The 25-Year-History of Szeged International Biblical Conference
The first initiatives of the conference go back to 1989. At the first session, only a few Catholic colleagues held an informal reunion at a round table. Among them was Ferenc Gál, the first rector of PPKE [now Pázmány Péter Catholic University Budapest]. Later the archbishop of Alba Iulia, Dr. György Jakubinyi and a would-be professor at PPKE, Dr Imre Kocsis joined the reunion. The first more serious plan concerning publication, i.e. the Bible interpretation for the books of the Old and the New Testament was only partly realized when Publishing House Korda undertook to publish The New Testament Bible Commentary, originally published by Collegeville Liturgical Press, under the title of Szeged Bible Commentary in 21 volumes. Later this idea generated the translation and some elaboration of the commentaries on the Gospels according to Matthew (by O. da Spinetoli, Mark (by Joachim Gnilka), Luke (by O. da Pinetoli and John (by Benedikt Schwank) as well as the book of the Acts of the Apostles (by Ferenc Gal).
At the third conference, a heated debate emerged concerning the circle of lecturers and that of the audience of the conference. The question lied in whether it should remain an annual reunion of Catholic professors within the borders of Hungary or it should be extended to become ecumenical as well as international. The greatest opposition was generated by the idea of opening up towards lay people interested in these topics. Finally, the president of the conference – despite the disapproval of competent Catholic professors – decided that the conference should become ecumenical as well as international. Furthermore, it was also decided that the conference should function also as a training institute for lay people holding a degree of theology as well as for priests and ministers. After some resistance, the idea of our opening up to many was accepted by everyone.
Lecturers from abroad giving lectures in foreign languages have been present at the conference since 1995. This step guaranteed a high level of professionalism for the conference and allowed for the attendance of an appropriate number of Hungarian and foreign lecturers and audience as well. The table below shows the development of the conference and its activities concerning publication.
|
Year |
Partakers |
Lecturers |
Foreign Lecturers |
Volume |
|
1987 |
006 |
06 |
No volume published |
|
|
1988 |
020 |
07 |
No volume published |
|
|
1989 |
012 |
02 |
No volume published |
|
|
1990 |
020 |
04 |
||
|
1991 |
060 |
07 |
Two conferences in a single volume |
|
|
1992 |
167 |
12 |
||
|
1993 |
110 |
09 |
Two conferences in a single volume |
|
|
1994 |
120 |
10 |
||
|
1995 |
135 |
23 |
05 |
1 volume |
|
1996 |
140 |
10 |
04 |
1 volume |
|
1997 |
160 |
16 |
13 |
1 volume |
|
1998 |
180 |
11 |
04 |
1 volume |
|
1999 |
220 |
10 |
04 |
1 volume |
|
2000 |
174 |
16 |
08 |
1 volume |
|
2001 |
180 |
12 |
08 |
1 volume |
|
2002 |
107 |
09 |
09 |
1 volume |
|
2003 |
146 |
24 |
11 |
1 volume |
|
2004 |
178 |
15 |
03 |
1 volume |
|
2005 |
172 |
09 |
04 |
1 volume |
|
2006 |
173 |
11 |
05 |
1 volume |
|
2007 |
178 |
09 |
06 |
1 volume |
|
2008 |
174 |
17 |
10 |
1 volume |
|
2009 |
169 |
22 |
09 |
1 volume |
|
2010 2011 2012 |
187 137 123 |
20? 38 23 |
07 18 13 |
1 volume 1 volume 1 volume |
|
2013 |
163 |
42 |
13 |
1 volume |
|
Altogether: |
3601 |
350 |
163 |
23 volumes |
In the past 25 years, the conference has had 3601 visitors, 350 lectures have been given and we have received 163 foreign professors as lecturers, from among whom the most significant ones are listed below: Adorján, Z. (RO), Balogh, K. (RO), Beilner,W. (A), Bissoli, C. (I), Božo Lujić (HR), Brachet, J.Y. (F), Braulik G. (A), Broz, J. (CZ), Chirila, I. (RO), Cifrak M. (HR), Corti G-L. (I), Dugandžić I. (HR), Eynikel, E.(NL), Farkasfalvy, D. (USA), Flichy, O. (F), Gémes, I. (D), Geréb, Zs. (RO), Gjorgjevski, G. (B), Gnilka, J. (D), Grozdanoski, R. (B), Hausmann, J. (D), Holtz, T. (D), Hoppe, R. (D), Horn, F. (D), Jakab, A. (F), Jakubinyi, Gy. (RO), Kähler, C. H. (D), Kertelge, K.(D), Kozma, Zs. (RO), Krakolis, Ch. (GR), Kremer, J. (A), Laban, M. (D), Lindemann, A. (D), Liptay Gy. (A), Luz U.(CH), Maton J. (RO), Meiser, M. (D), Müller, P. (D), Hohnjec N. (SLO), Ordon, H. (PL), Peres I. (SL), Plevnik, J. (C), Pommert, K. (F), Rasco E. (I), Rau, E. (D), Rebić A. (HR), Richter H.F. (D), Rokay, Z. (SR), Schmidt, W.- R. (D), Schmithals,W. (D), Schreiber, S. (D), Schwank, B. (D), Sellin, G. (D), Serra, A. (I), Spinetoli, Da O. (I), Suomeka, A. (GR), Tőkés, I. (RO), Zulehner P. (A), Untergassmair, F.G. (D), Vanni, U. (I), Vermes, G. (GB), Vese E. (RO), Vojnovic T.(SLO), Vygintas G. (GR), Weigand, P. (D), Weismahr B. (D), Wrege, H.Th. (D), Zamfir, K. (RO), Henstschel, G. (D) Leimgruber St. (D), Schreniner St. (D) Troll, Ch. (D) Zovkity M. (BO). Madigan D. SJ.(C) Marbök J.(A) Masarik A. (SK) Zhelev Ivan Dimitrij (BG) Dormeyer, Detlev (A).
