Tag: Kolozsvár

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: Concio Lucae XIII.

Summary of sermon: The author  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.

In this sermon the Unitarian Plato discusses the importance of repentance of our ungodly deeds and turning towards God, because the parable of this sermon tells us what happens if we fail to do that. In Concio Lucae XIII v. 6. Enyedi György used the New Testament parable of the vineyard and the owner who looks for good fruit on the trees, and if he doesn’t see good fruit then will have the tree cut down. Because today we, the gentiles, are the trees in God’s vineyard, we ought to listen to the admonishments of the vineyard workers (such as Enyedi) to refrain from ungodliness. If the people of Transylvania doesn’t do that, then, after a brief waiting period, God will surely cut the trees, the people of Transylvania, down.    Because of the turbulent and violent historical events that started in 1593, Enyedi feared for the fate of his homeland, Transylvania, and found solace and advice on the pages of the Bible. This sermon was written in June of 1594, and delivered just about the same time.  By that time Enyedi felt that only supernatural help will save Transylvania from devastation. What were those historical events? I give you a brief description below.

There is a very special historical background for the series of 19 sermons that start with Concio 10 translated on this web site as Sermon #47.  From the beginning of 1593, under the rule of Prince Zsigmond Bathori, the Principality of Transylvania experienced a monumental internal power struggle in order to decide what foreign policy the Principality should conduct with regard to the Turkish Empire.  Since the 1550s Transylvania was a tribute-paying, but unoccupied component of the Turkish Empire. That peaceful existence came to an end in 1593.

In 1593, after 25-year pause, the Turkish sultan started a new military offensive in the Hapsburg-ruled remnant of the Hungarian Kingdom (well West of Transylvania), and the Hapsburg Emperor Rudolph requested help from surrounding countries. In late 1593 there was initial military success against the Turkish army. Prince Zsigmond Bathori, saying that he wants to be the part of eliminating the Turkish occupation from Hungary, sent emissaries to Rudolph and to the Pope in order to become part of their alliance. In February of 1594 the official pact was signed making the Principality of Transylvania part of the Holy League with the obligation to coordinate military action with other participants.

The Transylvanian Diet never approved the war-plans of the Prince, nonetheless, Prince Zsigmond Bathori, took unauthorized action, and in  March of 1594 attacked a Turkish-occupied town West of Transylvania. Because the promised military help to Rudolph never fully materialized, the Transylvanian forces were left unaided by the League to face a much larger Turkish dispatchment. Enyedi delivered this sermon in March of 1594.  In May of 1594 the Prince requested again approval of his plans (and budget) from the Diet which yet again refused.

The Transylvanian forces were eventually defeated by the Turkish army, and at the July 1594 Diet Prince Zsigmond Bathori abdicated. However, by August 1594 several generals declared their loyalty to the Prince, and he returned to Kolozsvar. The Prince then captured the leaders of the anti-war faction of the Diet, and had them executed by beheading or garroting. The Diet, thus, was forced to approve the war-plans of the Prince, and the wealth of the executed nobles were use to shore up the war budget.

Enyedi György was born in the town of Nagyenyed in Transylvania, and the current Unitarian Church there is partnered with the First Unitarian Church of Louisville, Kentucky.

In this sermon you look through a window into late XVIth century Transylvania, and hear the words of the third Bishop of the Transylvanian Unitarian Church. The translation time machine will take you back to late 1500s, and allows you to listen to 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: SermonConcioMark16.

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 is the resurrection of Christ as described the Apostle Mark. The sermon was most likely preached in Kolozsvár at Easter time of 1594. Enyedi György places emphasis on describing the role of the women in receiving and spreading the good news  of the resurrection. He also points out that we derive a peace of mind knowing that just as Christ was resurrected so will we, believers, be  resurrected.

Enyedi György was born in the town of Nagyenyed in Transylvania, and the current Unitarian Church there is partnered with the First Unitarian Church of Louisville, Kentucky.

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 1594, 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: 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: 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: 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.

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: SermonTheFreedomofFaithandConscience.

