
Jan Hus
Jan Hus, sometimes Anglicized as John Hus or John Huss, also referred to in historical texts as Iohannes Hus or Johannes Huss, was a Czech theologian, philosopher, master, dean, and rector of the Charles University in Prague who became a church reformer, an inspirer of Hussitism, a key p…
What did John Huss do to reform the church?
What did Jan Hus do in the Reformation? Most of his work focused on the church. He became a priest in 1401 and was soon appointed the preacher in the Bethlehem Chapel, a private chapel established to promote religious reform. Hus was a popular preacher who was openly critical of priests and bishops who violated their vows of poverty and chastity.
What did John Huss believe?
What did John Huss believe in? Jan Hus (John Huss), a Czech religious reformer, espoused five key beliefs: priess should live moral lives free from sin, religious teachings and Scripture should be available in the vernacular rather than Latin, everyone should receive both elements in Communion, forgiveness could not be bought, and the pope was not
What did John Huss contribute to church history?
What did John Hus contribute to the church? 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.
What is John Huss known for?
What is John Huss known for? Hus, Jan (1369–1415) Bohemian religious reformer. In De Ecclesia (1412), Hus outlined his case for reform of the Church. He was tried by the Council of Constance (1415) and burned at the stake as a heretic. His followers, known as Hussites, launched a civil war against the Holy Roman Empire. Click to see full answer.
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Who was John Huss and what happened to him?
On this date in 1415, the Czech religious reformer Jan Hus (in English, John Hus or Huss), condemned as a heretic against the doctrines of the Catholic Church, was burned at the stake. This date has long been a Czech national holiday in his honor.
What was Jan Huss known for?
Leader of Czech reform movement From 1402 Hus was in charge of the chapel, which had become the centre of the growing national reform movement in Bohemia. He became increasingly absorbed in public preaching and eventually emerged as the popular leader of the movement.
What was John Wycliffe known for?
John Wycliffe is widely considered one of the medieval forerunners of the Protestant Reformation. His criticism of the practices and beliefs of the church foreshadowed those of later reformers. Wycliffe also directed a translation of the Bible into English.
Who followed the teachings of John Huss?
The Hussites He was so popular with the people in Bohemia that they began a rebellion on their own against the church. His followers were known as “Hussites.” At one time, it was thought that over 90% of the people in Bohemia followed the teachings of Jan Hus.
Who was burned at the stake by the Catholic Church?
Joan of ArcOn May 30, 1431, Joan of Arc was burned at the stake. The Hundred Years' War waged on until 1453, with the French finally beating back the English invaders. In 1450, Joan's guilty verdict was overturned by a Rehabilitation Trial ordered by Charles VII.
Who led the Reformation in Scotland?
John KnoxJohn Knox, (born c. 1514, near Haddington, East Lothian, Scotland—died November 24, 1572, Edinburgh), foremost leader of the Scottish Reformation, who set the austere moral tone of the Church of Scotland and shaped the democratic form of government it adopted.
Who burned Wycliffe?
In the spring of 1428 a group of churchmen dug up the bones of Wycliffe and burned them. This grisly enterprise was carried out at the instruction of Pope Martin V. Thirteen years earlier in 1415 Wycliffe had been condemned as a heretic at an ecclesiastical council called the Council of Constance.
Who is John Wycliffe and Jan Hus?
Definition. Jan Hus (also John Huss, l. c. 1369-1415) was a Czech philosopher, priest, and theologian who, inspired by the work of John Wycliffe (l. 1330-1384) challenged the policies and practices of the medieval Church and so launched the Bohemian Reformation.
What was John Wycliffe's main problem with the Catholic Church?
Wycliffe challenged the church's right to money that it demanded from England. When the Great Schism between the Roman Catholic Church and the Eastern Orthodox Church began, he publicly questioned the pope's authority. He also attacked indulgences and immoral behavior on the part of the clergy.
What did John Huss believe?
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.
Did Jan Hus translate the Bible?
Jan Hus translated bible from latin in the Czech language and he also simplified the language, so it was easier for people to learn reading or writing. However, most of the working class people couldn't read at all, so Master Jan Hus decided to open free lectures of bible in the Bethelem Chapel in Prague.
Was John Huss Catholic?
After Hus was executed, the followers of his religious teachings (known as Hussites) refused to elect another Catholic monarch and defeated five consecutive papal crusades between 1420 and 1431 in what became known as the Hussite Wars....Jan HusMain interestsTheologyInfluences John Wycliffe, Conrad Waldhauser11 more rows
What happened to Jan Hus?
A theologian, preacher and Rector of Prague University. Six hundred years ago, on the 6th of July 1415, Jan Hus was burned at the stake at the Council of Constance, for his views and criticism of the Catholic Church – this man's name came to symbolize principled defiance.
Did Jan Hus translate the Bible?
Jan Hus translated bible from latin in the Czech language and he also simplified the language, so it was easier for people to learn reading or writing. However, most of the working class people couldn't read at all, so Master Jan Hus decided to open free lectures of bible in the Bethelem Chapel in Prague.
When did Jan Hus write the church?
Of the writings occasioned by these controversies, those of Hus on the Church, entitled De Ecclesia, were written in 1413 and have been most frequently quoted and admired or criticized yet their first ten chapters are an epitome of Wycliffe's work of the same title and the following chapters are an abstract of another ...
What is Jan Hus Day in Czech Republic?
