Hungarian Unitarian Church
Address:
1055 Budapest
Nagy Ignac str. 2-4
Tel/Fax (0036-1) 311-2801
Tel. (for the Bishop) (0036-1)
311-3595
Email: mue@unitarius.hu
Home Page: www.unitarius.hu http://www.unitarius.lap.hu - link collection
Bishop: Rev. Csaba Rázmány
Office phone: Tel. (0036-1)
311-3595
Home Tel/Fax. (0036-1) 322-3702 Mo: 0620/3937269
Email: razcsaba@unitarius.hu
President: István Mikó
Email. miko1@matavnet.hu
Unitárius Élet -
Unitarian Life bimonthly magazine
http://www.unitarius.hu/english/unelet.htm
Unitarian Library and Archives
1055 Budapest, Nagy Ignác str. 2-4
Home Page: www.unitar.hu
Heltai Gáspár Unitarian Bookstore
1054 Budapest Alkotmany str. 12.
Tel/Fax (0036-1) 311.22.41
Email:
heltai.konyvesbolt@unitarius.hu
Home Page http://www.unitarius.hu/heltai/konyvesbolt.htm
Churches in Hungary: 10 unitarian
churches and 11 ministers
Home Page: www.unitarius.hu/uch.htm
First Church in Budapest
H-1055 Budapest, Nagy Ignác str.
2-4.
Telephone: (36-1)-3113094
Minister: Rev. Jozsef Kászoni
Béla Bartók Unitarian Church in Budapest
1092 Budapest, Hőgyes Endre str.
3.
Telepfone/Fax (36-1) 217-6171
Ministers: Rev. Csaba Rázmány razcsaba@unitarius.hu
Home Tel/Fax. (0036-1) 322-3702 Mo: 0620/3937269
Rev. Sándor Léta leta@unitarius.hu
Pestszentlőrinc Unitarian Church
H-1181 Budapest,
Szervét Mihály tér 1.
Phone: (0036-1) 297.55.05,
(0036-1) 297.55.06
Minister Rev. Adrienne Szász
Email: adri@levele.com
Debrecen Unitarian Church
H-4025 Debrecen, Hatvan u. 24.
Telephone: 0036-52-535-378
Minister: Rev. Miklósi-Vári
Katalin
Email: katalinv@elender.hu
Füzesgyarmat Unitarian Church
H-5525 Füzesgyarmat,
Széchenyi str. 77.
Phone: 36-66-491-894
Minister: Rev. László Balázsi
Hódmezövásárhely Unitarian Church
H-6800 Hódmezővásárhely,
Vöröskereszt str. 16/a.
Phone: 0036-62-241781
Email: unitar@axelero.hu
Minister: Rev. Mihály Kiss
Kocsord Unitarian Church
H-4751 Kocsord, Szent István u.
30.
Phone: 0036-44-717161
Minister: Rev.
Levente Nyitrai
Györ Unitarian Church
H-9027 Győr, Szittya str. 2.
Phone: 0036-96-324796
Minister: Rev. Mátyás Gy. Sándor
E-mail: amatthias@freemail.hu
Trans-Danubian Unitarian Diaspora Church
Pécs
7623 Pécs, Madách Imre str. 9/A.
III. 11.
Phone: 06-30-2821-665
Minister:
Rev. Ernő Máté
E-mail: mateerno@yahoo.com
East-Danubian Unitarian Diaspora Church
Kecskemét
Minister: Rev. Miklós
Kelemen
Address: 1131 Budapest, Mosoly str. 20-26.
Phone: 06-1-3207-399
Bereg Unitarian Fellowship
Contact person address:
Felhös Szabolcs
H-4800 Vásárosnamény, Pf. 2., Hungary
Email: unitarius1@freemail.hu
Introduction of
Bishop Csaba Rázmány
My name is Csaba Rázmány.
I was born in 1946 in the city of
Kolozsvar (Cluj), the birth place of the Unitarianism, and the city of
Francis David. My father was a Unitarian minister for more than 40 years, my
mother was the accountant of the Unitarian Grammer School for more than 30
years. I went to school in Kolozsvar, than I graduated in the Unitarian
Department of the Protestant Theological School in Kolozsvar in the year of
400th anniversary of our church, in 1968. After that for 3 years I was an
assistant minister at Brasov, my senior minister was Rev.Majay Endre, from whom
I had learnt a lot in practical ministry, and I remember him with gratefulness.
