Autor: theologick

Annamária Kónyová

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THE REFORMED CHURCH AND PRINCELY POWER IN THE TRANSYLVANIAN PRINCIPALITY IN THE
16TH – 17TH CENTURY

Abstract: The Calvinist Reformation had its own specific character in Transylvania during the 16th
and 17th centuries. The process of reformation was very narrowly connected with the process of the
rising independent Transylvania. These processes were started after the Battle of the Mohács(1526)
when the internal and international conditions allowed for the penetration the ideas of Lutheranism
and also the teaching of Calvinism in the 50s of the 16th century. The ideas of Calvinism were mainly
accepted by ethnic Hungarians. In 1564 during the synod in Nagyenyed the followers of Lutheranism
and Calvinism definitely separated, and the Calvinist established the first bishop, František Dávid.
During the following years the Calvinist church had to fight with the radical teaching of Unitarianism,
because many famous representatives of Calvinism accepted Unitarianism, for example František
Dávid or Gašpár Heltai (who translated the Bible into Hungarian). The “golden age” for the Reformed
church in Transylvania was the government of Gabriel Bethlen and Juraj I. Rákóczi. Both of them
were wealthy supporters of Calvinism and established many schools (Sárospatak, Nagyenyed). In
this period the Reformed church started reformation activities among the Romanian (Orthodox)
population, but with not great success. The decline of religious freedom in Transylvania started
during the 80s of the 17th century when the principality was coming back under the domination of
the Habsburgs.

Keywords: calvinism; Transylvania; reformed church; Bethlen; Rákóczi; princeps

THEOLOGICAL REVIEW, Vol. 92, 2021, No. 2, Number of Article 2, p. 150 – 168.
DOI: 10.14712/12117617.92.2.2

Magdaléna Vytlačilová

Jiří Gebelt

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GNOSIS AND JOHANNINE CHRISTIANITY AS ANALYTICAL CATEGORIES. A CONTRIBUTION TO THE
CREATION AND USE OF CATEGORIES IN THE SOCIAL SCIENCES

Abstract: We propose a conception of social scientific categories based on a critical reflection and
discussion of two categories used in the study of early Christianity and the religion of late antiquity:
Gnosticism and Johannine Christianity. We evaluate three recent theoretical discussions regarding
the category of Gnosticism: the issue of the analytical inaccuracy of the category (M. A. Williams),
deriving and using of categories that are based on the self-designation of the analysed subject (B.
Layton, D. Brakke) and finally the negative connotations of the category (K. L. King). Since there
is minimal theoretical (meta)reflection on the category of Johannine Christianity in Johannine
research, we critically define the problems of prevailing unreflected consensus (e.g. R. E. Brown or
R. Hakola).
Each sub-point generates questions of a general nature, which we address in the next part of the
text. We present the answers in the following structure: first, we deal with how we create categories;
then, with their status; and finally, we focus on how we work with categories and according to what
criteria we evaluate them.
We summarised the results as follows: Adequate legitimate analytical categories are those that
are of the second order, i.e. they are not primarily based on self-labelling / self-understanding,
they are not understood as true or false representations of reality, but as utilitarian schemes to
understand a fact, and they are appropriately defined and justified.
Concerning the fragmentary nature and number of preserved sources used in the study of early
Christianity, such a concept has several advantages. Ad 1) The categories of the analysis are
separated from the potentially normative first order categories. Ad 2) Although we strive for the
most adequate knowledge/grasp of the researched facts, we are aware that the data we work
with do not have any independent existence, but their form depends on what conceptual tools we
use. Ad 3) The interpretation of a specific material without a proper and reflected definition of the
category easily results in ideological distortion. E.g. the category Johannine Christianity distorts the
sources (in our case, John‘s corpus) and distorts the broader interpreted context (early Christianity).
Therefore, not correctly defining the researcher‘s category to analyse a group of texts can have farreaching
consequences for interpreting other texts.

