Reformed Churches Working in Unity and Diversity

Global historical, theological and ethical perspectives. Edited by Ábrahám Kovács. 

L'Harmattan Publishing House, Budapest, 2016. ISBN: 978-2-343-09794-7

Reformed churches

This volume is the result of an international conference entitled "International Calvinism: A Unity in Diversity? Interactions between International and National Calvinism(s) during the Era of Liberalism and Totalitarianism". The event was organized by the Research Institute for the Historical Study of Central-Eastern European Reformation and Protestantism and István Hatvani Theological Research Centre of Debrecen Reformed Theological University in cooperation with related institutes of University of Debrecen. It was held in 11-15 April, 2015 in Berekfürdő and Debrecen, Hungary. Distinguished scholars arrived to this event from South Africa, Australia, the USA, Japan, and South-Korea as well as from Europe such as Scotland, England, the Netherlands, Switzerland, Hungary and Romania (Transylvania). The idea of celebrating a unity within various forms of Calvinist faith emerged as it was in 2015 when the Reformed Church of Hungary commemorated the establishment of the foundation of a bursary scheme of the (Free) Church of Scotland that enabled Hungarian students with its generous scholarship to study at New College, Edinburgh since 1865. This special occasion motivated the conference organizers to explore how international Calvinism worked across countries and time. Out of the fruitful discussions the following papers emerged for publication which is believed will enrich our global understanding of how widely Calvinism impacted societies across the globe (Africa, Asia, Europe, Australia and the Americas) through its social, pedagogical, economical and ethical principles. The book is unique since it places a wide array of essays to the reader from an enjoyable intellectual enterprise and forces you to move you out of your theological disciplinary comfort zone. 

The first thematic group of historical papers scrutinized the theological, social and pedagogical influence of Calvinism in countries like Scotland, Hungary, England, the USA, Transylvania (Romania). Essays in the second section focused on the theological concepts. It deals with the relationship between Calvins's view of trinity, the African concept of Ubuntu, the Sanctification of French Protestant, and on Calvin's Academic legacy. Finally the last section focused on mission of Reformed Churches in response to the socio-political environment in the USA, sola caritate as a response to the economic justice, collaboration in the ecumenical movement, reinterpreting work and vocation for a changing political landscape, and the issue of how to heal tensions between denominations. 

Ábrahám Kovács

Debrecen - Princeton

Contents

I. HISTORICAL, SOCIAL AND PEDAGOCIAL ASPECTS OF INTERNATIONAL CALVINISM

Stuart J. Brown: The Reformed Churches and Awakening Movements in Revolutionary Europe, 1789 - 1830

Mark W. Elliott: Versions of Calvinism in Scotland: Divided by a Common Language

Matthew D. Eddy: The Cognitive Unity of Calvinist Pedagogy in Enlightenment Scotland

D.G. Hart: Calvin without Constantine: Nineteenth-Century Presbyterian Debates over Ecclesiastical Establishment in Scotland and the United States

Ábrahám Kovács: A Scottish Presbyterian desire to revive the Hungarian Reformed Church: the Commencement of Hungarian-Bohemian Bursary Programme

John R. McIntosh: 'The Call of Eastern Europe to Scotland: A Short Exercise in Trans-national Ecclesiastical History'

István Pásztori-Kupán: Is there a crown without a cross? Two models describing the duty of Christians in the world

Erzsébet Horváth: Reception of Calvin in the 21st century Hungary

II. THEOLOGICAL CONCEPTS INFORMING INTERNATIONAL COLLABORATION

Jerry Pillay: The Idea of Unity in Diversity in Calvin's View of God and the World: Its Impact in Global Partnerships and Transformation

Botond Gaál: The Academic Legacy of Calvin: A Unified View of Theology

David W. Kim: Uniting Church: A Contemporary Unity in Australian Calvinism

Corneliu C. Simut: Inner Edification as Foundation for Unity among the Sixteenth Century French Protestants in Calvin's View of Church Singing

III. ETHICAL PERSPECTIVES OF CALVINISM ACROSS THE GLOBE

Elisabeth Hinson-Hasty: Paying a Visit to Zacchesus' House: Protestant Churches in North America Working on the Periphery for Systematic and Structural Change

Pieter Vos: Vocation Reconsidered. Calvinistic Accounts of the Good and Relativity of Work

Christopher Weber-Berg: Sola Caritate - A Common Principle for Reformed Christian Ethics

 

forrás: teologia.partium.ro