Principles of faith
"As it was the will of our Lord Sovereign, his Highness, to bring
decisions along with his country on the sessions of the Diet the preceding
days, regarding the matters of religion, he is willing to confirm the same this
very day, namely that preachers are supposed to propagate the Gospel in all
places, according to their own understanding, and if the community is willing
to accept, it is well, if it is not, no one is allowed to press them to adopt
it in spite of their not being reassured in their heart; but they may keep a
preacher whose teachings they like. And no one among the superintendents, or
others are allowed to hurt them for this, for on account of the religion no one
is to be sneered at, according to the former rules. No one is allowed to
threaten anyone with imprisonment or deprivation of his office; for faith
is the gift of God, this comes from listening, listening to
the words of God."
With the proclamation of this law began the history of unitarian
spirituality. A peculiar moment of the European history. Maybe it is due to the
free spirit of the tall pine-wood-covered mountain-slopes on the eastern edge
of Europe. The mild valleys, flowery meadows and rustling leaves of
Transylvania's "Fairyland". Maybe it is due to the privileges of
certain freedom the warrior székely nation enjoyed in being appointed to defend
the border of the country. Maybe the warm friendly spirit of these free farmers
living in the enchanted Transylvanian wilderness made them open to accept all
people with its beliefs and superstitions alike. Undoubtedly the almighty
nature was the only authority they aknowledged. And the history brought along a
chance when human religious authorities thrown over, this hidden conviction
became confessed and aknowleged officially. It seems they were not afraid of
any other spiritual power. They denied all authorities-created dogmas, and on
the same time they let all people believe what they liked, and find sooth in
their own belief. It seems it was enough and sufficiently strong their
confidence in "God who is only one".
The law of religious freedom and constience proclaimed in January, the year
of 1568 carried the success of one of the main unitarian principles. The whole
country accepted this principle, first time in the Christian history. But it
lasted only 3 years. These short years of golden age were followed by long
centuries of hard compromises and heavy losses. The humanitarian and rational
cultural trends upraised, and the enlivened missionarian spirit suppressed this
spirituality which obstinately tried to remain loyal to following Jesus instead
of adoring him in the clouds of Heaven.
What is it like this Christian faith today which tries to stick to the rules
of reason beside constience in the matters of faith as well? What - after
centuries of dogmatism and atheism - the Hungarian Unitarism does it look like?
The Unitarians - due to their minority and constant need to defend
themselves - in the dogmatic world were known of what they did not believe
in. Unitarianism is a positive belief with simple principles. The simplicity
originated from the endeavour starting in the age of reformation to bring the
religious world closer, rendering it more understandable, for feelings more
perceptible. The intermediary persons and tools as sacraments are missing. The
childish-hearted believer stands alone in a living universe with inward and
outward misteries.
The following ideas are called by the unitarians principles of faith,
meaning that they are subjects to the evolution just like any other science in
human culture.
God is one, spirit, creator
and preserver of the world. The unitarians adopted the scientifical
world-wiew in all times believing in addition that a conscious spirit is
working behind the evolutionary events. They believe in God as a personal
and spiritual power who takes care of his creatures by his providential
act manifested in nature and history, on the universal and personal level
alike. On public prayers you can often hear John 4,24 quoted: "'God is
Spirit, and only by the power of his Spirit can people worship him as he really
is.' Come therefore my brethren, let us all listen to the voice of the spirit,
and pray for a moment retired in utter silence."
The human kind is God's most noble creature, with the faculties
of reason, awareness and constience. God gave man
the ability to do good and free will. Due to reason and
constience man is able to distinguish between moral good and evil. Further he
is able and free to chose. If he is choses the good, he acts according to God's
will and his own welfare. But due to the free will he can act on the contrary
too, out of weekness, imperfectness, ignorance. Free
will means moral independence, the chance of learning and spiritual
growth, and the chance and guarantee in addition in attaining personal
salvation out of one's own in the same time. Man is supported in this
endeavour by providence and the holy spirit, which is God's
spiritual power. The purpose of human kind is accomplishing the
kingdom of God on Earth, which means fulfillment of the good natural
endowments of men, on personal and social level. Most valuable virtues are: faith,
free will, constience and love. Humans are all children
of God, equal brethren and sisters.
Jesus was God's best child as he lived his life according
entirely to God's will. Jesus was a man. Jewish religious teacher,
prophet, regarded by the unitarians as an example to follow, a master of
religious and ethical life in teaching and acting. It is from Jesus' teaching
you can find out what kingdom of God should be like. Most important part in his
teaching is the "twofold commandment of love": "Love
your God and love your neighbour as you do your own self".
The Bible is a collection of man-created writings,
including teachings of Jewish and Christian teachers, historical accountings
and literature. These works were inspired by God but we are not to forget that
this inspiration was grasped by those who lived long-long time ago in a certain
historical time and place. This is why each writing has the marks of a cultural
trend from ancient times, with that characteristical world-wiew, containing
precious inuitive insight but mistakes too. This is why the unitarian theology
follows and accepts the results of the scientifical criticism of the Bible in adopting
it's ethics in life and philosophy. Most valueable part of the Bible is the New
Testament, more closely the four gospels, where you can learn about Jesus' life
and teachings.
The purpose of one's life is to attain the salvation. This physical
and spiritual state of mind and the reward for the good conduct are not
always attained in this earthly life. The unitarians believe in eternal
life, beyond this earthly one, where the immortal soul will win it's
reward according to one's way of life. The unitarian philosophy is a practical
one (faith and act having the same value), an earthly religion which means that
contrary to the above principles this last one is not detailed, the belief in
it being sufficiently reassuring for them.
Christian holidays (generally three days long) according to
the above principles gain the following meaning:
- Christmas is the commemoration of Jesus' birth.
- Easter holiday is the manifestation of the belief in the immortal
soul.
- Pentecost is the holiday held to the victory of Jesus' ideas in the
confession of the disciples.
- Autumn Thanksgiving for the crop (last sunday of September).
Ceremonies
- Baptising ("in the name of the one, true God", "for
following Jesus").
- Confirmation (held usually on the one of the main holidays mentioned
above, after one year of study and on the basis of the catechism booklet:
question-answer).
- Wedding.
- Funeral.
- Lord's supper (on each above mentioned holiday's first and second
day). Meaning: commemoration of Jesus and giving evidence of the intention to
belong to the community of his followers.
Written by Árpád Gazdag