Keywords: Gnosticism; Johannine Christianity; early Christianity; category formation

THEOLOGICAL REVIEW, Vol. 92, 2021, No. 2, Number of Article 1, p. 120 – 149.
DOI: 10.14712/12117617.92.2.1

Josef Dolista

Pavla Damohorská

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A PHILOSOPHY OF NEED AND NECESSITY FOR CONTEMPORARY SOCIETY

Abstract: Theology is a multidisciplinary field dealing not only with the relations between God and
man but also among humankind. Therefore, the task of Theology is to deal with the contemporary
problems of human society. The following articles by Prof. Josef Dolista and Dr. Pavla Damohorska
deal with some aspects of the present society deeply influenced by the pandemic situation. While
Professor Dolista focuses on the attitude of medical staff towards individuals, Dr. Damohorska’s
contribution outlines some basic features of the human character in relation to Jewish ethics as well
as the way of how to overcome the negative aspects.

Keywords: need; philosophy; pandemic; ethics; humanity; Viktor Frankl; Maharal; religion; creation;
society
THEOLOGICAL REVIEW, Vol. 92, 2021, No. 1, Number of Article 6, p. 92 – 100.

DOI: 10.14712/12117617.92.1.6

Dominika Šimlová

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THE USE OF THE THEORY OF DIVERGENT MODES OF RELIGIOSITY ON THE RITUAL OF THE SHABBAT
EVENING SERVICE

Abstract: This study considers the possible application of the Theory of divergent Modes of
Religiosity in the research context of the Shabbat evening service. The Modes of Religiosity Theory
was formulated by British anthropologist Harvey Whitehouse, a significant representative of the first
generation of the cognitive science of religion (CSR). This article shows that it is possible to apply the
theory as an analytical tool in the study of rituals. Clarification concerning the usage of Whitehouse‘s
thesis in the example of the traditional Shabbat evening service is made, which is presented under
the theme of a “complex ritual” (following B. Gladigow). Due to the local and ideological diversity
of the ritual and clear application of the theory, a standard course is of the traditional evening
Shabbat service is constructed, a course which is based on the theoretical starting points of
R. Grimese. Such a ritual in fact constitutes actual praxis in the real world. Through application of the
main arguments from the Modes Theory (by substitution of variable characteristics) regarding the
constructed course of rituals, a possible cognitive oriented explanation of service which shows the
limits of practical usage of the Theory may be generated. The goal of this interpretation is a critical
delimitation of the resulting explanation with the intent of taking a unique stand to clear the use of
Whitehouse‘s Modes of Religiosity Theory as an analytic tool for research into rituals.

Keywords: ritual; the theory of divergent Modes of Religiosity; Harvey Whitehouse; Shabbat
evening service

THEOLOGICAL REVIEW, Vol. 92, 2021, No. 1, Number of Article 5, p. 71 – 91.
DOI: 10.14712/12117617.92.1.5

Magdalena Vytlačilová

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APOSTASY AND THE LEVEL OF ACTIVITY IN THE BAHÁ’I FAITH

Abstract: The Bahá’i faith is usually described as one of fastest growing religions in the world. In
the following article the numbers of Bahaʾi adherents given by the official Baha’i statistics and by
the Association of Religious Data Archives (the Arda) is compared with numbers from the latest
censuses. Worldwide there are less than 700 thousand active Baháʾists, which is in conflict with the
numbers given by Arda and by Baha’i statistic (from six to seven millions of adherents). Although an
attempt to prove that the data provided by Baháʾis are false or inflated is not made, an argument
is presented that this data reflects good missionary results. However, since the Bahaʾi faith lacks
conversion rituals and collective rituals which would strength religious identity, it is argued here that
the Baháʾi faith is not able to turn new converts into stable adherents.

Keywords: the Bahá’i faith; apostasy; conversion; religious identity; Bahá’ist
THEOLOGICAL REVIEW, Vol. 92, 2021, No. 1, Number of Article 4, p. 54 – 70.