From among those interested in the conference, a group of translators were formed who, with the guidance of the vice rector at Gál Ferenc College, Attila Thorday, set about translating the most significant Bible commentary in English entitled The New Jerome Bible Commentary (1990) into Hungarian and had it published under the title Jeromos Bibliakommentár [Jerome Bible Commentary].
Volumes Published by the Conference
|
Volume |
Title |
Number of Copies |
|
11 |
Újszövetség kommentár-sorozat (Szegedi Bibliakommentár) [A series of Commentaries on the New Testament. Szeged Bible Commentary] |
11 volumes in 5500 copies altogether |
|
18 |
Volumes including the lectures of the conference |
22 volumes in 7750 copies altogether |
|
03 |
Bevezetés az Újszövetség keletkezés- és kutatástörténetébe [Introduction to the Birth and Research History of the New Testament] two editions, the third one is under preparation |
1000 +500+500 =2000 |
|
01 |
Aquinói Tamás kommentárja a gyermekségtörténethez a Catena Aurea alapján [The Commentary of St. Thomas de Aquinas on the Childhood Story on the basis of the Catena Aurea] |
500 |
|
01 |
Biblikus könyvszemle [Biblical Book Reviews] |
500 |
|
01 |
A magyarországi biblikus irodalom a kezdetektől 1997-ig (Gy. Benyik)[The Hungarian Biblical Literature from the Beginnings to 1997] |
2000 |
|
01 |
Aquinói Tamás Catena Aurea: Kommentár Máté evangéliumához – [St. Thomas of Aquinas’ Catena Aurea: A Commentary on Mathew’s Gospel] translation (Gy. Benyik) |
1500 |
|
|
Altogether: 36 volumes |
19.750 copies |
Our lecturers arrived from 27 different countries and we keep in touch with about 70 faculties of theology. The publication of the Lexicon of Bible Scholars (including 1200 names) in Hungarian is under preparation as well as the Lexicon of Hungarian Bible Scholars (edited by György Benyik and Imre Peres), with an overview of the development history of this discipline in Hungary and abroad.
Our Patrons
From among the patrons of the conference we should mention the name of Mons. Géza Valentiny first, a prelate living in Vienna who, with the help of Ost-Priester Hilfe, supported our conference for several years. Special thanks should be given to Mons. Endre Gyulay, our bishop (1987-2006) who supported the conference enthusiastically for several years and to Bishop Dr. László Kiss-Rigó, who adopted this habit of his predecessor; to Archbishop of Alba Iulia, György Jakubinyi, earlier professor of Biblical Studies, who has employed his church prestige on several occasions to defend the conference. Our international fame and respect has been cultivated by Professor Dr. Joachim Gnilka, an earlier member of the Pontifical Biblical Commission and Prof. Dr. Ulrich Luz. In 1996, our conference was also supported by the Catholic Conference of Hungarian Bishops, for which we are also very grateful. We also highly appreciate the presence of those taking part in the conference, since, by their contribution, this event has become the greatest biblical conference of Eastern Europe.
In the beginning, it was only the Biblical professors and the students of Theology of the Carpathian Basin, who reunited here on an annual basis; today, significant professors of international universities come to meet students of theology. Their activities and those of the conference have made church institutions of higher education, belonging to different denominations, to get to know each other’s Bible scholars and their works.
Our Deceased Ones
Professor Ferenc Gál (Budapest. PPKE), Professor Gellért Békés OSB, Prof. György Liptay, Mons. Lajos Uerge, publisher of the Bible for the Blind, Emilio Rasco S.J. (Roma, Gregorian), János Bolyki (Budapest. Károli Gáspár University), and our first patron of significance, prelate Mons. Géza Valentiny.
