This article uses bare URLs , which are uninformative and vulnerable to link rot . Please consider converting them to full citations to ensure the article remains verifiable and maintains a consistent citation style. Several templates and tools are available to assist in formatting, such as reFill ( documentation ) and Citation bot ( documentation ) . ( September 2022 ) ( Learn how and when to remove this message )

Ferenc David
Ferenc David holding his speech on the Diet of Torda in 1568 (today Turda , Romania) by Aladar Korosf?i-Kriesch (1896)
Born	Franz David Hertel c.  1520 Kolozsvar , Kingdom of Hungary (today Cluj-Napoca , Romania)
Died	15 November 1579 (aged c.  58?59 ) Deva , Principality of Transylvania (today Deva , Romania)
Education	University of Wittenberg University of Frankfurt
Known for	Founder of the Unitarian Church of Transylvania [1]
Notable work	Rovid Utmutatas az Istennec igeienec igaz ertelmere, mostani szent Haromsagrol tamadot vetelkedesnec meg feytesere es itelesere hasznos es szukseges
Title	Christian theologian Professor
Spouse(s)	Unidentified (1st) Kata Barat (Munich) (2nd)
Children	4
Philosophy career
Era	Protestant Reformation [1] Radical Reformation [1]
Main interests	Unitarianism [1]

Ferenc David (also rendered as Francis David or Francis Davidis ; born as Franz David Hertel , c.  1520 ? 15 November 1579) was a Protestant preacher and theologian from Transylvania , the founder of the Unitarian Church of Transylvania , and the leading figure of the Nontrinitarian Christian movements during the Protestant Reformation . ^[1] He disputed the mainstream Christian doctrine of the Trinity , believing God to be one and indivisible. ^[1]

Studying Catholic theology in Wittenberg and in Frankfurt an der Oder , he was first ordained as a Roman Catholic priest , later he became a Lutheran minister and then a Calvinist bishop in the Principality of Transylvania . Throughout his career as a Christian theologian and professor, David learnt the teachings and practices of the Roman Catholic and Magisterial Protestant churches, but later rejected several of them and came to embrace Unitarianism . ^[1]

Life [ edit ]

Early life [ edit ]

Ferenc David was born in Kolozsvar, Hungary (present-day Cluj-Napoca , Romania), to a Transylvanian Saxon father (David Hertel, who worked as a tanner ) and to a Hungarian mother. The Hertel/Herthel family was an old Transylvanian Saxon aristocratic family of Kolozsvar . ^[2] In Latin and Hungarian he used his name as Francis Davidis or David Ferenc after his father's forename David . He had at least three brothers: Gregor, Peter and Nikolaus. Peter and Gregor inherited the job of their father in the guild. ^[3] Gaspar Heltai , the father of Peter's wife Borbala, was a Protestant Reformer , Lutheran and later Unitarian minister , translator, outstanding author of the Hungarian late Renaissance era. He owned the paper mill and the press of Kolozsvar where several religious and scientific books were made in Hungarian and German . ^[4]

Ferenc David was raised Catholic . After finishing his studies in the High School of Kolozsvar (today Cluj Napoca , Romania) he went to the Holy Roman Empire to study Catholic theology first at the University of Wittenberg and then later at the Alma Mater Viadrina ( University of Frankfurt an der Oder ) where he became a Catholic parson.

Lutheranism [ edit ]

In 1542 the Lutheran reformator, Johannes Honterus introduced the Lutheran doctrines to the citizens of Kolozsvar. ^{[5] [ circular reference ]} After arriving back in Transylvania Ferenc David joined the Lutheran wing of the Reformation where he became a minister and then a Lutheran bishop. He worked as headmaster of the Gymnasium of Beszterce (today Bistri?a , Romania), then as Lutheran pastor in Petres (today Cetate , Romania), later headmaster of the Gymnasium of Kolozsvar and from 1555 chief pastor of Kolozsvar (today Cluj Napoca , Romania).

On 1 June 1557 the Diet of Torda (National Assembly) stated that 'everybody should live in a belief that he or she wants if it is done without the distrust of another' which meant for the population of the Principality of Transylvania that it became allowed to practise not just the Roman Catholic , but the Lutheran religion.