DOI: 10.14712/12117617.92.1.4

Marek Šmíd

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THE PERSONALITY OF ŠIMON BÁRTA (1864-1940), THE EIGHTH BISHOP OF ČESKÉ BUDĚJOVICE,
IN THE PERIOD BEFORE HIS EPISCOPATE

Abstract: The study deals with the personality of Šimon Bárta in the period before his episcopate.
It follows his Roman formation, his pastoral work in Sedlice, his pedagogical activities in České
Budějovice and Pelhřimov, his open dispute with the authority of Tomáš Garrigue Masaryk and his
publishing activities in many regional newspapers and magazines. It reflects Bárta’s transformation,
when it gradually became an educated priest, a far-sighted spiritual and wise youth guide, as
contemporaries from his surroundings agreed. It emphasizes his Roman formation, during which
the educational method he acquired was able to provide the spiritual, moral and religious influence
and influence him and his surroundings. He considered obedience to the church and the main
authorities to be an unreserved priority in his thinking, to which he also subordinated his decisions.
However, the Roman school not only influenced his human perosonality, but also successfully
influenced it as a spiritual shepherd, preacher, and publicist. These facts certainly played a role in
his appointment as Bishop of České Budějovice in 1920, when the Holy See saw him as a suitable
candidate considering the new conditions in the country after the World War I.

Keywords: Šimon Bárta; the Catholic Church; Czech Lands in the nineteenth and twentienth century;
Vatican

THEOLOGICAL REVIEW, Vol. 92, 2021, No. 1, Number of Article 3, p. 38 – 53.
DOI: 10.14712/12117617.92.1.3

Peter Konya

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THE ORTHODOX POPULATION OF UPPER HUNGARY AND THE REFORMATION

Abstract: Since the late Middle Ages, a large population of Eastern Rite Romanians, Ruthenians
and Serbs lived in the peripheral areas of the Kingdom of Hungary. Hundreds in the northern
and north-eastern parts of Upper Hungary, which occupy the north-east of the country, were
inhabited by Ruthenians. Like the Romanians in Transylvania, they too were confronted with the
Reformation from the mid-sixteenth century onwards. The ideas of the Swiss Reformation were
spread among them by preachers sent and supported by the nobles who owned the vast estates on
which the Ruthenians lived, especially the Drugeth and Rákóczi families. Thanks to them, a number
of Ruthenian Reformed parishes were established in the northern and north-eastern provinces,
around Humenne and Mukachevo, which are also recorded in the surviving Reformed canonical
visitations. However, these Ruthenian Reformed congregations did not last more than a few
decades, and after the conversion of the estate owners during the recatholization, their believers
returned to the Orthodox Church.

Keywords: Reformation; Ruthenians; Eastern Christianity; church communities; magnates

THEOLOGICAL REVIEW, Vol. 92, 2021, No. 1, Number of Article 2, p. 26 – 37.
DOI: 10.14712/12117617.92.1.2

Jaroslav Hrdlička

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THE EDUCATION AND TRAINING OF THEOLOGIANS OF THE CCSH

Abstract: In the years 1931-1939 (until the establishment of the Protectorate of Bohemia and
Moravia) 117 theologians of the CČSH passed through the HČEBF, VŠB and again the HČEBF, of
whom 102 completed their studies, deaconship and priesthood, and 15 theologians finished their
studies early. Teachers and theologians of the CCHS jointly implemented the teaching programs of
their church.

Keywords: Hus Czechoslovak Evangelical Theological Faculty; Theological University; Karel Farský;
František M. Hník; František Kovář; Jan Blahoslav Kozák; Otakar Pertold; Gustav A. Procházka; Alois
Spisar; Karel Statečný

THEOLOGICAL REVIEW, Vol. 92, 2021, No. 1, Number of Article 1, p. 9 – 25.
DOI: 10.14712/12117617.92.2021.1.1