Jan Hus - Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia

8/12/2019 Jan Hus - Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia

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reconciliation2.1.7.1Writings ofHus andWycliffe

2.2 Council of Constance2.2.1 Imprisonment and

preparations for trial2.3 Trial2.3.1 Condemnation2.3.2 Refusals to recant

3 Execution4 Aftermath

4.1 Hus's scholarship andteachings4.2 Veneration4.3 Jan Hus Day4.4 Legacy

5 Famous followers of Jan Hus6 Gallery7 Works8 See also9 References10 Further reading11 External links

11.1 Wikisource

Early life

Hus was born in Husinec, Kingdom of Bohemia in 1369. He traveled to Prague at an early age where hesupported himself by singing and serving in churches. His conduct was positive and his commitment to his

studies was remarkable.[4]

In 1393, Hus earned a degree of Bachelor of Arts from the University of Prague and he earned his master'sdegree in 1396. In 1400, he was ordained as a priest and became rector of the university in 140203. He wasappointed a preacher at the newly built Bethlehem chapel around the same time. Hus was a strong advocatefor the Czechs, and therefore the Realists, and he was influenced by the writings of John Wycliffe. Although

many works of Wycliffe were proscribed in 1403 by the church, Hus translated Trialogusinto Czech andhelped to distribute it.[4]

Career

Hus took an active role in the movement for reform in the church by attacking the morals of clergy,episcopate, and papacy from his pulpit. Archbishop Zbynk Zajc was lenient with Hus and appointed him aspreacher to the biennial synod. On 24 June 1405, Pope Innocent VII, however, directed the archbishop tocounter the heretical teachings of Wycliffe, especially the doctrine of impanation in the Eucharist. The

archbishop complied by issuing a synodal decree against Wycliffe as well as any further attacks on theclergy.[4]

In 1406, a document was brought by two Bohemian students to Prague bearing the seal of the University ofOxford and eulogizing Wycliffe. Hus proudly read the document from his pulpit. Zbynk received a letter

Hus - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jan_Hus

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from Pope Gregory XII, in 1408, stating that the church in Rome had been informed of Wycliffe's hereticalwords and King Wenceslaus's sympathies for non-conformists. This prompted the king and the university toclear themselves of heretical suspicion. All writings of Wycliffe were ordered surrendered to thearchdiocesan chancery for correction and Hus obeyed declaring that he condemned the errors in these

writings.[4]

Papal schism

The University of Prague around 1408 was being torn apart by the ongoing papal schism, in which PopeGregory XII and Avignon Pope Benedict XIII both laid claim to the papacy. King Wenceslaus felt PopeGregory XII might interfere with his plans to be crowned Holy Roman Emperor; thus, he renounced Gregoryand ordered his prelates to observe a strict neutrality toward both popes, and said he expected the same ofthe university. Archbishop Zajc remained faithful to Gregory. At the university, only the "Bohemian nation"

(one of four voting blocs), with Hus as its leader and spokesman, avowed neutrality.[citation needed]

Kutn Hora

At the instigation of Hus and other Bohemian leaders, King Wenceslaus issued a decree (while in the city ofKutn Hora) that the Bohemian nation should now have three votes (instead of one) in all affairs of theuniversity, while the foreign nations (Bavarian, Saxon, and Polish) should have only one vote. As aconsequence, somewhere between five thousand and twenty thousand foreign doctors, masters, and studentsleft the university in 1409. This exodus resulted in the founding of the University of Leipzig, among others.Thus, Prague university lost its international importance and became only a Czech school. The emigrantsalso spread news of the Bohemian "heresies" throughout the rest of Europe. Archbishop Zajc becameisolated and Hus was at the height of his fame. He became a rector of the Czech university, and enjoyed thefavor of the court. At around this time, the doctrinal views of the English theologian, John Wycliffe were

becoming increasingly influential.[citation needed]

Alexander V becomes Antipope

In 1409, in an attempt to end the papal schism, the Council of Pisa met to elect a new pope. This did notsucceed, and the pope they elected, Alexander V, did not end loyalty to the other two popes. The RomanCatholic Church now considers Alexander V an antipope. Hus, his followers, and Wenceslaus transferredtheir allegiance to Alexander V. Under pressure from King Wenceslaus, Archbishop Zajc did the same. Zajcthen brought his complaints before Alexander V's Papal See, accusing the Wycliffites of ecclesiasticaldisturbances.

