Reformation, Social Theory, Democracy – In the View of Zoltán Gálfy... The study examines
a topic in the work of the church historian Zoltán Gálfy (1924–2013): how the renowned
professor from Cluj-Napoca interpreted the impact of the Reformation on the life of
the society, with special regard to its democratic features, what social dynamics
influenced the development of the Reformation in the 16th century, and what consequences
had the renewal of faith on the environment of the church. The paper compares the
work of the young theologian, only 25 years old, with his later writings under the
communist-socialist regime and his scholarly achievements after the change of regime
in 1989/90. It can be concluded that Gálfy, in the face of the danger of contextualizing
theological scholarship, reached conclusions that are still relevant today. For example,
the recognition he often makes – in line with recent European Reformation scholarship
– that the Reformation has brought radical changes in four areas: the interpretation
of the Bible, the personal experience of faith, the definition of the function of
the church, and the relationship of Christianity to the world. In conclusion, Gálfy’s
contribution should be seen as emphasizing that, despite all the social influences
and counter-effects, it is useful to pay attention to the theological dimensions of
the Reformation, to a careful reading of the original sources, and to the fact that
“it is not a question of moving into the Reformation building but of rebuilding it
in every age”, i.e. that each generation should come to an actualization of the Reformation
heritage in its own context.
