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The Lutheran Church in Hungary

© John L. Hoh, Jr.

The Evangelical Lutheran Church in Hungary is the second largest among the Protestant churches of Hungary. According to the latest census (1948) it has 430,000 baptized members, some of them of Slovak and German nationalities. This can be accounted for by the fact that the Lutheran Reformation was especially strong among the German and Slovak population in the northern villages and towns of the country in the first half of the 16th century. The congregations were, however, not organized according to their linguistic differences, but according to administrative communities (towns, villages). Thus there were formed bi- or even tri-lingual (Hungarian-Slovak-German) congregations. Such mixed communities are still existing in spite of the fact that, after World War II, a great many Germans emigrated and minor exchanges of the populations also took place between Hungary and Slovakia. The members of the bi-lingual congregations live in good fraternal agreement.

One of the first Hungarian Reformers, Mátyás Dévai Bíró, had been Luther's neighbour at table, and he was and is called the "Hungarian Luther." His preaching activity extended to all of the three parts of the country (the domains of King Ferdinand of the House Habsburg in the West, King John Szapolyai in the East and the Turkish occupation in the South). Because both kings persecuted the followers of the Reformation, he had to flee from one territory to the other. The first Hungarian translator of the complete New Testament (1541), János Silvester, should also be mentioned.

The Constitution of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Hungary was drawn up by the Synod of 1891-94. At present, there are 320 parishes with the ministration of 300 pastors. The 16 seniorates are chaired by senior clergymen and lay superintendents. The congregations are also governed by a clergyman and a lay superintendent. There are two church districts: the Northern District with Bishop Imre Szebik and Lay Superintendent Ferenc Farkasházi, an economist, at its head, and the Southern District with Bishop D. Dr. Béla Harmati and Lay Superintendent Dr. Jenõ Sólyom, a professor.

At the time of the Counter-Reformation the church was defended by Lutheran noblemen (by weapons if necessary) and the churches and schools were also built by them. It was at that time that the post of Superintendent was developed (in 1758). The national superintendent is presently Professor Dr. Róbert Frenkl who together with the two bishops form the presidency of the Church. The senior bishop is now Dr. Béla Harmati who is the Church's presiding bishop.

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