Excommunication of Hus

Alexander V issued his papal bull of 20 December 1409, which empowered the Archbishop to proceedagainst Wycliffism. All books of Wycliffe were to be given up, his doctrines revoked, and free preachingdiscontinued. After the publication of the bull in 1410, Hus appealed before Alexander V, but in vain. Allbooks and valuable manuscripts of Wycliffe were burned, and Hus and his adherents were excommunicatedby Alexander V. Riots ensued in parts of Bohemia. The government took the side of Hus, and the power ofhis adherents increased from day to day. Hus continued to preach in the Bethlehem Chapel. The churches ofthe city were put under the ban, and the interdict was pronounced against Prague, but without result.[citation needed]

Indulgences

Archbishop Zajc died in 1411, and with his death the religious movement in Bohemia entered a new phase,where the disputes concerning indulgences assumed great importance.


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Spiezer Chronik, 1485

Map of the area where Hus was

burnt at the stake

written in 1413 and have been most frequently quoted and admired or criticized, and yet their first tenchapters are but an epitome of Wycliffe's work of the same title, and the following chapters are but anabstract of another of Wycliffe's works (De potentate papae) on the power of the pope. Wycliffe had writtenhis book to oppose the common position that the Church consisted only of the clergy, and Hus now foundhimself making the same point. He wrote his work at the castle of one of his protectors in Koz Hrdek, andsent it to Prague, where it was publicly read in the Bethlehem chapel. It was answered by Stanislav zeZnojma and Plewith treatises of the same title. After the most vehement opponents of Hus had left

Prague, his adherents occupied the whole ground. Hus wrote his treatises and preached in the neighborhoodof Koz Hrdek. Bohemian Wyclifism was carried into Poland, Hungary, Croatia, and Austria. In January1413, a general council assembled in Rome which condemned the writings of Wycliffe and ordered them to

be burned.[citation needed]

Council of Constance

To put an end to the papal schism and to take up the long desired reform of the Church, a general councilwas convened for 1 November 1414, at Konstanz (Constance). Sigismund of Hungary, brother ofWenceslaus, and heir to the Bohemian crown, was anxious to put an end to religious dissension within the

church; Hus likewise was willing to make an end of all dissensions and agreed to go to Constance, underSigismund's promise of safe passage.[citation needed]

Imprisonment and preparations for trial

It is unknown whether Hus knew what his fate would be, but hemade his will before setting out. He started on his journey on 11October 1414; on 3 November 1414, he arrived at Constance, and onthe following day, the bulletins on the church doors announced thatMichal z Nmeckho Brodu would be opposing Hus. In the

beginning, Hus was at liberty, living at the house of a widow, but,after a few weeks, his opponents succeeded in imprisoning him, onthe strength of a rumour more than likely spread by themselves that he intended to flee. He was first brought into the residence of acanon and then, on 8 December 1414, into the dungeon of theDominican monastery. Sigismund was greatly angered, as theguarantor of Hus's safety, and threatened the prelates with dismissal;however, the prelates convinced him that he could not be bound by

promises to a heretic.[citation needed]

On 4 December 1414, Antipope John XXIII had entrusted a

committee of three bishops with a preliminary investigation against Hus. Aswas common practice, witnesses for the prosecution were heard, but Huswas not allowed an advocate for his defence. His situation became worseafter the downfall of the antipope, who had left Constance to avoidabdicating. Hus had been the captive of John XXIII and in constantcommunication with his friends, but now he was delivered to theArchbishop of Constance and brought to his castle, Gottlieben on the

