Jan Hus
JAN HUS was born sometime around 1372 in the town of Husinec, Bohemia, in the area that is now the
Czech Republic. He studied theology at the University of Prague; after his ordination as a priest (1402),
he became preacher at the Bethlehem Chapel in Prague. Services at the Bethlehem Chapel were conducted in Czech,
contrary to the common practice of conducting services in Latin. The Bible was read and sermons were preached in
the common language. Hus was intrigued by the writings of the early English reformer John Wycliffe, though he
did not agree with all Wycliffes teachings. Hus preached actively against the worst abuses of the Roman Church
of the day.
His primary teachings were:
- Hus called for a higher level of morality among the priesthood. Financial abuses, sexual immorality, and drunkenness were common among the priests of Europe.
- Hus called for preaching and Bible reading in the common language, and for all Christians to receive full communion. At the time, laypersons received only the bread during communion, and only priests were allowed to receive the wine.
- Hus opposed the sale of indulgences. These were documents of personal forgiveness from the Pope which were sold for sometimes exorbitant prices to raise funds for Crusades.
- Hus opposed the relatively new doctrine of Papal infallibility when Papal decrees contradicted the Bible. He asserted the primacy of the Scriptures over church leaders and councils.
Hus lived at a time of tumultuous division in the Western Church known as the Great Schism.
There were for a time two, and briefly even three competing Popes who each claimed complete authority over the Church.
Huss criticisms and calls for reforms came in the midst of the Schism; high Church leaders generally regarded
Hus as an irritating stumbling block to reconciling the divided Church and he was excommunicated. Assured
safe conduct by Sigismund, the Holy Roman Emperor, Hus journeyed to the Council of Constance (1414-1418) to
defend his beliefs. The Council of Constance was the Council which finally ended the Schism with the election
of Pope Martin V. Despite the Emperors guarantee of safe conduct for Hus, he was immediately imprisoned.
When finally tried, he was accused of the crime of being a Wycliffite. He was not allowed to defend himself
or his beliefs. Because of his refusal to recant, Hus was declared an heretic and was burned at the stake on
July 6, 1415
