John Huss – Predecessor of Martin Luther – Burned at the Stake for Heresy 600 Years Ago

Posted on July 6, 2015 Updated on July 7, 2015

John Hus (Also pronounced Jan Hus) was a religious thinker, reformer and a predecessor of the Protestant movement in the Sixteenth century.

In 1369 Huss was born into a peasant family in Husssenitz (Boehemia) where he studied to become a priest in order to escape poverty. After completing his Master’s from Charles University in Prague (1396) he was ordained to become a priest (1400). He was greatly inspired by the teachings of thinker John Wycliffe and initiated a religious movement based on his principles. He started to believe and preach about the supremacy of the church and not that of the Pope.

During this period Charles University was divided between the Czech realists and the German nominalists. Huss along with other Bohemian leaders issued a decree by which Bohemia was to have three votes in university affairs while other foreign nations had one vote. This decree resulted in massive exodus of foreign students from Charles University following which it obtained the status of a Czech school and was no longer considered to be an esteemed University. Huss attained the position of the Rector of this school. Initially under Archbishop Zajíc he continued to preach vocally against the Church in the lines of Wycliffe’s tenets and enjoyed a great reputation in Bohemia. His followers came to be known as Hussites.

In 1409, the papal schism (in which Gregory XII in Rome and Benedict XIII in Avignon both claimed the papacy) ended with the election of Alexander V as the pope. Archbishop Zajic submitted his allegiance to Alexander V and accused Wycliffites of causing ecclesiastical disturbances in Bohemia. In response the papal bull was issued in 1409 according to which all books of Wycliffe were to be given up, his doctrines revoked, and free preaching discontinued. However, this caused great resentment amongst the Bohemians and the state Government sided with Huss. Following which Huss and his followers were excommunicated by Alexander V citing insubordination to the Church.

The Council of Constance was convened on November 1414 with an aim to settle the differences within the Church and bring reforms. Hus was invited to join and his safety was ensured by Emperor Sigismund of Luxemburg.  Within few days of reaching Constance Huss was imprisoned under the pretext that he was rumored to flee.  He was put under trial in June 1415 and the court was determined to condemn him. Huss was asked to recant his beliefs which were contrary to the teachings of the Catholic Church but he refused. The Church Council of Constance accused him of heresy and he was burned at the stake on 6th July 1415.

Martin Luther King was greatly influenced by the teachings of Huss. The swan a popular symbol in Lutheran art is said to refer to Huss whose name means “goose” in Bohemian lingo.

6th July 2015 marks the completion of 600 years since his execution. To mark this event the native house of Huss in Czech was reconstructed and opened in the presence of Prime Minister Bohuslav Sobotka last week. The Hus festival has also been slated to be organized in several churches across Prague. The date 6^th July is also a national holiday in Czech Republic in honor of Huss.

Source: Lutheran Press; Christianity Today; The Famous People; Prague Daily Monitor; Medieval Histories; Theopedia