Calvinism [ edit ]

In 1559 he entered the Reformed Church where he was elected bishop of the Hungarian churches in Transylvania and he was also the appointed court preacher to Janos Zsigmond Zapolya , Prince of Transylvania . The prince allowed him to research in the royal library and to work in the royal court on his theological theses.

Unitarianism [ edit ]

After the Battle of Mohacs the political instability, the weakening of the Roman Catholic denomination (continuous expansion of the Ottoman Empire , heretic movements in Transylvania especially of Arianism , Bogumilism etc.) prepared the way for the new ideas of the Reformation . ^{[6] [ circular reference ]} A well known Italian antitrinitarian , Giorgio Biandrata moved to Transylvania in 1563 into the royal court of John II Sigismund Zapolya and became his own doctor. Biandrata co-operated with Ferenc David on theological works.

David's discussion of the Holy Trinity began in 1565, with doubts of the personality of the Holy Spirit , because he could find no scriptural basis for the doctrine of the Trinity. One of his main points against the existence of the Holy Trinity was that which the Arians during the early ages of Christianity liked to refer to-- it does not come up in the Bible . He was influenced by the antitrinitarian and humanist views of Michael Servetus and Giovanni Valentino Gentile .

Together with Giorgio Biandrata he published polemical writings against Trinitarian belief, particularly De falsa et vera unius Dei Patris, Filii et Spiritus Sancti cognitione which is largely a summarized version of Servetus 's Christianismi Restitutio . But in 1578 the collaboration broke up as Biandrata was charged with immorality. An important difference between the views of the two theologians was that Ferenc David became a nonadorant which meant that he renounced the necessity of invoking Christ in prayers.

Working in the royal court, he convinced the prince about his point of view on religion, so that John II Sigismund Zapolya accepted his theses and became the first Unitarian ruler. In 1567 John II Sigismund Zapolya allowed him to use his press in Gyulafehervar (today Alba Iulia , Romania) to propagate the religion.

Edict of Torda (1568) [ edit ]

The aim of his life as Ferenc David wrote was 'the restoration of the pure Christianity of Jesus' which meant for him the search for the truth in the whole freedom of thought. So he sought to persuade the prince, John II Sigismund Zapolya and several people in important positions to reach an agreement between the opposite sides of the religious debate. His attempts were successful.

Between 6 and 13 January 1568 on the Diet of Torda the assembled representatives of the Hungarian nobility, the Szeklers , the Transylvanian Saxons and the royal court of the Principality of Transylvania proclaimed the Edict of Torda which included - as first in Europe - the practising and propagation of the recepta religio s (allowed religions) which were the Roman Catholic , the Lutheran , the Calvinist and the Unitarian . This order can be seen as the first law for the 'freedom of religion'. In the three lawful nations of Transylvania , the four lawfully allowed religions could have an ecclesiastical, political and public law system under the Constitution of the Principality of Transylvania. From that moment on, the constitution enacted the equal rights of the three nations and the four religions. ^[7]

Prison and death [ edit ]

In 1571, John II Sigismund Zapolya was succeeded by Istvan Bathory , a Roman Catholic , and the policy shifted toward persecution of the new religious institutions. In the same year the new ruler took the press of Gyulafehervar back from the Unitarians . On the Diet of 1572 in Marosvasarhely (today Targu Mure? , Romania) the religious laws were strengthened, but it declared the prohibition of the changing of religion. When, under the influence of Johannes Sommer , rector of the Gymnasium of Kolozsvar, David denied the necessity of invoking Jesus Christ in prayer (about 1572), the attempted mediation of Faustus Socinus , upon Blandrata's request, was unsuccessful. Ferenc David was sentenced to life imprisonment in Deva , Principality of Transylvania (today Deva , Romania), and died there in 1579. The ruins of the prison site in the city now hold a memorial for him.