After that I became the minister of a village
congregation at Alsoboldogfalva with a membership of 430 Unitarians. My
predecessor had been minister in the congregation after World War II for 36
years, during a very difficult time of communist oppression and religious
persecution. That is why the congregation wasn't able to build or renew
anything. When I became the minister at Alsoboldogfalva I inherited the church
and the manse in a bad shape. The first thing I did was to rebuild and renovate
the church and build a new parsonage at a time when the communist government
made religious life very hard for us. The members were very active and donated
money and a lot of energy during that construction. At the end in 1973 we
finished the building and it is still one of the most modern parsonages in
Transylvania.
I was the minister there for 24 years. During that
period I baptized 190 children, I conducted wedding ceremonies 101 times. I
don't want to mention funerals.
7 years after the Chernobyl catastrophe, in 1993
found out that I have malignant tumor and immediately I had my first operation.
I came to Hungary for the necessary medical operation and treatment, and it was
successful. For medical reason and advice I moved from Transylvania to Hungary
together with my family in 1995. I became the minister of Budapest 3rd church
at Pestszentlorincz. I have had 14 surgeries, out of those 2 times a lung
problem. I went through a special chemo therapy. I am grateful to the Good
Lord, that now I am well.
For 5 years I was the minister at Budapest 3rd
church, I built up an active and good congregation. After Rev.Kaszoni had been
elected at Budapest 1st church, I was asked by the Church leadership to take
over the responsibilities at Budapest 2nd church. I was appointed on the
first January 2001.
I was elected as Bishop of the Hungarian Unitarian
Church on the 3rd February 2001.
This is my life briefly.
Short history of the Unitarian Church in Hungary:
We consider our beginning from
1568. January 6-13. when the Diet of Torda proclaimed freedom of religion and
of conscience. At that time unitarians from Hungary and Transylvania were ONE,
because Transylvania was part of Hungary. After 1918, the Treaty of Trianon,
when Transylvania was given to Romania, and formed the Transylvanian Unitarian
Church, in Hungary the remained unitarians and the unitarians who left
Transylvania and immigrated in Hungary in large number organized the Unitarian
Church and Bishops Office in Hungary.
In Hungary remained 6 ministers and 2 teachers. The statistics between 1921 and
1927 it shows that there were unitarians between 10.600 and 11.200 members.
In 1971 could ellect for the first time the Hungarian Unitarian Church its own
bishop in the person of Joseph Ferenc, and the lay president was Béla Bartók
(the son).
In 2001, the Unitarian Bishop in Hungary is Rev.
Csaba Rázmány, an energic person with the idea of renewal and outreach toward
unitarian and universalist sisters and brothers. He is very active in the
social and religous activities to promote our unitarian existence.
There are in Budapest three unitarian churches: the Budapest First Unitarian
Church, the Béla Bartók Unitarian Church and the Pestszentlőrinc Unitarian
Church.
Other churches in Hungary: Debrecen, Győr, Füzesgyarmat, Hódmezövásárhely,
Kocsord, Transdanubian, Eastdanubian.
There are 11 unitarian ministers with their families.
We consider being now in Hungary between 15.000 and 20.000 members.
Beliefes and thoughts:
The very essence of Unitarianism
is religious tolerance and a consistantly firm attitude in support of liberty
of conscience. Francis David constantly emphasized that religion must be free,
that in question of faith there is no place for compulsion and that the
spreading the Gospel (God's words) requires no weapons or violence, because
Faith is the gift of God. In other words, Unitarianism is inseparably bound up
with freedom of conscience and faith. There is no greater mindlessness and
absurdity than to force conscience and ther spirit with external power, when
only their creator has authority of them.
Francis David regarded it as an eternal principle,
that the work of reformation must be continued and extended, "Those who
have been enlightened by God's spirit" - he said - "must not cease to
speak nor can they suppress the truth. Such in the power of the spirit, that the
mind of man, - putting aside every false artifice - strives only to add
to the glory of God, let the whole world rage and oppose it."
It has been said that we Unitarians have no
Doctrine, only Principles of faith. The difference between these two words is
that Unitarians possess no articles of faith enunciated by church meetings
which are compulsory and unchangeable. But there are in the Unitarian
membership generally accepted views and principles regarding religion which
more or less shape the Unitarian colective consciousness. Perhaps these are the
beliefs we usually refer to.
