Laudatio Dr. László Gonda
Most honorable Dr. László Gonda.
Dear Colleagues,
Dear Guests,
On the wall of this University building you find a beautiful bronze relief donated by Hungarians to the University of Utrecht in 1936 at the occasion of its 300th anniversary, portraying a student from Debrecen walking all the way to Utrecht . It represents the hundreds of Hungarian students who in studied in the Netherlands in the 16th and 17th century. Although at a much smaller scale this tradition continues to the present day. As a man of tradition, you are conscious to be part of this peregrinus tradition, which extends to a lively two-way interaction in the discipline of missiology till today.
After finishing your theological studies in Debrecen and Kampen, you endeavored on a PhD program in Utrecht (1999). Your professional experience extends to both church and academia, first as assistant pastor, then as most appreciated and trustworthy colleague and lecturer at Protestant Institute for Mission Studies in Budapest, and since 1997 as staff member and lecturer of Department of Mission and Ecumenical Studies of Debrecen Reformed Theological University.
You “practice what you preach” by participating in the current ecumenical dialogue in mission as member of the Commission on World Mission and Evangelization of the WCC since 2007
Dr. Gonda, you represent a new generation of mission scholars in Hungary following in the footsteps of people like Dr. János Bütösi in Debrecen. You stand on the shoulder of giants, and others will later on remember you as one of them, because of your academic abilities and great personal concern for your students.
In your dissertation you deal with a number of paradigm shifts in the concept of mission in Hungary starting at the end of the 19th century. Through interaction with West-European and North American theologians the concept of mission gained growing significance in the course of the 20th century, despite the fact that Hungary is a land-locked country and never had independent mission fields.
This dissertation brings about that the greatest influence was exercised by John R. Mott, followed by Johannes C. Hoekendijk, who both visited Hungary regularly. Willem A. Visser ‘t Hooft was influential mostly in the field of church politics, first supporting the new pro-left church leadership after 1948, but shifting his loyalty to the opposition in the early 1950ies. The influence of Hendrik Kraemer was limited, because the main themes he dealt with, the Christian message in relation to the world religions were not felt to be relevant in the Hungarian Context.
This research shows that the changing concept of mission in the ecumenical movement was a source of inspiration, an important catalyst and a framework of reference in the paradigm changes in the Reformed Church in Hungary. You have shown academic courage to deal with what is still considered to be a sensitive research topic today, to deal with the theological evaluation of the period after 1948.
We first met twenty years ago when the iron curtain was still in place, at an international conference for theological students from Utrecht, and Hungary in Beregfürdő, in 1989. Since then you have shown great loyalty to both local, Hungarian, and international perspectives, always combining a confessional Reformed profile with an ecumenical openness. You practiced your academic skills through actively participation in academic forums like the Central and Eastern European Association for Mission Studies, and the Missiological Research Fellowship of the Protestant Institute for Mission Studies, a peer tutoring forum of exchange.
Your contributions always stood out by thoroughness, and by your outstanding language skills. You set high standards for yourself, as is shown by the beautiful cover of your dissertation with illustrations of Gábor Kustár. Sometimes you even suffered from that attitude.
You also show great loyalty to your family. You wrote your dissertation in a period that your family significantly expanded, four children were born: Bence, Márton József, Zsófia Boglárka and Janka Klára. The untimely death of Márton József in 2000, at the age of three, left a deep mark in the life of you and your wife Klári. Your dissertation is dedicated to his memory. We remember his life with gratitude.
Dr. Gonda, your dissertation is a significant study for Hungary. It is an valuable contribution to the Vergangenheitsbewaeltigung of the Reformed Church of Hungary, which has hardly begun. Filling in this gap is important vis a vis the numerous new challenges the Reformed and Lutheran Churches in Hungary face after 1989. You are too well aware, that the revitalization of church and mission is a fruit of international interaction, participation in international, ecumenical networks, and of applying these lessons to own context. The formulation of a new, contextual and authentic mission concept by analyzing the theologically legitimate and illegitimate changes in the past is in view of the current situation in Hungary probably more relevant and urgent than ever.
Your study shows some gaps in the field of oral history. Interviews with Mrs. Éva Szabó, former student of the Ecumenical Institute of Bossey and with the living embodiment of ecumenical mission theology in Hungary Dr. Károly Hafenscher could have given more color to certain parts of your dissertation. Although the title of your dissertation is a nice word play, I am still not convinced that it captures the essence and breath of your research best. I am sorry that the scope of your research did not allow for dealing with the mission theology of the Lutheran Church in Hungary. Comparative studies of Hungarian and Central European ecumenical developments are needed to get a more complete picture.
Dr. Gonda, a new phase starts now in your life. I congratulate your family and colleagues, especially your wife Klári who has brought so many sacrifices as well as your colleague Dr. Sándor Gaál, who has been such an encourager to you, wishing you all God’s blessing.
I have spoken.
Dr. Anne-Marie Kool 15th December 2008.