Lukas Trauzner [ edit ]

After the death of Ferenc David, Lukas Trauzner, his son-in-law, wrote together with Miklos Bogati Fazekas, Bernard Jacobinus (father of Janos Jacobinus ) and the sons of Ferenc David the Defensio Francisci Davidis in negotio de non invocando Jesu Christo in precibus (Basel, 1581) and were part of the inner opposition of the moderate Unitarianism movement of Demeter Hunyadi . Lukas Trauzner was sentenced to jail in 1579 because of his Sabbatarian - Unitarian beliefs. ^[8] But after 1582 the political pressure eased. Lukas Trauzner and Gabriel Haller went to Vienna in 1598 in legation. The imperial commissioners described Trauzner as Sabbatarian and Haller as Arianist . ^[9] Later he was active in the political negotiations between Transylvania and Austria. ^[10] In 1603 he was a dedicated follower of the prince, Mozes Szekely . He as a Unitarian undertook in the name of the prince to get the citizens of Beszterce into submission. ^[11] After the defeat of Mozes Szekely started the reign of Giorgio Basta in Kolozsvar who captured the royal judge, Mihaly Tothazi and without a sentence beheaded him. Lukas Trauzner had to go to jail for two months, but by leaving the Unitarian Church and by apostasy he could get free. He lived from then on as a Catholic and but stayed as an active member of the mostly Unitarian Transylvanian Saxon community in Kolozsvar until his death. ^[12]

Beliefs [ edit ]

Christology [ edit ]

Scholars still have to address fully Ferenc David's Hungarian works for a satisfactory assessment of his beliefs. ^[13]

Invocation controversy [ edit ]

In his early years as a Nontrinitarian, David supported prayer to Christ, as can be seen in his answer to Peter Melius Juhasz , the Refutatio scripti Petri Melii ('Refutation of the writings of Peter Meliusz', Alba Iulia, 1567). ^[14] In his later years David adopted the radical, nonadorant view of Jacob Palaeologus , that Christ should not be invoked in prayer, but that prayer should be directed only to God the Father. ^[15] According to Ferenc David, Jesus is understood as a human being. ^[16]

Virgin birth [ edit ]

After leaving Calvinism, David adopted the view of Laelio Sozzini that the existence of Christ began when he was conceived by the Virgin Mary through the operation of the Holy Spirit. ^[14] By 1578, it would appear that David had come to adopt the view that Jesus was the literal son of Joseph. ^[17] However some historians dispute this and argue that he believed in the virgin birth until the day of his death ^{[18] [ page needed ]} . Certainly these skeptical views were not held by the Unitarian Church of Transylvania in his lifetime, ^[19] nor included in the later Hungarian Unitarian statement of faith of David's successor Mihaly Lombard de Szentabraham . ^[20] Such views were, however, held by sympathizers of the Polish Symon Budny . ^[21]

Controversy [ edit ]

His main antagonists in public disputations were the Calvinist leader Peter Melius Juhasz and Antitrinitarian Giorgio Blandrata .

Personal life [ edit ]

He married twice. The name of his first wife is unknown, she died in 1570 in Kolozsvar . His second wife was Kata Barat, the daughter of Istvan Barat (Stephan Munich), melodist and the chief judge of Kolozsvar . ^[22] This marriage lasted from 1572 just two years. ^[23] He had four children: ^[24]

• Kathe (1557/1560-?), the wife of Lukas Trauzner, the treasurer of the furrier guild of Kolozsvar (today Cluj Napoca , Romania)
• David (1560 - 27 March 1582), ^[25] theologian, Unitarian minister who studied at the University of Basel in Basel , Switzerland between 1578 and 1580 ^[26]
• Sophia, wife of Johann Sommer (1542-1572) theologian, Unitarian minister , humanist writer (according to Johann Seivert ) ^[24]
• Johannes, doctor in Kolozsvar (today Cluj Napoca , Romania) (ca. 1565 - ?)

Influence [ edit ]

Influence in Hungary and Transylvania [ edit ]

After his death David came to be counted as, and honoured as, the first in the line of Hungarian Unitarian bishops based in Kolozsvar (Cluj). His writings continued to be published, and other recollections written down and collected, up to the time of Mihaly Lombard de Szentabraham . ^[27]

Influence of Ferenc David in England and America [ edit ]

English-speaking Unitarianism was largely unaware of David. Most of the Unitarian writings which came via Amsterdam to England were of authors of the Polish Brethren , not Hungarians, as in the Bibliotheca Fratrum Polonorum quos Unitarios vocant (or "Library of the Polish Brethren called Unitarians") of which Locke, Voltaire and Newton owned copies. The works of David and Gyorgy Enyedi 's were not reprinted in the 17th century. It was the visit of Sandor Boloni Farkas to Britain and America from 1830 to 1832, which made English speaking Unitarians aware of the continued existence of Hungarian Unitarians - and following that, of the legacy of Ferenc David.

