View source for Convention of the Hungarian Baptist Churches of Romania

{{Infobox Christian denomination
| icon                = 
| icon_width          =
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| name                = Convention of the Hungarian Baptist Churches of Romania
| native_name         = Romániai Magyar Baptista Gyülekezetek Szövetsége {{small|([[Hungarian language|hu]])}}<br/>Convenţia Bisericilor Creştine Baptiste Maghiare {{small|([[Romanian language|ro]])}}
| native_name_lang    = hu
| image               = File:Szalontai baptista imahaz.jpg
| imagewidth          = 
| alt                 = 
| caption             = The Baptist Church in Salonta
| abbreviation        = RMBGS
| main_classification =[[Evangelicalism|Evangelical Christianity]]
| scripture           =[[Christian Bible|Bible]]
| theology            = [[Baptists|Baptist]]
| polity              = [[Congregationalist polity|Congregationalist]]
| structure           =
| leader_title        = President
| leader_name         = Felix Pardi
| fellowships_type    = Part of
| fellowships         = [[Baptist Union of Romania]]
| division_type       = 
| division            = 
| division_type1      =
| division1           =
| division_type2      =
| division2           =
| division_type3      =
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| associations        = {{plainlist}}
* [[European Baptist Federation]]
* [[Baptist World Alliance]]
{{endplainlist}}
| area                = [[Romania]]
| language            = [[Hungarian language|Hungarian]]
| liturgy             = 
| headquarters        = Str. General Henri Mathias Berthelot, [[Oradea]]
| possessions         = 
| founder             = 
| founded_date        = 1920
| founded_place       = 
| independence        = 
| reunion             = 
| recognition         = 
| separated_from      = 
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| merger              = 
| absorbed            = 
| separations         = 
| merged_into         = [[Baptist Union of Romania]] (1922)
| defunct             = 
| congregations_type  = 
| congregations       = 253
| members             = 8.321
| ministers_type      = [[Pastor]]s
| ministers           = 
| missionaries        = 
| churches            = 
| hospitals           = 
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| aid                 = 
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| other_names         = 
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| website             = {{URL|rmbgysz.ro}}
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| footnotes           = 
}}
{{Baptist}}
The '''Convention of the Hungarian Baptist Churches of Romania''' ({{langx|hu|Romániai Magyar Baptista Gyülekezetek Szövetsége}}; {{langx|ro|Convenţia Bisericilor Creştine Baptiste Maghiare}}) is a [[Baptists|Baptist]] [[Christianity|Christian]] association of [[Hungarian minority in Romania|Hungarian]] churches in [[Romania]] within the larger [[Baptist Union of Romania]], united for promoting cooperative ministry. The convention operates as a "sister" denomination to the [[Baptist Union of Romania]] and is a member of the [[European Baptist Federation]] and the [[Baptist World Alliance]]. 

==History==
In the 1870s [[Anton Novak]], an [[Ethnic German]] [[colporteur]] of the [[British and Foreign Bible Society]], began to meet and study the [[Bible|Scriptures]] with a group of [[Reformed Church in Hungary|Reformed Christians]] in [[Transylvania]]. In 1875, [[Heinrich Meyer]] baptized eight of them and formed them into a church in [[Salonta|Salonta Mare]]. This was the first Baptist church in Transylvania.

The [[Baptist Union of Romania]] was formed in 1920, but [[Transylvanian Saxons|Saxons]], Hungarians, and [[Rusyns of Romania|Rusyn]]-[[Ukrainians of Romania|Ukrainians]] maintained associations to promote their own interests. The ''Recognized Hungarian Baptist Union of Romania'' was founded at Salonta in October 1920. The ''Unrecognized Hungarian Baptist Union of Romania'' was formed around the same time in [[Nuşfalău]]. In 1922, the ''Recognized Hungarian Baptist Union'' associated with the ''Baptist Union of Romania'' as a department within it, and also joined the [[Baptist World Alliance]]. The two Hungarian Baptist groups united to become the ''Hungarian Baptist Convention of Romania'' in 1935.

Government instability and change brought varying challenges to the Baptists of Romania, especially from 1955 to 1989, under the [[Communist Romania|Communist regime]]. During this time believers were harassed, churches closed, ministers threatened, and educational work prohibited. In 1948, the ''Hungarian Baptist Convention'' was closed. The ''Union of the Hungarian Baptist Churches of Romania'' was organized in [[Cluj-Napoca]] on February 3, 1990. In 1996, the name "Union" was changed to "Convention".

According to a census published by the association in 2023, it claimed 8,321 members in 253 churches.<ref> Baptist World Alliance, [https://www.baptistworld.org/member-unions/ Members], baptistworld.org, USA, retrieved May 5, 2023</ref>

==References==
{{reflist}}

{{Christianity in Romania}}
{{Romanian religions}}
{{Baptist World Alliance Members}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Convention Of The Hungarian Baptist Churches Of Romania}}
[[Category:Hungarians in Romania]]
[[Category:Evangelicalism in Romania]]
[[Category:Religion in Transylvania]]
[[Category:Religious organizations established in 1875]]
[[Category:Baptist denominations in Europe]]