Translated Sermon #27: Concio CXCII by Enyedi György

The full text of the translated sermon (in conjunction with Concio CXCIII) is published in print by the Journal of Unitarian Universalist History, 2021, Volume XLIV, pages 94-113. In accordance with the publishing contract the full text of the translated sermon is now available on this website as Translated Sermon #2. From the main page of unitariantorch.com select the horizontal line “Translated Transylvanian Unitarian Sermons”, and scroll to and click on “SermonConcioCXCII”

If you wish to see the back to back translation of Concio CXCII and CXCIII together with the expert historical analysis of Dr. Lovas Borbala, then please contact the Journal for a copy ($15). Dr Lovas Borbala is a historian who specializes in the Unitarian sermonic literature of the XVIth century,

Summary of sermon: The author of the sermon deserves as much attention as the topic.  Enyedi György was the third bishop of the Transylvanian Unitarian Church, until his death in 1597. He is called in some Hungarian language literature as the “Unitarian Plato”, because most of his writings and sermons focuses on the explanations of Bible verses.  He is noted for using everyday, mundane metaphors to teach the congregation about the meaning behind the words of Christ.  Hungarian translations of the Bible began to spread in his time, and it was important to teach churchgoers on their mother tongue about it.

The topic of the sermon represents a  continuation of the teachings of David Ferenc, who wrote  and preached about the reasoning why Antitrinitarians (today’s Unitarians) find the concept of the Trinity unacceptable.  This sermon relies on the verses 1-6 of Psalm 2 to make the Antitrinitarian argument that Jesus Christ is not a person of the Godhead.  Enyedi wrote and preached this sermon under the extreme stress of persecution of the Unitarian Church in the form of confiscations of property, and forced catholization of Unitarians.

In this sermon you look through a window into late XVIth century Transylvania, and hear the words of a contemporary of Shakespeare.  So, sit back, relax, allow your time machine to take you back to around 1597, and enjoy this gem of a sermon, available the first time in English.

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