show that, in Christian rehabilitation centres, the formation of the image of God is often connected to changes in self-understanding, guilt, hope, and the relationship to abstinence.

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.