The third-year students of KPTI, accompanied by their year supervisor, teacher Levente Horváth, participated in a short-term Erasmus program at the Reformed Theological University of Debrecen between 10–14 November 2025.

On Monday, after arrival and settling into our accommodations, we took part in the university’s afternoon worship service. It was a special occasion, as the Lord’s Table was also prepared, and thus we could partake in the community of the sacraments together with the theology students and professors from Debrecen. Afterwards, our hosts invited the class to a fellowship meal, during which we had the opportunity to get to know the students.

After Tuesday morning devotion, we walked to the Reformed Congregation of the Széchenyi Garden district. The pastors introduced the congregation, spoke about pastoral work, its challenges and achievements, and showed us the church and the community building. The uniquely designed church was truly impressive. Its special feature is that its windows were aligned with the movement of the sun, allowing natural light to fill the interior spaces. After the congregational visit, we listened to Professor Zoltán Kustár’s lecture, in which he discussed the question of theodicy in relation to the Book of Job. After lunch, Levente Horváth gave a dogmatics lecture to the students of Debrecen. After some free-time activities, we ended the day with a group evaluation.

On Wednesday we woke up to a foggy morning. Although a little sleepy, we set off for the busiest day of the week with interest and excitement. After devotion, the student leadership hosted us, then we participated in Professor Sándor Fazakas’s class, deepening our knowledge of the phenomenon of secularization. We then visited the city’s Lutheran congregation. Pastor Richárd Asztalos welcomed us, presented the church, and explained the situation of the community. Although they are a minority in the region, we were glad to hear that they have an active and enthusiastic congregation. A memorable moment was when we sang a hymn together in the church accompanied by the organ. From there we hurried back to the conference room of our accommodation, as the next program point was about to begin: a lecture by Lieutenant Colonel and military dean Szilárd Sajtos. During the presentation we learned about the history of the Hungarian military chaplaincy, and he also shared his own experiences. After the lecture, we visited the Unitarian congregation. Following the free-time activities, we ended the day with the usual evening evaluation.

On Thursday we had the opportunity to take a look into the craft of making the pastoral gown. Folk artist Árpádné Kiss presented her work. Unfortunately, she is the only representative of this craft, yet through her dedication and professionalism she has earned many recognitions and awards, including the title Master of Folk Art. The decorations (braids) of the gowns she makes are often connected to the person who commissioned them or to the congregation’s church, as the symbols used are created based on the church’s ornaments. The remaining programs of the day included relaxing at the Debrecen thermal baths and visiting the Nyíregyháza Zoo.

After rich and meaningful days, on Friday morning we set off for home. Based on the summarized experiences and evaluation of the Erasmus mobility in Debrecen, we can say that this has been the most outstanding study trip so far, both in terms of gaining knowledge and in terms of community building. With God’s help, we hope that our next opportunity will likewise contribute to our growth.

Vajda Krisztián
third-year theology student