Most honorable Dr. László Gonda.
Dear Colleagues,
Dear Guests,
On the wall of this University building you find a beautiful bronze relief donated by Hungarians to the University of Utrecht in 1936 at the occasion of its 300th anniversary, portraying a student from Debrecen walking all the way to Utrecht . It represents the hundreds of Hungarian students who in studied in the Netherlands in the 16th and 17th century. Although at a much smaller scale this tradition continues to the present day. As a man of tradition, you are conscious to be part of this peregrinus tradition, which extends to a lively two-way interaction in the discipline of missiology till today.
After finishing your theological studies in Debrecen and Kampen, you endeavored on a PhD program in Utrecht (1999). Your professional experience extends to both church and academia, first as assistant pastor, then as most appreciated and trustworthy colleague and lecturer at Protestant Institute for Mission Studies in Budapest, and since 1997 as staff member and lecturer of Department of Mission and Ecumenical Studies of Debrecen Reformed Theological University.
You “practice what you preach” by participating in the current ecumenical dialogue in mission as member of the Commission on World Mission and Evangelization of the WCC since 2007
Dr. Gonda, you represent a new generation of mission scholars in Hungary following in the footsteps of people like Dr. János Bütösi in Debrecen. You stand on the shoulder of giants, and others will later on remember you as one of them, because of your academic abilities and great personal concern for your students.
In your dissertation you deal with a number of paradigm shifts in the concept of mission in Hungary starting at the end of the 19th century. Through interaction with West-European and North American theologians the concept of mission gained growing significance in the course of the 20th century, despite the fact that Hungary is a land-locked country and never had independent mission fields.
This dissertation brings about that the greatest influence was exercised by John R. Mott, followed by Johannes C. Hoekendijk, who both visited Hungary regularly. Willem A. Visser ‘t Hooft was influential mostly in the field of church politics, first supporting the new pro-left church leadership after 1948, but shifting his loyalty to the opposition in the early 1950ies. The influence of Hendrik Kraemer was limited, because the main themes he dealt with, the Christian message in relation to the world religions were not felt to be relevant in the Hungarian Context.
This research shows that the changing concept of mission in the ecumenical movement was a source of inspiration, an important catalyst and a framework of reference in the paradigm changes in the Reformed Church in Hungary. You have shown academic courage to deal with what is still considered to be a sensitive research topic today, to deal with the theological evaluation of the period after 1948.
We first met twenty years ago when the iron curtain was still in place, at an international conference for theological students from Utrecht, and Hungary in Beregfürdő, in 1989. Since then you have shown great loyalty to both local, Hungarian, and international perspectives, always combining a confessional Reformed profile with an ecumenical openness. You practiced your academic skills through actively participation in academic forums like the Central and Eastern European Association for Mission Studies, and the Missiological Research Fellowship of the Protestant Institute for Mission Studies, a peer tutoring forum of exchange.
Your contributions always stood out by thoroughness, and by your outstanding language skills. You set high standards for yourself, as is shown by the beautiful cover of your dissertation with illustrations of Gábor Kustár. Sometimes you even suffered from that attitude.
You also show great loyalty to your family. You wrote your dissertation in a period that your family significantly expanded, four children were born: Bence, Márton József, Zsófia Boglárka and Janka Klára. The untimely death of Márton József in 2000, at the age of three, left a deep mark in the life of you and your wife Klári. Your dissertation is dedicated to his memory. We remember his life with gratitude.
Dr. Gonda, your dissertation is a significant study for Hungary. It is an valuable contribution to the Vergangenheitsbewaeltigung of the Reformed Church of Hungary, which has hardly begun. Filling in this gap is important vis a vis the numerous new challenges the Reformed and Lutheran Churches in Hungary face after 1989. You are too well aware, that the revitalization of church and mission is a fruit of international interaction, participation in international, ecumenical networks, and of applying these lessons to own context. The formulation of a new, contextual and authentic mission concept by analyzing the theologically legitimate and illegitimate changes in the past is in view of the current situation in Hungary probably more relevant and urgent than ever.
Your study shows some gaps in the field of oral history. Interviews with Mrs. Éva Szabó, former student of the Ecumenical Institute of Bossey and with the living embodiment of ecumenical mission theology in Hungary Dr. Károly Hafenscher could have given more color to certain parts of your dissertation. Although the title of your dissertation is a nice word play, I am still not convinced that it captures the essence and breath of your research best. I am sorry that the scope of your research did not allow for dealing with the mission theology of the Lutheran Church in Hungary. Comparative studies of Hungarian and Central European ecumenical developments are needed to get a more complete picture.
Dr. Gonda, a new phase starts now in your life. I congratulate your family and colleagues, especially your wife Klári who has brought so many sacrifices as well as your colleague Dr. Sándor Gaál, who has been such an encourager to you, wishing you all God’s blessing.
I have spoken.
Dr. Anne-Marie Kool 15th December 2008.