Rhine. Here he remained for 73 days, separated from his friends, chained

day and night, poorly fed, and ill.[citation needed]

Trial

On 5 June 1415, he was tried for the first time, and for that purpose was transferred to a Franciscanmonastery, where he spent the last weeks of his life. He declared himself willing to recant if his errors should


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Jan Hus at the stake

Jan Hus burning. Drawing after

Ulrich von Richental's

illustrated chronicle of the

Council of Constance

be proven to him from the Bible. Hus conceded his veneration of Wycliffe,and said that he could only wish his soul might some time attain unto thatplace where Wycliffe's was. On the other hand, he denied having defendedWycliffe's doctrine of The Lord's Supper or the forty-five articles; he hadonly opposed their summary condemnation. King Wenceslaus admonishedhim to deliver himself up to the mercy of the Council, as he did not desireto protect a heretic.

At the last trial, on 8 June 1415, there were read to him thirty-ninesentences, twenty-six of which had been excerpted from his book on theChurch, seven from his treatise against Ple, and six from that againstStanislav ze Znojma. The danger of some of these doctrines to worldlypower was explained to the emperor to incite him against Hus. Hus againdeclared himself willing to submit if he could be convinced of errors. Hedesired only a fair trial and more time to explain the reasons for his views.If his reasons and Bible texts did not suffice, he would be glad to beinstructed. This declaration was considered an unconditional surrender, andhe was asked to confess:

that he had erred in the theses which he had hitherto maintained;1.that he renounced them for the future;2.that he recanted them; and3.that he declared the opposite of these sentences.4.

He asked to be exempted from recanting doctrines which he had nevertaught; others, which the assembly considered erroneous, he was not willingto revoke; to act differently would be against his conscience. These wordsfound no favourable reception. After the trial on 8 June, several otherattempts were purportedly made to induce him to recant, which he resisted.[citation needed]

Condemnation

The condemnation took place on 6 July 1415, in the presence of theassembly of the Council in the Cathedral. After the High Mass and Liturgy,Hus was led into the church. The Bishop of Lodi delivered an oration onthe duty of eradicating heresy; then some theses of Hus and Wycliffe and a report of his trial were read.

Refusals to recant

An Italian prelate pronounced the sentence of condemnation upon Hus and his writings. Hus protested,saying that even at this hour he did not wish anything, but to be convinced from Holy Scripture. He fell uponhis knees and asked God with a low voice to forgive all his enemies. Then followed his degradation hewas enrobed in priestly vestments and again asked to recant; again he refused. With curses his ornamentswere taken from him, his priestly tonsure was destroyed, and the sentence was pronounced that the Churchhad deprived him of all rights and delivered him to the secular powers. Then a high paper hat was put uponhis head, with the inscription "Haeresiarcha" (meaning the leader of a heretical movement). Hus was ledaway to the stake under a strong guard of armed men. At the place of execution he knelt down, spread outhis hands, and prayed aloud. Some of the people asked that a confessor should be given to him, but one

priest exclaimed that a heretic should neither be heard nor given a confessor.[citation needed]

Execution


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Equestrian statue of the

Hussite leader Jan ika in

Prague.

The executioners undressed Hus and tied his hands behind his back with ropes, and bound his neck with achain to a stake around which wood and straw had been piled up so that it covered him to the neck. At thelast moment, the imperial marshal, Von Pappenheim, in the presence of the Count Palatine, asked him torecant and thus save his own life, but Hus declined with the words "God is my witness that the thingscharged against me I never preached. In the same truth of the Gospel which I have written, taught, and

reached, drawing upon the sayings and positions of the holy doctors, I am ready to die today."[5]He was

then burned at the stake, and his ashes thrown into the Rhine.

