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For full text go to the menu on top of the UnitarianTorch home page, click on Translated Transylvanian Unitarian Sermons line, and then click on the title: SermonTheEssenceofChristianFaith.

Summary of sermon: The sermon was written in 1972 by Kovács Lajos on the occasion of his inauguration as the 28th bishop of the Transylvanian Unitarian Church. The essence of the Christian faith is traced back to the dual commandment of Jesus, as he stated it in Mark 12:28-31, the Scripture quote of this sermon. The sermon emphasizes that both parts of the dual commandment are inseparable from the Unitarian faith. Kovács Lajos passed away in 1994.

For full text go to the menu on top of the UnitarianTorch home page, click on Translated Transylvanian Unitarian Sermons line, and then click on the title: SermonThusFartheLordhasHelpedUs.

Summary of sermon: The sermon was written in 2018 by Rácz Norbert Zsolt on the occasion of the unveiling of the  full size statue of Dávid Ferenc.   The statue is located near the Downtown Unitarian Church in Kolozsvár where Rácz Norbert Zsolt is the lead minister. The sermon uses the example of Samuel erecting the Ebenezer stone as a metaphor to describe the current situation that lead to the erection of the statue. Zsolt is urging us to keep the memory of this victory of the erection of the statue, so future generations will believe and will trust in the Lord and in His providence.  The partner church for the owntown Unitarian Church in Kolozsvár is King’s Chapel in Boston.

For full text go to the menu on top of the UnitarianTorch home page, click on Translated Transylvanian Unitarian Sermons line, and then click on the title: SermonInauguration VargaBela.

Summary of sermon: The sermon was written in 1938 by Dr. Varga Béla. He was elected bishop of the Hungarian Unitarian Church in 1938, and stayed in office till 1940. He returned to teaching philosophy and theology from 1940 till his death in 1942.  In his inauguration sermon Bishop Varga identifies the cause of restlessness and hopelessness in society as the consequence of mankind losing sight of each person being a child and coworker of God. “Only unconditional love can do away with the restlessness” he writes.

For full text go to the menu on top of the UnitarianTorch home page, click on Translated Transylvanian Unitarian Sermons line, and then click on the title: SermonConsecrationKovacsIstvan.

Summary of sermon: The sermon was written in 2022 by Kovács István. He was elected bishop of the Hungarian Unitarian Church in 2021, but the coronavirus restrictions delayed his consecration till 2022. In his consecration sermon Bishop Kovács calls on all of us to lead a prayerful life, and to seek the freedom afforded to us by the Holy Spirit that directs us to serve each other.

For full text go to the menu on top of the UnitarianTorch home page, click on Translated Transylvanian Unitarian Sermons line, and then click on the title: SermonTrueFairyTale.

Summary of sermon: The sermon was written in 2009 by Lázár Levente. He is the minister at the Unitarian Church of Korond, in Transylvania. He was a Balazs scholar at the Starr King School for the Ministry in 2010-2011. The Korond Church is partnered with the Unitarian Universalist Church of Sarasota, FL. The sermon includes the description of the birth of Jesus phrased as a fairy tale.  Levente urges us to use our inner child to accept and believe the Christmas story in the Gospel, and to believe instead of asking verification minute details in the story.

For full text go to the menu on top of the UnitarianTorch home page, click on Translated Transylvanian Unitarian Sermons line, and then click on the title: FuneralSermonBiroSamuel.

Summary of sermon: The sermon was written in 1721 by Szentábrahámi Lombárd Mihály, and was preached in Latin over the casket of homoródszentmártoni Bíró Sámuel.   The title: “The Origin and Attributes of Justice” is very fitting, because the deceased was a judge of the Royal Court of Law.  The time period represents the height of the effort of the Habsburg Empire to rid Transylvania of Unitarians through forced catholicization, confiscation of property, denial of book printing, and the denial of promotion to high offices. Homoródszentmártoni Bíró Sámuel was one of those rare instances where a Unitarian was promoted to be councilor at the Royal Court of Law, so his death was a serious blow to the cause of Unitarians.  The preacher became the Bishop of Transylvanian Unitarian church in 1738. He is best know as the author of the most detailed explanations regarding Transylvanian Unitarian theology.

For full text go to the menu on top of the UnitarianTorch home page, click on Translated Transylvanian Unitarian Sermons line, and then click on the title: SermonConcioCXCIV.

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 is the third part in a series of teachings on Psalm 2. I have previously shared the two preceeding sermons, Concio CXCII and Concio CXCIII. This sermon relies on verse 8 of Psalm 2 to complete 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 catholicization 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.

For full text go to the menu on top of the UnitarianTorch home page, click on Translated Transylvanian Unitarian Sermons line, and then click on the title: SermonTheGiftofGod.

Summary of sermon: The sermon was written in 2010.   The sermon interprets a verse from the Old Testament in the book of Ecclesiastes; the wisdom related to the gift of God.    Mezei Csaba is an ordained Transylvanian unitarian minister serving at the Iris telep church in Kolozsvár.  They are partnered with the First Church in Boston, Massachusetts.    Mezei Csaba was a Starr King School of Ministry Balazs scholar in 1997-1998. He was a lecturer at the 2016 Minns Lectures.

The full text of the translated sermon (in conjunction with Concio CXCII) 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 #28. From the main page of unitariantorch.com select the horizontal line “Translated Transylvanian Unitarian Sermons”, and scroll to and click on “SermonConcioCXCIII”

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 7-8 of Psalm 2 to continue 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.

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.