In my text, I argue that the evolution of ministerial roles is influenced by the development of the church organization, social processes and expectations, and the pastor’s view of his/her vocation. While Protestant ministry and roles are shaped by these factors, the main role dimensions of Protestant ministry that emerged as a result of the Reformation have remained unchanged. Rather, the change can be seen in the shifting emphasis of the roles concerning each other and in their content. Alongside the stable existence of traditional and neo-traditional roles, there is a growing emphasis on so-called contemporary roles in ministry. In the Transylvanian context, this can be seen in the social role of the Protestant denominations that guides the religiousness of the minority Hungarian community, and in the community organizing, national identity strengthening, educational, cultural, and public activities of the ministers serving in the churches of these denomination.
Keywords: ministry, roles, konflict, vocation, professionalization, desacralization
