At the beginning of the academic year, we were delighted to learn about the opportunity to participate in an Erasmus+ supported blended intensive study program, co-organised by the Protestant Theological University in the Netherlands, the Reformed Theological University of Debrecen and the Protestant Theological Institute of Cluj-Napoca, with the theme of Covenant and Baptism. The announcement caught the attention of several theology students immediately. Ultimately seven students set off for Debrecen on October 27. Since we received the week’s program in advance, we could start reading the assigned materials. However, I still had some fear: I was afraid of using English in an advanced study circle. Moreover, due to my interest in practical theology, I was wondering if I would be able to keep up with a group of systematic theologians.

The hospitality of the Debrecen sister institution and the openness of the Dutch theologians neutralised all my fears. We started our days with a short morning worship, led alternately by students from Debrecen, Cluj and Utrecht. The first day was mainly about getting to know each other’s living environments and contexts. This was helped by lectures from Dr. Sándor Béla Visky, Dr. Wim Moehn, and Dr. László Gonda, as well as small group discussions. We discovered what makes us different and what connects us.

On Tuesday and Thursday, we read together excerpts about the covenant and baptism from the works of Heinrich Bullinger and Karl Barth. We interrupted the reading at certain points to interpret the text and debate about its content. We processed the text in teams through creative assignments. It was good to experience that everyone could contribute their small ideas to the whole, and we could work together as the body of Christ with people who were initially strangers to us.

On Wednesday, Dr. Béla Baráth (DRTU), Dr. Sándor Kovács (PTI), and Dr. Wim Moehn (PThU) presented the baptism theology of the 16th century in their lectures. On Thursday, October 31, we participated in a thanksgiving service at the Great Church of Debrecen. The program concluded on Friday when we dealt with the reception of Barth’s theology, based on lectures by Dr. László Gonda (DRHE) and Dr. Wim Moehn (PThU). This was followed by an evaluation of the week moderated by Dr. Klaas-Willem de Jong. Numerous questions arose in us, which we tried to answer together. We discovered that we struggle with similar problems, the solution to which undoubtedly lies in loving attention and teaching.

Here are some testimonies from the students:

“It was a truly productive week. Besides improving my theological expertise, I pondered questions that probably would not have arisen without this event. It was an honour to meet the Dutch and Hungarian brothers and sisters; everyone was great company, and the small group work was really exciting.” – Sándor Füleki, PTI, first-year MA student

“It was good to step out of our comfort zones a bit and meet new people who think similarly to us but see the world differently and have different opinions. We discussed a very interesting and divisive topic, approached the issue of baptism from multiple angles, and were able to debate, which was very good. This helps to be more critical and conscious of our own practices. Also, the dedicated work and hospitality of our hosts left a strong impression. Finally, what I particularly liked was that we could talk more with the teachers. For me, it was a very meaningful and valuable week.” – Miklós Pap, PTI, first-year MA student

“This week was a great opportunity for me to strengthen my relationship with God. By examining the practice of baptism in different contexts, I gained a much more comprehensive understanding of what it means to enter into God’s covenant. It was also beneficial for me to delve into the theology of Barth and Bullinger. Additionally, I managed to form lifelong relationships. Thanks be to God!” – Sánta Richárd, PTI, MA first-year student

“It didn’t matter that we had different languages and customs. We were together. We talked, prayed, and sang together. We learned, asked questions, and answered together. We became not just colleagues but friends. United in Christ. I am grateful for this community.” – Batiz-Molnár-Mikola Andrea, PTI, MA second-year student

“The conference series held from October 28 to November 2, 2024, provided an excellent opportunity to gain a deeper insight into the topic of baptism through the theological insights of Heinrich Bullinger and Karl Barth. I also managed to understand better the biblical foundations of both infant and adult baptism. During the five-day conference series, many friendships were formed, and through conversations with each other, I feel that our worldviews have expanded significantly.” – Vass Lehel, PTI, MA second-year student

We thank the hospitality of the people of Debrecen, the openness of the professors and the friendship of the students. We thank Dr. Csaba Balogh, vice-rector, for the opportunity and for accompanying us throughout the learning process. We are grateful to the organisers for such a week and to God for being present among us all the time.

Tóth Henrietta-Beatrix
PTI, MA second-year student