Gyula Molnár and the Beginnings of the Lutheran Congregation in Esztergom

Abstract

Gyula Molnar was the first pastor and church builder of the Lutheran congregation in Esztergom. This paper presents the development of the congregation through the first 27 years of Molnár’s life, set against the backdrop of the social and political history of the era from the dawn of the 20^th century until 1941, when the church was built. The author uses documents and archives from the era as well as scholarly literature to present a time of change and strife, and to highlight the crucial contribution of brave women to the development of the congregation and the church—or, in broader context, the economy, culture, and society of their time. The author aims to show how worthy and fruitful it is to follow Christ, even when it might seem otherwise.