Debates
The greatest conference debatetook place in 1996, when, while acknowledging the scientific level of the conference, some of the partakers expressed their deep doubts about its Catholic nature. Among other things, this problem emerged from the fact that in the east and in the west – in the Ukraine and in Germany – criteria concerning scientific studies and those of religiosity greatly differ from each other. We owe special thanks to Archbishop Dr. György Jakubinyi, who stood up for the defense of scientific studies and declared for the raison d’ètre of scientific debates within the church, thus differentiating scholarly conferences from councils of the churches. One of the greatest achievements of the conference has been the gradual development of scientific debate, to which the professors coming from Germany have greatly contributed.
Sometimes – due to differing interpretations of the concept of the science of religion – disputants confused religious disputes with scientific ones thinking that we were having debates over the very essence of our faith, when we were actually discussing scientific matters.
We have also published several volumes in electronic version available free for all at the homepage of Gál Ferenc College http://www.gfhf.hu/tudomany/biblikus_konferencia
Biblia és Gazdaság – [The Bible and economics] (2013), Jézustól Krisztusig – a történeti Jézus-kutatás [From Jesus to Christ: Historical Researches on Christ] (2012, under preparation), Isteni bölcsesség – emberi tapasztalat [Divine Wisdom -Human Experience] (2011), Testben élünk [We Live in a Body] (2010), Szent Pál és a pogány irodalom [Saint Paul and the Pagan Literature] (2009), Zsoltárok, himnuszok, imádságok [Psalms, hymns, prayers] (2008), Biblia és Korán [The Bible and the Koran] (2007), Mózes törvénye – Krisztus törvénye [ The Law of Moses – the Law of Jesus] (2006), Szenvedéstörténet [The Passion Story of Christ] (2005), A Biblia értelmezése (2004)[ The Interpretation of the Bible], Világi közösség – vallási közösség (2003) [Lay community – religious community], Hatalom és karizma (2002)[ Power and Charisma], Vallási személyiségek és hatásuk a társadalomra (2000) [Personalities of Religion and their Influence on Society], A szeretet missziója (1999) [The Mission of Love], Qumrán és az Újszövetség (1998)[The Qumran and the New Testament], Csoda-elbeszélések (1997)[Miracle Stories], Példabeszédek (1996)[Parables ], Gyermekségtörténet és Mariológia (1995)[Childhood Story and Mariology], A Messiás-kérdés (1994) [The Problem of the Messiah ], Pál apostol levelei a korintusiakhoz (1993) [The Apostle St. Paul’s Letter to the Corinthians], Apostolok cselekedetei (1992)[ The Acts of the Apostles], Apokalipszis-Feltámadás (1991) [Apocalypses - Resurrection].
Presence in the Media, Scholarly Acknowledgements
There has been a significant interest on behalf of the media towards our conference since just in 2011 53 articles and reports were published on our lecturers. Both the printed and the electronic press within and beyond the borders of Hungary have followed our parleying. Our conference was mentioned by a Hungarian and a Japanese program of the Vatican Radio, the Duna Televízió [Danube Television]. In 2012, the Vatican Radio also reported on our conference in their programmes in Hungarian, German, Italian and English. Our conference is well-known by the international world organization Society for New Testament Studies (SNTS).
Our Plans for the Future
The Szeged International Biblical Conference is going to celebrate its 25th birthday in 2014. We would like to publish the lectures delivered in foreign languages at Studia Theologica Budapestinensie as a special volume as a present to EELC and SNTS guest.
The greatest sign of the scientific acknowledgement of our conference is that Studiorum Novi Testamenti Societas (SNTS), https://www.surfgroepen.nl/sites/SNTS/default.aspx – the scholarly organization uniting New Testament scholars of the whole world – has accepted our petition handed in together with Bishop dr. László Kiss-Rigó and Prof. Dr. Gábor Szabó, rector of the University of Szeged. As a result, Bible scholars of about 400 universities will visit Szeged and hold their world conference in our city for a whole week.
Last but not least, we would like to say thanks to all our colleagues within and beyond the Hungarian borders who have been our lecturers in the past years and to those who have been supporting the conference by showing interest in it., We would also like to express our special thanks to the patrons of the conference: Dr. György Jakubinyi, Archbishop of Alba Iulia, Dr. László Kiss-Rigó, Diocesan Bishop, Prof. Dr. Joachim Gnilka, Prof. Dr. Urlich Luz, and Prof. Dr. Szabolcs Szuromi, rector of PPKE.
Szeged, 24th August 2013, the feast of Saint Gellert
Dr. György Benyik
Director of the Szeged International Biblical Conference