The Unitarian Universalist author John A. Buehrens (1989) ^[28] attributes to Ferenc David the statement, "We need not think alike to love alike". The phrase is cited also in Our Historic Faith by Mark W. Harris ^[29] and in the 1993 Unitarian Universalist Hymnal Singing the Living Tradition in reading #566, which is a compilation of quotes by David, compiled by Rev. Richard Fewekes, ^[30] but the source for this is not given in either case. The phrase is given in no source prior to Buehren's book. In an article published by UU World, "Who Really Said That?" Peter Hughes claims that there is no evidence that David actually said this. He attributes the quote to Methodist founder John Wesley , who asked in a sermon on “Catholic Spirit,” “Though we cannot think alike, may we not love alike?” ^[31]

Works [ edit ]

Works of David, and of the Unitarian Church.

• 1550 Elegia, Scripta ad Eximium D. Franciscum, I. V. Doctorem, ac Vicarium Ecclesiae Albensis in Transsylvania… Maecenatem suum semper colendum.
• 1555 Dialysis Scripti Stancari Contra Primum Articulum Synodi Szekiensis, qui de doctrina controvertitur, conscripta. Cluj-Napoca, 1555.
• 1556 Responsum ministrorum Ecclesiae Colosvariensis ad scripta varia Martini a Calmancha in Causa Coena Domini edita Colosvarini. Anno 1556. die 25. Julii. ^[32]
• 1557 Consensus Doctrinae De Sacramentis Christi Claudiopoli, 1557.
• 1558 Acta Synodi Pastorum Ecclesiae Nationis Hungaricae in Transylvania… Anno 1558. in oppido Thorda celebratae. U. ott, 1558.
• 1559 Az Vrnac Vaczoraiarol Valo kozenseges keresztyeni vallas. Colosvarot, 1559.
• 1559 Defensio Orthodoxae Sententiae de Coena Domini (Kolozsvar), 1559.
• 1556 Scriptum Francisci Davidis anno Domini 1566. (Lampe, Hist. Eccl. Hungar. 152?154. l.)
• Ejudem Francisci Davidis Responsio ad Argumenta, quibus Hypostasin Spiritus Sancti Petrus Caroli stabilivit. (Lampe, Hist. Eccl. Hungar. 154?158. l.)
• 1566 Propositiones in Disputatione Albensi coram Regia Maiestate a D. Georgio Blandrata et Francisco Davidis propositae Limitationi Ministrorum, qui ex Ecclesiis Hungaricis Disputationi interfuerunt. Kolozsvar, 1566.
• 1566 Catechismus Ecclesiarum Dei in natione Hungarica per Transilvaniam. Claudiopoli, 1566.
• 1566 Disputatio prima Albana seu Albensis, habita 1566. 24. Febr. U. ott, 1566.
• 1567 De Falsa et Vera Vnius Dei Patris, Filii, et Spiritvs Sancti Cognitione Libri Dvo. Albae Juliae, 1567.
• 1567 Rovid Magyarazat mikeppen az Antichristvs, az igaz Istenr?l valo tudomant meg homalositotta… Albae Juliae, 1567.
• Rovid Utmutatas az Istennec igeienec igaz ertelmere, mostani szent Haromsagrol tamadot vetelkedesnec meg feytesere es itelesere hasznos es szukseges , Albae Juliae, 1567
• Refvtatio Scripti Petri Melii, quo nomine Synodi Debrecinae docet Johoualitatem, et trinitarium Deum Patriarchis, Prophetis, et Apostolis incognitum . Albae Juliae, 1567.
• Demonstratio Falsitatis Doctrinae Petri Melii, et reliquorum Sophistarum per Antitheses una cum refutatione Antitheseon veri et Turcici Christi, nunc primum Debrecini impressarum… Albae Juliae (1568.)
• Refutatio Propositionum Petri Melii non inquirendae Veritatis ergo sed ad contendendum propositarum, ad indictam Synodum Varadinam 22. Augusti Anno 1568.
• Theses Thordae Disputandae ad XIII Diem Nouembris, et in Synodo Varadina die 22 . Augusti publicatae. U. ott. (Nevtelen?l.)