The Unitarian religion is simple. The Love of God
and Human are the essence of Jesus' teaching, according to Unitarian
Principles. God is Spirit, who is almighty, wise, good, just. God is
Love. The Holy Spirit is God's power, the cause of life in us. It is true, that
the Bible attributes will, examination of inner thoughts, teaching and
comforting to it. This is not because it would be an other person, but to
illustrate the different ways of God's action. This Spirit is a teaching power,
guiding toward good.
Jesus is human. He is our master in teaching and
our guide toward God's Kingdom. Jesus is the greatest representative of faith,
reason and freedom. The human Jesus doesn't teach about the essence or person,
about the son preexisting eternally, neither about the dual Christ, but only
about One God.
The human being is in the center. Everything is
for humanity's sake; religon also serves humanity. God created the whole of
humanity from one blood, this is the natural foundation of our brotherhood and
sisterhood. God created human beings good and capable to become perfect.
To be human is not a state, but a hard task yet to be accomplished. Humans can
be recognised if they love each other, if they are merciful, meek, peaceful,
generous ... humanness and love must be visible in all our actions.
Our most pesonal cause if Faith, which we can
accept but also to refuse. If faith it was given in our nature and it isn't a
gift of God, than all of us would believe equally. Faith in its content is
trust in God and it is God's work in us, entering in our life, connecting with
us, who speaks to us by the spirit touching our soul and we answer. So thus
faith and action are inseparable. We demonstrate our faith by clear thoughts,
zealous prayers and our actions of love in relationship with humans.
Conscience and reason are the assurance for
freedom of faith. Francis David summarizes his theology in this way: let people
argue by their own will, to seek for the hidden essence of God or deal with the
multitude of the person and to turn around the wisdom of reason, but eternal
life is to know your only God. Jesus said: Seek and you will find, knock and it
the doors will open to you.. search everything and what is good keep it.
Conscience is free. Every one follows his own best
understanding. Thus to be Unitarian means the acceptance of complete freedom in
matters of religion. Unitarian and individual freedom belong together.
Characteristic of Unitarianism is the belief in humans potential for
good, their noble calling and strong faith in enlightenment and progress. It
emphasizes science as an important factor in our religion. It is enthusiastic
for humanism. It emphasizes the authority of the individual conscience as opposed
to creedal authority. The church is a necessary organization to mature and to
spread these views.
These are the general convictions, the framework
within which lies a more precise expression of communal belief. The following
are its main points: God is One and indivisible. The man Jesus is an example.
The Holy Spirit is the power for good within. Its ethic is to emphasize the
possibility of repentance, free will and freedom of choice, the innerness of
religion as opposed to outher forms and ceremonies. It requires reason among
humans and progresive change in the principles of one's faith and a continuing
endeavor to bring into harmony the findings of science and religion. Possibly
this description is sketchy and misses some points, yet without doubt it
describes the main outline of Hungarian Unitarianism.
We can say that Unitarianism is a richly colorful
and varied religion. It is not bound, it gives a free field for individual
thinking, does not put up boundaries, thus provides a personal way upon which
one can proceed. It is not advisable to set up boundaries, because progress
will obliterate them.
Unitarianism as a living philosophy is first of
all a religion, a religious philosophy whose aim must be to fulfill and to
comfort the soul. A religion whose task is to lift and ennoble humans' soul
cannot really be a method, a scientific world view, a constant search, or any
other such endeavour. It must be something which equips human's souls with a
shield against the trials of life, which provides a faith "which is not of
this world".
The basis of the Unitarianism is the Gospel
according to Jesus. The rules of Unitarianism are rooted in the teachings of
Jesus. The seed of continuity in Unitarianism is the seed which represents
ideas accepted in the Gospel, the inferences of humanism and social liberalism
are significant only as they relate to this seed.
God is one, spirit, creator and preserver
of the world. God is a personal
and spiritual power who takes care of his creatures by his providential
act manifested in nature and history, on the universal and personal level
alike. On public prayers you can often hear John 4,24 quoted: "'God is
Spirit, and only by the power of his Spirit can people worship him as he really
is.' Come therefore my brethren, let us all listen to the voice of the spirit,
and pray for a moment retired in utter silence."
The human kind is God's most
noble creature, with the faculties of reason, awareness and constience.
