Renewal Without Conformation

On the occasion, Bishop József Steinbach, Ministerial President of the Synod of the Reformed Church in Hungary, offered a sermon on Psalm 133, highlighting that “for there the Lord bestows his blessing, even life forevermore.” But where does the Lord send his blessing, he asked. “Only where the brothers and sisters, the people of God, live in harmony. We need this unity, just as we need the Lord and the Gospel, he has entrusted to us. “We ask, therefore, that you would shower your blessing on us, that we may be servants of life, ministers of the gospel. This unity is not uniformity, but comes from agreement, which shows that in Christ we are all one, so that glory may be in God alone,” the bishop concluded his reflections.

After bishop Kolumbán and the newly elected district office bearers took the oath, fellow bishops from the Hungarian Reformed community in the Carpathian Basin and the fifteen deans of the Transylvanian Reformed Church district asked for God’s blessing on the newly-elected bishop.

Bishop Kolumbán, in his inaugural sermon on 1 Cor. 3:11, recalled the chaotic period of the Church, in which the disinterestedness of the Church and the eradication of cultural heritage were increasingly coming to the fore. “Churches are looking for renewal and a new beginning in order to overcome this, but the need to respond to external challenges can sometimes lead to the wrong answers,” the bishop warned. “Renewal is indeed necessary,” he added, “but let us not adapt what we have to external expectations. Renewal will only be successful if we do not change the structure of church life but renew ourselves on the basis of Reformed doctrine, revising our thoughts and our actions on the basis of them. In order for our renewal to be authentic, we need a starting point that is in accordance with God's will and that will stand the test of time. This foundation is none other than Jesus Christ. For in Christ is our unity and our strength, and the churches are strong as long as they build on this foundation. Their survival is also guaranteed as long as they regard the Scriptures as the unchanging Word of God. And today, the need for the gospel is greater than ever. So, it is not a matter of seeking renewal but of finding our way back to the one foundation, Christ. In my episcopal ministry, I seek to build only on the foundation that the Apostle Paul speaks of in the Bible. It is my responsibility to work as a faithful servant for the advancement of my church, to live with patience and peace in our relations with other churches, so that together we may serve Transylvania and our God”, he said.

“It was a strong sign of communion and commitment that the General Secretary of the CPCE, Mario Fischer, was invited and took part in the service of installation after the church district withdrew its role as host church of the 9th CPCE General Assembly in summer 2024,” CPCE reported.

Dietmar Arends, moderator of the Church of Lippe in Germany, expressed his gratitude for the twenty-six years of partnership between the two churches in his speech and his hope that this partnership, even if the leadership of the two churches do not agree on everything, can be fruitful. “In our partnership, we seek to express and live this by example. But however much we try to find good ways forward for our churches, the church is not in our hands. God represents the church through his Son. It is this certainty that strengthens us in our church leadership, and I wish you this confidence at all times,” he said.

David Bruce, former moderator of the Presbyterian Church in Ireland, spoke of the relationship between the two churches in his greetings. He said he prays that God will provide instruments to serve Christ effectively and creatively together in the coming years. Such initiatives can be further developed by nurturing existing links between Transylvania and the Union Theological College Belfast. He said that involvement in international organisations can sometimes be a challenge for our churches. “Never before has it been so important to uncompromisingly promote and, where necessary, defend biblical principles in an age in which many take positions contrary to the teaching of Scripture. In an age of scepticism, we pray for the renewal of God's Church and for the mission of God's people to be a shining light of guidance in this dark world,” the former Moderator concluded.

Haroutune Selimian, President of the Armenian Protestant Community in Syria, stressed that this solemn occasion is a testimony to God's faithfulness to raise up leaders to serve his church in times of great need. The President said that in difficult times, the Church is called to be a beacon of hope, a voice of truth and a source of healing. He expressed his conviction that the Transylvanian Reformed Church District, with its rich heritage and steadfast witness, is uniquely placed to fulfil this calling within its own community and beyond. “The Transylvanian Reformed community has long been a pillar of faith, resilience and cultural identity, and under your leadership, a new chapter is about to begin on this vital journey. At a time when unity is threatened by division and materialism is challenging fundamental spiritual truths, you have a responsibility to nurture faith, promote reconciliation and encourage transformation for good,” he said.

Both the Romanian and Hungarian state were represented at the festive event. Tamás Sulyok, President of the Republic of Hungary, Ciprian Vasile Olinici, Romanian State Secretary for Religious Affairs, and Hunor Kelemen, President of the Hungarian Democratic Alliance of Romania (RMDSZ), offered greetings.