Summary of the sermon: The author, Ferencz József, was a Unitarian minister in the town of Kolozsvár until 1876, and Bishop of the Transylvanian Unitarian Church from 1876 through 1928. Please consult his wikipedia page to learn about his many significant contributions to the Transylvanian Unitarian Church.

This 16 page sermon was delivered in August of 1868 in Torda, during the synod to celebrate the 300th anniversary of Unitarian religion in Transylvania. According to Gellérd Imre, the unequalled expert on Transylvanian Unitarian sermonic literature, this is an “epoch-making” sermon for Unitarian ideals, and the best illustration of the thought processes of the author.  Thus, this sermon is a unique opportunity to understand the 19th century view of 300 years of Unitarian history and the outlook into the future  from a speaker who was destined to lead the Unitarian Church for 52 years.

In the introduction Ferencz József explains the year for the establishment of the Unitarian Church to the year 1568, because that same year was the year when the Transylvanian law securing freedom of faith and conscience was enacted.

In the first part he describes the historic events related to the fulfillments and the degradations of the freedom of faith and conscience. This part ends with the death of Dávid Ferencz, and the subsequent intolerance and cleansing.

In the second part he describes the effect of the French Revolution in resurrecting freedom of faith and conscience, and the changes in religious that followed. This part ends with acknowledgement of Unitarianism taking hold in England and in America, and the presence of a more tolerant attitude towards Unitarians in Transylvania.

In the third part he explains how education is a key to create a kind of humanity where enlightened thinking will forever prevent discrimination and prosecution based on religious difference.

Technical note: The author’s name and the Hungarian names in the body of the sermon and in the above summary are shown in their Hungarian form (Family name then Given name), and using the letters with diacritical marks.

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: SermonIBelieveintheEternalLife.

Summary of sermon: The topic of this Easter sermon is the promise of eternal life, the promise of rebirth as  a person and as a community.  Dr. Szabó Árpád asks “Can we become the people of Easter?” The affirmative answer is spelled out for us.

Dr. Szabó Árpád was the 30th bishop of the Transylvanian Unitarian Church. He studied at Meadville Lombard Theological School in 1977-78;  he was an active participant in the affairs of the International Council of Unitarians and Universalists (ICUU); he was awarded the Louis C. Cornish “Living the Mission” award by the UU Partner Church Council in 2007. He passed away in 2010.

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: SermonStandingfirm.

Summary of sermon: The sermon was written on December 3, 1956, and posthumously published in 2013.  This sermon has a very unique history, as this was one of the sermons that played a role in the 1957 arrest and interrogation of several Unitarian ministers by the Romanian Secret Police.   All of those ministers were found guilty of various “crimes against the state”, and sentenced to several years of labor camps. What was their crime?  You see, during 1956 a small group of Transylvanian Unitarian ministers put together a booklet of sermons that they were distributing throughout the Unitarian Seminary, and preached in Transylvanian villages. They were found out, and their booklet was confiscated, and the text of several sermons appeared as evidence of crimes, in the transcripts of the interrogations and the trial.  This is one of those sermons in that booklet;  the author suffered dearly just for speaking his mind.  So, who is this author?  Simén Dániel was a unitarian minister in the village of Lupeny till 1940, and after that he worked as a theologian, and a teacher in Kolozsvar.  He was imprisoned in 1959, and released in 1964.  He passed away in 1969.

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: SermonOnTheWayThere.

Summary of sermon: This 2018 sermon is from Kovács Sándor, one of the theology teachers at the Protestant Theological Institute at Kolozsvár, Transylvania.   Kovács Sándor is also running the library at the headquarters of the Hungarian Unitarian Church at Kolozsvár, Transylvania.  The topic of this sermon is God’s promise to the Jewish leaders exiled to Babylon. This sermon won a shared 1st prize in the 450th Anniversary year contest organized by the Hungarian Unitarian Church at Kolozsvár.

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: SermonKolozsvarBlues.

Summary of sermon: This 2008 sermon is from one of the teachers at the Unitarian Section of the Protestant Theological Institute in Kolozsvar.  The sermon was presented at a youth gathering.  Once you read this, you will look at Kolozsvar with a different eye, and when you visit there you’ll be asking your host to show you all the locations referenced in this sermon.