God gave man the ability to do good and free will. Due to
reason and constience humans are able to
distinguish between moral good and evil. Further he/she is able and free to
chose. If he/she choses the good, acts according to God's will and his own
welfare. But due to the free will he/she can act on the contrary too, out of weekness,
imperfectness, ignorance. Free will means moral
independence, the chance of learning and spiritual growth, and the chance
and guarantee in addition in attaining personal salvation out of one's
own in the same time. Man is supported in this endeavour by providence
and the holy spirit, which is God's spiritual power. The
purpose of human kind is accomplishing the kingdom of God on Earth,
which means fulfillment of the good natural endowments of men, on personal and
social level. Most valuable virtues are: faith, free will, constience
and love. Humans are all children of God, equal brethren
and sisters.
Jesus was God's best child as he lived his life according
entirely to God's will. Jesus was a man, human. Jewish religious
teacher, prophet, regarded by the unitarians as an example to follow, a master
of religious and ethical life in teaching and acting. It is from Jesus'
teaching you can find out what kingdom of God should be like. Most important
part in his teaching is the "twofold commandment of love":
"Love your God and love your neighbour as you do your own self".
The Bible is a collection of
man-created writings, including teachings of Jewish and Christian teachers,
historical accountings and literature. These works were inspired by God but we
are not to forget that this inspiration was grasped by those who lived
long-long time ago in a certain historical time and place. This is why each
writing has the marks of a cultural trend from ancient times, with that
characteristical world-wiew, containing precious inuitive insight but mistakes
too. This is why the unitarian theology follows and accepts the results of the
scientifical criticism of the Bible in adopting it's ethics in life and
philosophy. Most valueable part of the Bible is the New Testament, more closely
the four gospels, where you can learn about Jesus' life and teachings.
Unitarian holidays, according to the
above principles gain the following meaning:
- Christmas is the commemoration of Jesus' birth.
- Flower Sunday: Jesus' entrance in
Jerusalem Matthew 25,1-9.
- Good Friday: the crucifixion and the death of Jesus-
- Easter holiday is the manifestation of the belief in the immortal
soul and the evidence of eternal life (not in body but in spirit). we celebrate the eternity of the human soul,
Spirit. Even if our body returns to the ground (it is made of dust and dust
becomes), the soul, the Spirit lives its eternal life in the afterlife with
God, in God (Romans 14,7-8).
- Pentecost is the holiday held to the victory of Jesus' ideas in the
confession of the disciples, and the establisment of the first christian church
(3000 people followed the disciples).
- Autumn Thanksgiving for the crop (last sunday of September).
- Francis David remembrance day: we
remember of the life and death of the founder and first bishop of the Unitarian
Church, who diet at Deva dungeon on 15th November 1579.
- Mothers Day, first Sunday in May:
respect, love and gratitude for mothers.
- Every Sunday and
occasionally weekdays: the day for the rest of the body and the spiritual
renewal. The time for praying, going in the church, being loving humans.
Ceremonies
- Baptising ("in the name
of the one, true God", "for following Jesus").
- Confirmation (held usually the Sunday before Pentecost, after one
year of study and on the basis of the catechism booklet: question-answer).
- Wedding ceremony
- Funeral ceremony: a last far
a well from a person who left this world for an other one: for the eternal
life. We hand over to God his/her Soul to take care as God did in this earthly
life. "We do not live for ourselves and we do not die for
ourselves. If we live, we live to the Lord and if we die, we die to the Lord;
so then, whether we live or whether we die, we are the Lord's (God's)"
(Rome14,7-8.)
- Lord's supper (on each above mentioned holiday's first and second
day). Meaning: commemoration of Jesus and giving evidence of the intention to
belong to the community of his followers, remembering Jesus life, teaching and
gospel and gaining power to live alike him.
The Order of Service in our Unitarian churches is
the following: Call to worship, Beginning Song, Reading, Main Song, Prayer,
The Lord's Prayer, Song, Reading from the Bible, Sermon, Prayer, Silent Prayer,
Announcements, Blessing, Closing Song.
The purpose
of the ceremonies:
- their purpose is to pay our attention to our
duties and to do good.
- they are an educational instruments, a way leading us toward God, the Kingdom
of God, toward perfection.
- their purpose is to express, to take care, create, build in people's heart
the disciple, and discipleship, which helps us to become Jesus' followers.
- to remember us of Jesus, his example directing our attention to our
duties and helps us to follow our teacher, Jesus.
- to the services and ceremonies we do not attribute miracle maker power and we
don't think that through them we can change God's will; more, in ceremonies we
give up our will to God's will.
English link
collection
http://www.unitarius.hu/unitarian-links.htm
Compiled by Rev. Sándor Léta leta@unitarius.hu
Budapest, 2004-05-09