• Literae convocatoriae ad Seniores Ecclesiarum Svperioris et Inferioris Pannoniae ad indictam Synodum Thordanam ad tertium Marty diem, additis Thesibus ibidem disputandis. U. ott, 1568.
• Aequipollentes ex Scriptura Phrases de Christo Filio Dei ex Maria Nato Figuratae... U. ott, 1568.
• Antithesis Pseudochristi cum vero illo ex Maria Nato. U. ott, 1568.
• Az Szent Irasnac Fvndamentamabol vott Magyarazat az Jesus Cristusrol es az ? igaz istenseger?l. U. ott, 1568.
• De Mediatoris Jesv Christi hominis Divinitate, Aequalitateque libellus. U. ott, 1568.
• Brevis Enarratio Dispvtationis Albanae de Deo Trino, et Christo Dvplici coram Serenissimo Principe, et tota Ecclesia decem diebus habita. U. ott, 1568.
• De Regno Christi Liber primus. De Regno Antichristi Liber secundus. Accessit Tractatus de Paedobaptismo, et Circumcisione. U. ott, 1569.
• Propositiones Francisci Davidis ex Ungarico Sermone in Latinum conversae et in eadem Synodo Varadiensi (Ao 1569.) exhibitae. ^[33]
• Az Varadi Disputacionac avagy vetelkedesnec, az egy Attya Istenr?l es annac Fiarol, az Jesus Cristusrol es a szent Lelekr?l igazan valo el? szamlalassa. Kolozsvar, 1569.
• Els? Resze az szent irasnac kulon kulon reszeib?l vot predicaciocnac az atya istenr?l, ennek kedig az ? fiarol az Ihesvs Christvsrol, es az mi orocseguncnec peczetir?l az szent lelekr?l. Gyula-Fehervar, 1569.
• Refutatio Scripti Georgii Maioris, in quo Devm trinvm in personis, et vnvm in Essentia: Vnicvm deinde eius Filium in persona, et duplicem in naturis, ex lacunis Antichristi probate conatus est. (Kolozsvar), 1569.
• Konyvetske Az igaz Kerestyeni Keresztsegr?l, es a Papa Antichristusnac Maymozassarol... Kolozsvar, 1570.
• Responsio Pastorum ac Ministrorum Ecclesiarum in Transsylvania, quae vnvm Deum Patrem Christi Jesum Christum filium Dei crucifixum vnvmqu. amborum spiritum confitentur . U. ott, 1570.
• Az Egy ? magatol valo Felseges Istenr?l, es az ? igaz Fiarol, a Nazareti Jesusrol, az igaz Messiasrol, A szent irasbol vot vallastettel . U. ott, 1571.
• Az egy Attya Istennec, es az ? aldot szent fianac, az Jesus Christusnac Istensegekr?l igaz vallastettel... U. ott, 1571.
• Literae Convocatoriae, una cum Propositionibus in Synodo Vasarhellyina disputandis ad diem XX. Mensis Septembris, hujus Anni 1571. U. ott.
• Libellus Parvus, XXX Thesibus Blandratae oppositus, in quo disseritur Jesum Christum vocari nunc non posse Deum, cum non sit verus Deus... U. ott, 1578.
• Confessio Francisci Davidis de Jesu Christo quam ex carcere exhibuit. Regnicolis, paulo ante mortem Thordae, in Transylvania, in conuentu regni 17. April. Anno 1570.
• Isteni dicsiretek, imadsagos es vigasztalo enekek. (1575) ^[34]

Literature [ edit ]

• KERESZTENY MAGVETO - UJABB ADATOK DAVID FERENC CSALADJAROL ES NEMZETISEGER?L - Series 78 /Part 1 (1972.) ^[24]
• Dr. Gyorgy Boros - David Ferenc theologiaja. ^[16]

References [ edit ]

External links [ edit ]

Wikiquote has quotations related to Ferenc David .

• Major dates from the History of the Transylvanian Unitarian Church
• Principles for Survival of Unitarianism in Gyorgy Enyedi’s Sermons.
• Unitarian Universalist Origins: Our Historic Faith by Mark W. Harris
• A Brief History of Unitarian Christianity Archived 2011-03-07 at the Wayback Machine
• "The Transylvania Journey" by Rev. Michael McGee (25 July 2004)