Transylvanian Reformed Church District

Transylvanian Reformed Church District
Reformed Church in Cluj-Napoca
Classification	Protestant
Orientation	moderate Calvinist
Theology	Reformed Evangelical
Polity	episcopal
Leader	Bishop Béla Kató
Associations	World Communion of Reformed Churches, World Council of Churches
Region	Transylvania, Bucharest and parts of the remnants of Romania
Headquarters	Cluj-Napoca
Origin	1564 Transylvania
Branched from	Reformed Church in Hungary
Congregations	1,100
Members	500 000

The Transylvanian Reformed Church District (Hungarian: Erdélyi Református Egyházkerület; Romanian: Episcopia Reformată din Ardeal) is a moderately conservative Reformed, Calvinist church in Romania; its seat is in Cluj-Napoca. Alongside the Királyhágómellék Reformed Church District, it forms the Reformed Church in Romania.

The Reformation took roots in Transylvania in the 1550s. Among the Hungarian-speaking population, the Calvinist branch was the dominant religion. In 1564, in the Synod of Nagyenyed (Aiud), the Calvinists and the Lutherans separated. This is the formation date of the Transylvanian Reformed Church, which formed part of the Reformed Church in Hungary and officially adopted the Heidelberg Catechism. At the end of the 16th century, the Reformed Church became the dominant church in the Duchy of Transylvania.

The church has schools in Deva, Târgu Mureș, Aiud, Alba Iulia, Făgăraș and Târgu Secuiesc. The dukes of Transylvania belonged to the Reformed Church. The church developed steadily, not interrupted by the Counter-Reformation. The dukes protected the Protestant churches. From 1605 the Reformed church held Synods annually. During the period of Gabor Bethlen, many theological schools were formed. When Transylvania became a Habsburg province, freedom of religion was permitted, and during this time the Reformed nobles protected Calvinism.