Anecdotally, it has been claimed that the executioners had some problems scaling up the fire. An old womancame closer to the bonfire and threw a relatively small amount of brushwood on it. Hus, seeing it, then said,"Sancta Simplicitas!" (Holy Simplicity!) This sentence's Czech equivalent ("svat prostota!", or, in vocative

form "svat prostoto!") is still used to comment upon a stupid action.[citation needed]

Aftermath

Hus's scholarship and teachings

Hus left only a few reformatory writings in the proper sense of the word,most of his works being polemical treatises against Stanislav ze Znojma andtpn Ple. He translated the Trialogus, and was very familiar with hisworks on the body of the Lord, on the Church, on the power of the pope, andespecially with his sermons. There are reasons to suppose that Wycliffe'sdoctrine of the Lord's Supper had spread to Prague as early as 1399, withstrong evidence that students returning from England had brought the workback with them. It gained an even wider circulation after it had beenprohibited in 1403, and Hus preached and taught it, although it is possiblethat he simply repeated it without advocating it. But the doctrine was seized

eagerly by the radical party, the Taborites, who made it the central point oftheir system. According to their book, the Church is not that hierarchy whichis generally designated as Church; the Church is the entire body of those whofrom eternity have been predestined for salvation. Christ, not the pope, is itshead. It is no article of faith that one must obey the pope to be saved. Neitherinternal membership in the Church nor churchly offices and dignities are asurety that the persons in question are members of the true Church.[citation needed]

To some, Hus's efforts were predominantly designed to rid the Church of its ethical abuses, rather than acampaign of sweeping theological change. To others, the seeds of the reformation are clear in Hus's and

Wycliffe's writings. In explaining the plight of the average Christian in Bohemia, Hus wrote, "One pays forconfession, for mass, for the sacrament, for indulgences, for churching a woman, for a blessing, for burials,for funeral services and prayers. The very last penny which an old woman has hidden in her bundle for fearof thieves or robbery will not be saved. The villainous priest will grab it." (Macek, 16) After Hus's death, hisfollowers, then known as Hussites, split off into several groups including the Utraquists, Taborites andOrphans. Nearly six centuries later in 1999, Pope John Paul II expressed "deep regret for the cruel deathinflicted" on Hus. Cardinal Miloslav Vlk of the Czech Republic was instrumental in crafting John Paul II's

statement.[6]

Veneration

6 July is a public holiday in the Czech republic, commemorating the execution of Jan Hus.Hus is honored with a feast day on the liturgical calendar of the Episcopal Church (USA) on 6

July.


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Jan Hus Day

Jan Hus Day(Den uplen mistra Jana Husa) on 6 July, the anniversary of the martyrdom of Jan Hus, is apublic holiday in the Czech Republic. Hus is also commemorated as a martyr in the Calendar of Saints of the

Evangelical Lutheran Church in America on that day.[7]

Legacy

Hus was a key contributor to Protestantism, whose teachings had a strong influence on the states of Europeand on Martin Luther himself. The Hussite Wars resulted in the Basel Compacts which allowed for areformed church in the Kingdom of Bohemiaalmost a century before such developments would take placein the Lutheran Reformation. The Unitas Fratrum (or Moravian Church) considers itself a spiritual heir to

many of Hus' followers.[8]Hus' extensive writings earn him a prominent place in Czech literary history. He isalso responsible for introducing the use of diacritics (especially the hek) into Czech spelling in order torepresent each sound by a single symbol. Today, the Jan Hus Memorial can be seen at the Prague Old TownSquare (Czech Staromstsk nmst).

In New York City, a church in Brooklyn (located at 153 Ocean Avenue), and a church and a theatre inManhattan (located at 351 East 74th Street) are named for Hus: respectively the John Hus MoravianChurch, the Jan Hus Presbyterian Church and the Jan Hus Playhouse. Although the Manhattan's church andtheatre share a single building and management, the Playhouse's productions are usually non-religious ornon-denominational.

A statue to Jan Hus was erected in the Union Cemetery in Bohemia, New York (on Long Island) by Czechimmigrants to the New York area in 1893. The statue was the first memorial in the United States to honour aforeign-born person.

