# Hungarian Magyar Reformed Church



## blhowes (Feb 23, 2013)

When I was growing up, I had a friend who was raised in a Hungarian Magyar Reformed Church. I was just curious about their beiiefs, but couldn't find anything online. I was wondering if anybody's ever heard of that church and what they believe.


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## Claudiu (Feb 23, 2013)

Was this friend or his parents from Romania or Hungary? The Hungarian Reformed Church is in Romania as well, but they tend to cater their services only to the Hungarian people within Romania (there's quite a history between the two nations and peoples). 

Here's the church's website: Reformatus.hu :: English

I've heard mixed things about the church. For the most part, I heard it is very similar to the mainlines here in the U.S. in terms of trends.


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## blhowes (Feb 24, 2013)

Claudiu said:


> Was this friend or his parents from Romania or Hungary?


They were from Hungary.


Claudiu said:


> Here's the church's website: Reformatus.hu :: English


Thanks for the link.


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## Wayne (Feb 24, 2013)

Someone over at The Christian Observer has connections with that group and reports often on them.

Magyar | ChristianObserver.org

This post, for instance:

http://christianobserver.org/the-calvin-synod-500-years-of-tradition-lead-to-the-ucc/


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## blhowes (Feb 24, 2013)

Wayne said:


> This post, for instance: http://christianobserver.org/the-cal...ad-to-the-ucc/


Wayne,
Thanks. Interesting reading...

By the end of the sixteenth century, Hungary was 90 percent Protestant, mainly Calvinist in theology and forms of worship. The Counter-Reformation, led by Jesuits and enforced by the Habsburg monarchy and the Hungarian nobility, recovered control for the Roman Catholic Church. More than four hundred Protestant pastors and teachers were imprisoned and tortured until they recanted. Only forty-one refused. These were marched to the Adriatic Sea and sold as galley slaves. From this life of horror they were finally ransomed through the intervention of Holland and Switzerland and given political asylum in those countries.​


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## PointyHaired Calvinist (Feb 24, 2013)

Hungarian Reformed is episcopal in church government (bishops, etc.) but have elders too, If I recall correctly. They use the Heidelberg and the Second Helvetic Confession.

In the US they are represented by the Calvin Synod of the United Church of Christ, and by the Hungarian Reformed Church in America. They are far to the right of the rest of the UCC and mainliners, but I think they ordain women and are members of the National/World Council of Churches. Sorta along the lines of the EPC and CRC from what I can tell, with a very strong ethnic component still.


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## Backwoods Presbyterian (Feb 24, 2013)

There are a few Hungarian Reformed Churches in Pittsburgh. It is a bit misleading to say they favor "women's ordination" in the sense of the way in which liberal denominations do so. There is a cultural thing going on there that goes way back into old, old Magyar culture.


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## Pilgrim (Feb 26, 2013)

blhowes said:


> Wayne said:
> 
> 
> > This post, for instance: http://christianobserver.org/the-cal...ad-to-the-ucc/
> ...



Admiral Horthy, head of state of Hungary during WWII, was from an old Reformed noble family. However his personal views are said to have been nominal.


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## arapahoepark (Feb 26, 2013)

Backwoods Presbyterian said:


> There are a few Hungarian Reformed Churches in Pittsburgh. It is a bit misleading to say they favor "women's ordination" in the sense of the way in which liberal denominations do so. There is a cultural thing going on there that goes way back into old, old Magyar culture.


Which is...?


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## Somerset (Feb 26, 2013)

I believe the Hungarian Reformed Church in Hungary (HRC) is pretty liberal today. Recently the Reformed Presbyterian Church of Central and East Europe has been set up, under the direction(?), encouragement(?) of the Westminster Bible Missions Worldwide (WBMW). This new denomination adheres to the three forms of unity. Their overtures of friendship have been rebuffed by the HRC. WBMW seek to use this church as an entry point into the whole of the region - but so far all pastors are ethnic Hungarian and all churches are either in Hungary or areas taken from Hungary after 1918 and still inhabited by Hungarians.

(Post 740 and finally I can answer something about religion!).


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## Claudiu (Feb 27, 2013)

Claudiu said:


> Was this friend or his parents from Romania or Hungary? The Hungarian Reformed Church is in Romania as well, but they tend to cater their services only to the Hungarian people within Romania (there's quite a history between the two nations and peoples).
> 
> Here's the church's website: Reformatus.hu :: English
> 
> I've heard mixed things about the church. For the most part, I heard it is very similar to the mainlines here in the U.S. in terms of trends.



So I stand corrected. The denomination I linked to is not the Hungarian Magyar Reformed Church. Instead, I linked to the Reformed Church in Hungary, a different denomination. Sorry for the confusion.


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## Claudiu (Feb 27, 2013)

Also worth mentioning is the fact that there is a confessional, Reformed denomination in Hungary (and elsewhere). The link to this site is Reformed Presbyterian Church of Central and Eastern Europe.


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## Backwoods Presbyterian (Feb 27, 2013)

arap said:


> Backwoods Presbyterian said:
> 
> 
> > There are a few Hungarian Reformed Churches in Pittsburgh. It is a bit misleading to say they favor "women's ordination" in the sense of the way in which liberal denominations do so. There is a cultural thing going on there that goes way back into old, old Magyar culture.
> ...



I don't know myself, that is just what was told to me by the pastor of a HRC church in Pittsburgh, who was thoroughly Reformed.


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## Mihai (Feb 27, 2013)

Culturally, Eastern European people are not egalitarian so ordination of women is not determined by any Hungarian culture.

Ordination of women as pastors in ethnic Hungarian Reformed denominations started around mid 20th century because of liberal and neo-orthodox influences. Sadly, Tilich and Barth are among their heroes.


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