Dezső: „Évêque malgré lui”

“Évêque malgré lui”: The Episcopacy of Imre Révész during the Horthy Era

Abstract

Imre Révész Jr. served as the bishop of the Trans-Tisza Reformed Church District from 1938 to 1949, perhaps the most tumultuous decade for society, economy, politics, and, in connection with these, for the Hungarian Reformed Church in the twentieth century. The study examines the beginnings of Révész’s episcopal ministry, specifically the period from 1938 to 1944, focusing on his relations with the political system of the Horthy era, the emerging ideologies (especially antisemitism and Hungarism), and with the Horthy family itself. It sheds light on how this relationship influenced the bishop’s ecclesiastical governance, public life, and political engagement. To date, Révész’s activities have not been thoroughly examined from this angle, so it is important to clarify how a Reformed bishop related to a political system that defined itself as operating along Christian values. Did he have to agree with every action, and if not, could he voice his disagreement? In this regard, the study employs secondary sources to reevaluate the prevailing historical perception of Révész and aims to uncover fresh insights into the early years of his episcopal governance. It does so by the examination of the Révész estate, available since 2017 in the Archives of the Trans-Tisza Reformed Church District and the Manuscript Library of the Trans-Tisza Reformed Church District and College.