Famous followers of Jan HusJerome of Prague, Hus's friend and devoted follower shared his fate and on 30 May 1416 was alsoburned at KonstanzJan Kardinl z Rejntejna (13751428) (German:Johannes Cardinalis von Bergreichenstein)[9]

Jan ika z Trocnova a Kalicha (c. 13601424), Czech general and Hussite leaderMatj z Knna (died 26 March 1410) (in German: Matthus von Knin)Mikul Biskupec z Pelhimova (1385 Podbrady 1460 Podbrady) (in Latin: NicolausPilgramensis, in German: Nikolaus von Pelgrims)

Gallery


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Painting of Jan Hus atthe Council ofConstance by VclavBrok (1883).

Preparing the executionof Jan Hus.

Alfons Mucha: MasterJan Hus Preaching atthe Bethlehem Chapel:Truth prevails, 1916;part of the 20-paintingwork, The Slav Epic.

Ladislav aloun: JanHus Memorial on theOld Town Square inPrague, erected in1915.

Bethlehem Chapel(exterior) in Prague

Bethlehem Chapel(interior) in Prague

Works

De ecclesia. The church (http://books.google.com/books?id=hsSCAAAAIAAJ&printsec=frontcover&dq=jan+hus+%22De+ecclesia%22&hl=en&src=bmrr&ei=VlJ8TeziE4Ho0gHMi6HMAw&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=book-thumbnail&resnum=1&ved=0CCkQ6wEwAA#v=onepage&q&f=false) ,Jan Hus; David S Schaff, New York, Charles Scribner's Sons, 1915.

The letters of John Hus (http://books.google.com/books?id=JIgQAAAAIAAJ&printsec=frontcover&dq=%22letters+of+John+Hus%22&hl=en&ei=wVJ8TZDhFaHD0QHVo9XhAw&sa=X&oi=book_result&

ct=result&resnum=1&ved=0CC0Q6AEwAA#v=onepage&q&f=false) , Jan Hus; Herbert B Workman; RMartin Pope, London, Hodder and Stoughton, 1904.

See also

Orthographia bohemica, a treatise thought to have been written by Jan HusJan Hus Presbyterian Church, a New York City church named after Jan Hus

References

^"Luther: man between God and the Devil (http://books.google.com/books?id=vuES0JdltfcC&pg=PA54&dq&hl=en#v=onepage&q=&f=false) ". Heiko Augustinus Oberman, Eileen Walliser-Schwarzbart (2006). YaleUniversity Press. pp. 5455; ISBN 0-300-10313-1

1.

^"Sigismund of Luxembourg" (http://www.radio.cz/en/article/11864) . Radio Prague2.


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^Vclavk, David (2010).Nboenstv a modern esk spolenost (http://books.google.com/books?id=1A5P3H2gT0sC&lpg=PA2&dq=N%C3%A1bo%C5%BEenstv%C3%AD%20a%20modern%C3%AD%20%C4%8Desk%C3%A1%20spole%C4%8Dnost&pg=PA53#v=onepage&q&f=false) . GradaPublishing a.s.. http://books.google.com/books?id=1A5P3H2gT0sC&lpg=PA2&dq=N%C3%A1bo%C5%BEenstv%C3%AD%20a%20modern%C3%AD%20%C4%8Desk%C3%A1%20spole%C4%8Dnost&pg=PA53#v=onepage&q&f=false.

3.

^ abcd"Jan Hus" (http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/07584b.htm) . New Advent. http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/07584b.htm. Retrieved 17 January 2011.

4.

^Schaff, David Schley,John Huss: his life, teachings and death, after five hundred years , (Charles Scribner'sSons, 1915), p. 257

5.

