Convention of the Hungarian Baptist Churches of Romania
Encyclopedia
The Convention of the Hungarian Baptist Churches of Romania is an organization of ethnic Hungarian Baptists in Romania
, united for promoting cooperative ministry.
In the 1870s Anton Novak, an Ethnic German
colporteur of the British and Foreign Bible Society
, began to meet and study the Scriptures
with a group of Reformed Christians
in Transylvania
. In 1875, Heinrich Meyer baptized eight of them and formed them into a church in Salonta Mare
. This was the first Baptist church in Transylvania.
The Baptist Union of Romania
was formed in 1920, but Saxons
, Hungarians, and Rusyn
-Ukrainians
maintained associations to promote their own interests. The Recognized Hungarian Baptist Union of Romania was founded at Salonta in October 1920. The Unrecognized Hungarian Baptist Union of Romania was formed around the same time in Nuşfalău
. In 1922, the Recognized Hungarian Baptist Union associated with the Baptist Union of Romania as a department within it, and also joined the Baptist World Alliance
. The two Hungarian Baptist groups united to become the Hungarian Baptist Convention of Romania in 1935.
Government instability and change brought varying challenges to the Baptists of Romania, especially from 1955 to 1989, under the Communist regime
. During this time believers were harassed, churches closed, ministers threatened, and educational work prohibited. In 1948, the Hungarian Baptist Convention was closed. The Union of the Hungarian Baptist Churches of Romania was organized in Cluj-Napoca
on February 3, 1990. In 1996, the name "Union" was changed to "Convention".
According to Baptist World Alliance statistics, the Convention of the Hungarian Baptist Churches had 8,519 members in 210 churches in 1999. The Convention operates as a "sister" denomination to the Baptist Union of Romania
and is a member of the European Baptist Federation
.
Romania
Romania is a country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeastern Europe, on the Lower Danube, within and outside the Carpathian arch, bordering on the Black Sea...
, united for promoting cooperative ministry.
In the 1870s Anton Novak, an Ethnic German
Ethnic German
Ethnic Germans historically also ), also collectively referred to as the German diaspora, refers to people who are of German ethnicity. Many are not born in Europe or in the modern-day state of Germany or hold German citizenship...
colporteur of the British and Foreign Bible Society
British and Foreign Bible Society
The British and Foreign Bible Society, often known in England and Wales as simply as Bible Society, is a non-denominational Christian Bible society with charity status whose purpose is to make the Bible available throughout the world....
, began to meet and study the Scriptures
Bible
The Bible refers to any one of the collections of the primary religious texts of Judaism and Christianity. There is no common version of the Bible, as the individual books , their contents and their order vary among denominations...
with a group of Reformed Christians
Reformed Church in Hungary
The Reformed Church in Hungary is a key representative of Christianity in Hungary, being numerically the second-largest denomination in Hungary after the Roman Catholic Church, and the biggest denomination among ethnic Hungarians in Romania...
in Transylvania
Transylvania
Transylvania is a historical region in the central part of Romania. Bounded on the east and south by the Carpathian mountain range, historical Transylvania extended in the west to the Apuseni Mountains; however, the term sometimes encompasses not only Transylvania proper, but also the historical...
. In 1875, Heinrich Meyer baptized eight of them and formed them into a church in Salonta Mare
Salonta
Salonta is a city in Bihor County, Transylvania, Romania, near the Hungarian border.-Population:According to the last Romanian census from 2002, the city has a population of 18,074, made up of Hungarians , Romanians , Roma , and others .In terms of religion, 51.12% are Reformed , 36.46% Romanian...
. This was the first Baptist church in Transylvania.
The Baptist Union of Romania
Baptist Union of Romania
The Baptist Union of Romania is an alliance of Baptist churches for cooperative ministry in Romania. Since independent churches have no legal standing in Romania, the Baptist Union also provides a mediatorial relationship between churches and government.The first modern-era Baptists in Romania...
was formed in 1920, but Saxons
Transylvanian Saxons
The Transylvanian Saxons are a people of German ethnicity who settled in Transylvania from the 12th century onwards.The colonization of Transylvania by Germans was begun by King Géza II of Hungary . For decades, the main task of the German settlers was to defend the southeastern border of the...
, Hungarians, and Rusyn
Rusyns of Romania
The Rusyns are an ethnic minority in Romania. The 2002 Romanian census counted 61,091 of the related Ukrainian ethnicity, some of whom may be Rusyns...
-Ukrainians
Ukrainians of Romania
The Ukrainians are the third-largest ethnic minority in Romania. According to the 2002 Romanian census they number 61,091 people, making up 0.3% of the total population. Ukrainians claim that the number is actually 250,000-300,000. Ukrainians mainly live in northern Romania, in areas close to...
maintained associations to promote their own interests. The Recognized Hungarian Baptist Union of Romania was founded at Salonta in October 1920. The Unrecognized Hungarian Baptist Union of Romania was formed around the same time in Nuşfalău
Nusfalau
Nuşfalău is a commune located in Sălaj County, Romania. It is composed of two villages, Bilghez and Nuşfalău; Boghiş and Bozieş split off in 2005 to form Boghiş commune....
. In 1922, the Recognized Hungarian Baptist Union associated with the Baptist Union of Romania as a department within it, and also joined the Baptist World Alliance
Baptist World Alliance
The Baptist World Alliance is a worldwide alliance of Baptist churches and organizations, formed in 1905 at Exeter Hall in London during the first Baptist World Congress.-History:...
. The two Hungarian Baptist groups united to become the Hungarian Baptist Convention of Romania in 1935.
Government instability and change brought varying challenges to the Baptists of Romania, especially from 1955 to 1989, under the Communist regime
Communist Romania
Communist Romania was the period in Romanian history when that country was a Soviet-aligned communist state in the Eastern Bloc, with the dominant role of Romanian Communist Party enshrined in its successive constitutions...
. During this time believers were harassed, churches closed, ministers threatened, and educational work prohibited. In 1948, the Hungarian Baptist Convention was closed. The Union of the Hungarian Baptist Churches of Romania was organized in Cluj-Napoca
Cluj-Napoca
Cluj-Napoca , commonly known as Cluj, is the fourth most populous city in Romania and the seat of Cluj County in the northwestern part of the country. Geographically, it is roughly equidistant from Bucharest , Budapest and Belgrade...
on February 3, 1990. In 1996, the name "Union" was changed to "Convention".
According to Baptist World Alliance statistics, the Convention of the Hungarian Baptist Churches had 8,519 members in 210 churches in 1999. The Convention operates as a "sister" denomination to the Baptist Union of Romania
Baptist Union of Romania
The Baptist Union of Romania is an alliance of Baptist churches for cooperative ministry in Romania. Since independent churches have no legal standing in Romania, the Baptist Union also provides a mediatorial relationship between churches and government.The first modern-era Baptists in Romania...
and is a member of the European Baptist Federation
European Baptist Federation
The European Baptist Federation is a federation of 51 Baptist associations and is one of six regional fellowships in the Baptist World Alliance. The EBF was founded in Ruschlikon, Switzerland, in 1949. It lays a great deal of emphasis on human rights, religious liberty and aid programs. The...
.