TÓTH ENDRE TEOLÓGUSPROFESSZOR, A DEBRECENI REFORMÁTUS TEOLÓGIAI AKADÉMIA 1950-1958 KÖZÖTTI INTÉZMÉNYVEZETŐ DÉKÁNJA

The life and work of Endre Tóth (1899–1970), a reformed theological professor and church historian, first in Pápa and later in Debrecen, is a unique Hungarian 20th-century intellectual destiny. While his quiet character made him averse to official duties, the troubled historical circumstances forced him to hold serious church offices for decades. He held various posts at the Reformed Theological Academy of Pápa and the Transdanubian Reformed Church District from the mid-1920s for two decades, then became professor at the Faculty of Theology of the University of Debrecen between 1947 and 1950. He was then professor at the Reformed Theological Academy, after the Theological Faculty seceded from the State University and operated under the Reformed College, and dean for a decade from 1948. It is also thanks to his wisdom and humility that the pastoral education in Debrecen, while maintaining its former academic quality, has survived perhaps the most difficult decade in its history without serious losses. Under the direction of Endre Tóth, in 1950 the separation from the state university, the move to the college, the admission of theology students from Sárospatak after the nationalization of schools, and the processing of the upheavals of the 1956 events took place, while the Transtibiscan District changed bishops twice (when he arrived in Debrecen, Imre Révész, his predecessor at the department, was still the bishop; after 1948, János Péter, and from 1957 Tibor Bartha was the bishop). In addition to his work as head of an institution, he also performed educational and scientific activities as a church historian.