^http://ncronline.org/news/german-shepherd-bids-farewell-wolf-winter6.^(Czech)esk statistick ad (http://www.czso.cz/sldb/sldb2001.nsf/tabx/CZ0000)7.^ http://www.unitasfratrum.org/index.php/origin-growth-of-the-unitas-fratrum/8.^"Jan Kardinl z Rejntejna" (http://www.phil.muni.cz/fil/scf/komplet/kardin.html) . Phil.muni.cz.http://www.phil.muni.cz/fil/scf/komplet/kardin.html. Retrieved 5 September 2008.

9.

Further reading

Spinka, Matthew (1972),The Letters of John Hus

, Totowa, New Jersey: Manchester UniversityPress, OCLC 590290 (http://www.worldcat.org/oclc/590290)Spinka, Matthew (1968),John Hus: A Biography, Princeton, New Jersey: Princeton UniversityPress, OCLC 441706 (http://www.worldcat.org/oclc/441706)Spinka, Matthew (1966),John Hus' Concept of the Church, Princeton, New Jersey: PrincetonUniversity Press, OCLC 390635 (http://www.worldcat.org/oclc/390635)Matthew Spinka: 'John Hus at the Council of Constance' Columbia University Press, 1965(Includes the eye-witness account by Peter of Mladonovice)Count Ltzow:Life & Times of Master John Hus, E.P. Dutton & Co. London, 1909Josef Macek: The Hussite Movement in Bohemia, Orbis, Prague, 1958Philip Schaff-Herzog:Encyclopedia of Religion

Richard Friedenthal:Jan Hus. Der Ketzer und das Jahrhundert der Revolutionskriege. 2.Auflage1987, ISBN 3-492-10331-6Fudge, Thomas A. The Magnificent Ride: The First Reformation in Hussite Bohemia, St.Andrews Studies in Reformation History. Aldershot, Hampshire/Brookfield, Vermont: Ashgate,2008Wilhelm, J. (1910). Jan Hus. In The Catholic Encyclopedia. New York: Robert AppletonCompany. Retrieved 16 May 2011 from New Advent: http://www.newadvent.org/cathen

/07584b.htm

External links

Hussitism and the heritage of Jan Hus (http://www.czech.cz/en/czech-republic/history/all-about-czech-history/hussitism-and-the-heritage-of-jan-hus/) Official Website of the Czech RepublicFinal Declaration (http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/mod/1415janhus.html) written on 1 July 1415

Modern History Sourcebook, Fordham UniversityLetters of John Huss Written During His Exile and Imprisonment(http://books.google.com/books?vid=OCLC00802093&id=bU6mxnnH6k0C&printsec=titlepage&dq=inauthor:martin+inauthor:luther+date:1500-1923) , with a preface by Martin Luther, by JanHus, Franois Paul mile Boisnormand de Bonnechose, tr. Campbell Mackenzie, Edinburgh,William Whyte & Co., 1846The life and times of John Huss "btm" format (http://www.third-millennium-library.com

/readinghall/GalleryofHistory/Huss/HUSS-DOOR.html)Bohemian Reformation and Religious Practice(http://www.brrp.org/) online translation of aCzech academic journal


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Wikisource

Texts on Wikisource:John Foxe, Persecution of John Huss in The Book of Martyrs, Chapter VIII."Huss, John".New International Encyclopedia. 1905."Huss, John".Encyclopdia Britannica(11th ed.). 1911.J. Wilhelm (1913). "Jan Hus". Catholic Encyclopedia. New York: Robert Appleton

Company.Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Jan_Hus&oldid=472946941"Categories: 14th-century births 1415 deaths 14th-century Czech people

15th-century Czech people 14th-century Protestants 15th-century Protestant martyrs

Executed Czech people People executed for heresy People executed by burning

14th-century theologians 15th-century theologians Executed philosophers Hussites

Czech academics Czech theologians Czech religious leaders Protestant Reformation

Academics of Charles University in Prague People excommunicated by the Roman Catholic Church

People celebrated in the Lutheran liturgical calendar Anglican saintsCharles University in Prague alumni People from Husinec

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Jan Hus - Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia