Work

On the Margins of an Unrealized Church Schism: On the Two Interpretations of the Concept of Church Among the Reformed in Transcarpathia After the Change of Power in 1944

Year: 2025

Type: article

Abstract: This study examines the responses of Reformed Christians living in the Carpathian Basin to ecclesiastical challenges that emerged after 1944. Focusing on the example of Reformed pastors in Transcarpathia, it explores the impact of the post-World War II transition on their communities—a shift not only in direction, but also in governance and national affiliation. The paper investigates a myth-forming episode within the collective memory of Reformed Christians, who found themselves in a unique borderland context. From a narrower perspective, the analysis reveals the relational and mental frameworks of pastoral groups, their differing interpretative coordinates, and the various ways they embodied their faith. These differences led to divergent understandings of the Church’s identity and mission, exposing internal mental fault lines. The fragmentation of group identity, brought to light during the 1947 conflict between the traditional national Church and the Eastern Friendship Circle, raised the possibility of schism. Intriguingly, atheist Soviet officials played a decisive role in preventing this split on two separate occasions.

Source: Religions

DOI: 10.3390/rel16091130

Authors: Ibolya Szamborovszky-Nagy, Ferenc Radvánszky

Institution: Ferenc Rakoczi II Transcarpathian Hungarian University

Language: English

Topic: Reformation and Early Modern Christianity

Subfield: History

Field: Arts and Humanities

Domain: Social Sciences

SDG: Peace, justice, and strong institutions

Open Access status: gold

Estimated APC paid: $2,172