Hungarian Reformed Communion
| Hungarian Reformed Church | |
|---|---|
| Magyar Refomátus Egyház | |
| Type | Western Christianity |
| Classification | Protestant |
| Orientation | Continental Reformed |
| Scripture | Bible |
| Theology | Reformed theology |
| Polity | Episcopal |
| Structure | Communion |
| Dioceses | 10 |
| Region | Carpathian Basin |
| Language | Hungarian |
| Liturgy | Reformed |
| Origin | 2009 |
| Congregations | 3,125 |
| Members | 1,623,991 |
The Hungarian Reformed Church (HRC) or Hungarian Reformed Communion (Hungarian: Magyar Refomátus Egyház) is a global fellowship of continental Reformed denominations historically related to the Reformed Church of Hungary.[1][2]
The purpose of the organization is to maintain unity among Hungarian Reformed churches in different countries and to give joint representation of denominations in international organizations of Reformed denominations.[3]
History
[edit]From the Dissolution of Austria-Hungary, after the First World War, the members of the Reformed Church of Hungary were spread over several countries.[4] In each of these, Hungarian reformeds organized themselves as a new national denomination.[5][6]
On May 22, 2009, 6 of the Hungarian Reformed denominations (Reformed Church in Hungary, Reformed Church in Romania, Reformed Church in Transcarpathia, Reformed Christian Church in Serbia, Reformed Christian Church in Slovakia and Reformed Church in Slovenia) decided to form a Hungarian Reformed Communion, also called the Hungarian Reformed Church.[7]
In the same year, the Hungarian Reformed Church in America joined the organization.[8]
In 2013, the Reformed Christian Church in Croatia was accepted as a member.[9][1][2]
In 2019, the Calvin Synod (United Church of Christ) was accepted as a member[10] and in 2024, the Hungarian Reformed Church in Australia also joined.[11]
Doctrine
[edit]All denominations part of the communion subscribe to the Second Helvetic Confession and Heidelberg Catechism as a faithful expression of biblical doctrines, such as the Reformed Church of Hungary.[12]
Likewise, they differ from the other reformed denominations in that they call those responsible for a church jurisdiction "bishop".[12]
Members
[edit]Communion members are:[1]
| Country | Denomination | Number of congregations | Number of members | Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hungary | Reformed Church in Hungary | 1,230 | 943,982 | 2022[13] |
| Romania | Reformed Church in Romania | 1,352 | 495,380 | 2021[14] |
| Slovakia | Reformed Christian Church in Slovakia | 304 | 85,271 | 2021[15] |
| Ukraine | Reformed Church in Sub-Carpathia/ Reformed Church in Transcarpathia | 108 | 70,000 | 2015[16] |
| Serbia | Reformed Christian Church in Serbia | 50 | 17,000 | 2004[17][18] |
| United States | Hungarian Reformed Church in America | 27 | 6,080 | 2006[19] |
| Croatia | Reformed Christian Church in Croatia | 21 | 3,378 | 2006[20] |
| United States | Calvin Synod (United Church of Christ) | 29 | 2,500 | 2016[21] |
| Slovenia | Reformed Church in Slovenia | 4 | 400 | 2004[22] |
| Australia | Hungarian Reformed Church in Australia | - | - | - |
| Carpathian Basin | Hungarian Reformed Communion | 3,125 | 1,623,991 | 2004-2024 |
References
[edit]- ^ a b c "Hungarian Reformed Communion". Retrieved August 7, 2021.
- ^ a b "Hungarian Unit Day". Retrieved December 14, 2021.
- ^ "Meeting of the Reformed Church in the Carpathian Basin". Retrieved December 14, 2021.
- ^ "End of Austria-Hungary". Retrieved December 14, 2021.
- ^ Toth Zsuzsa (September 24, 2010). "The training of the Transcarpathian Reformed Church". E-Journal Database File. Retrieved December 14, 2021.
- ^ "History of the Transcarpathian Reformed Church". Retrieved December 13, 2021.
- ^ "founding of the Hungarian Reformed Communion". May 20, 2011. Archived from the original on October 30, 2013. Retrieved May 20, 2011.
- ^ Category: Történelmünk. "85 éves az Amerikai Magyar Református Egyház". Hungarianrca.org. Archived from the original on February 1, 2014. Retrieved September 10, 2019.
- ^ "Declaration of the HRC General Convent concerning the Reformed Calvinist Christian Church in Croatia". April 2, 2014. Retrieved May 15, 2025.
- ^ "Calvin Synod Conference of the United Church of Christ Unites with the Reformed Church in Hungarian". 2019-07-04. Retrieved January 11, 2021.
- ^ Zsuzsa Ivady (October 18, 2024). "Unity is a great gift". Retrieved May 15, 2025.
- ^ a b "Hungarian Reformed Church". Encyclopedia Brittany. Retrieved December 13, 2021.
- ^ "Hungarian Census:2022". Retrieved May 18, 2024.
- ^ "2021 Romanian Census" (PDF). Retrieved December 27, 2024.
- ^ "2021 Slovak Census". Archived from the original on 20 January 2022. Retrieved May 25, 2024.
- ^ "Reformed Church in Transcaratia". Retrieved December 14, 2021.
- ^ "Reformed Christian Church in Serbia & Montenegro — World Council of Churches". Oikoumene.org. Retrieved 2015-05-20.
- ^ "Christian Reformed Church in Serbia". Reformiert Online. February 10, 2006. Retrieved 22 December 2021.
- ^ "Hungarian Reformed Church in America". Retrieved July 22, 2020.
- ^ "Christian Reformed Church in Croatia". Reformiert Online. May 17, 2004. Archived from the original on December 5, 2023. Retrieved 22 December 2021.
- ^ "Calvin Synod May Leave UCC Over Denomination's Permission to Celebrate Same-Sex Marriage". Retrieved December 13, 2021.
- ^ "Christian Reformed Church in Slovenia". Reformiert Online. February 27, 2004. Archived from the original on December 4, 2022. Retrieved June 26, 2022.