Jan Hus Day takes place every year on July 6 to honor the life and death of this Czech theologian and philosopher. Jan Hus was a Church reformer and the inspiration of Hussitism, which is a Czech Proto-Protestant Christian movement that follows his teachings.
Who was Jan Hus?
1370, Husinec, Bohemia [now in Czech Republic]—died July 6, 1415, Konstanz [Germany]), the most important 15th-century Czech religious reformer, whose work was transitional between the medieval and the Reformation periods and anticipated the Lutheran Reformation by a full century.
Where was Hus born?
Hus was born of poor parents in Husinec in southern Bohemia, from which he took his name. About 1390 he enrolled in the University of Prague, and two years after his graduation in 1394 he received a master’s degree and began teaching at the university. He became dean of the philosophical faculty there in 1401.
Why was Hus's heresy revived?
In 1412 the case of Hus’s heresy, which had been tacitly dropped, was revived because of a new dispute over the sale of indulgences that had been issued by Alexander’s successor, the antipope John XXIII, to finance his campaign against Gregory XII.
Where did Hus preach?
Despite his condemnation, Hus continued to preach at the Bethlehem Chapel and to teach at the University of Prague. Zbyněk was ultimately forced by the king to promise Hus his support before the Roman Curia, but he then died suddenly in 1411, and the leadership of Hus’s enemies passed to the Curia itself.
Who was Hus influenced by?
Hus studied Wycliffe’s works and later his theological writings, which were brought into Prague in 1401. Hus was influenced by Wycliffe’ s underlying principles, though he never accepted their extreme implications, and was particularly impressed by Wycliffe’s proposals for reform of the Roman Catholic clergy.
Who approved the sale of indulgences?
Their sale in Bohemia aroused general indignation but had been approved by King Wenceslas, who, as usual, shared in the proceeds. Hus and his former student Jerome of Prague gave a famed public disputation, which climaxed with the burning of John XXIII’s decree authorizing the sale of indulgences.
When was Hus born?
The exact date of Hus' birth is disputed. Some claim he was born around 1369, while others claim he was born between 1373 and 1375. Though older sources state the latter, more contemporary research states that 1372 is more likely. The belief that he was born on 6 July, also his death day, has no factual basis.
Who is Jan Hus?
Jan Hus ( / hʊs /; Czech: [ˈjan ˈɦus] ( listen); c. 1372 – 6 July 1415), sometimes anglicized as John Hus or John Huss, and referred to in historical texts as Iohannes Hus or Johannes Huss, was a Czech theologian and philosopher who became a Church reformer and the inspiration of Hussitism, ...
How many sentences were read to Hus at his last trial?
At the last trial, on 8 June 1415, thirty-nine sentences were read to him. Of these, twenty-six had been excerpted from his book on the Church ( De ecclesia ), seven from his treatise against Páleč (Contra Palecz), and six from that against Stanislav ze Znojma ( Contra Stanislaum ). The danger of some of these doctrines to worldly power was explained to Sigismund to incite him against Hus. Hus again declared himself willing to submit if he could be convinced of errors. This declaration was considered an unconditional surrender, and he was asked to confess: 1. That he had erred in the theses which he had hitherto maintained; 2. That he renounced them for the future; 3. That he recanted them; and 4. That he declared the opposite of these sentences.
Why did Hus leave Prague?
Before Hus left Prague, he decided to take a step which gave a new dimension to his endeavors. He no longer put his trust in an indecisive king, a hostile pope or an ineffective council.
What degree did Hus earn?
Though not an exceptional student, he pursued his studies with ferocity. In 1393, Hus earned a Bachelor of Arts degree at the University of Prague, and he earned his master's degree in 1396. The strongly anti-papal views that were held by many of the professors there likely influenced Hus' future works. During his studies, he served as a choir boy, to supplement his earnings.
Why did Hus train for the priesthood?
In order to escape poverty, Hus trained for the priesthood. At an early age he traveled to Prague, where he supported himself by singing and serving in churches. His conduct was positive and, reportedly, his commitment to his studies was remarkable.
Where did Hus preach?
Hus wrote his treatises and preached in the neighborhood of Kozí Hrádek. Bohemian Wycliffism was carried into Poland, Hungary, Croatia, and Austria. But in January 1413, a general council in Rome condemned the writings of Wycliffe and ordered them to be burned.
Where did Huss preach?
Hus (also spelled Huss) earned a doctorate degree and became the preacher at the Bethlehem Chapel in Prague. The more he studied the Bible, the more he noticed a sharp divergence between what the Bible teaches and what the Roman Catholic Church practiced.
Why did Hus preach against the papacy?
Hus began preaching against the papacy itself, emphasizing the authority of the Bible and the fact that Christ alone is the head of the church. Due to political pressure from Rome, the king of Bohemia could no longer protect Hus, and Hus was officially excommunicated.
What was the conflict between Hus and the Catholic Church?
The conflict between Hus and the Roman Catholic Church greatly intensified when antipope John XXIII authorized the selling of indulgences to raise money for a military conflict against a rival pope claimant.
How did John Wycliffe influence Jan Hus?
Reading the writings of John Wycliffe further influenced Jan Hus in an anti-Catholic direction . Bucking church directives, Jan Hus began to preach his sermons at Bethlehem Chapel in the Czech language instead of Latin. He also began teaching against Roman Catholic abuses at the University of Prague.
Was Jan Hus a Protestant?
The writings of Jan Hus against the selling of indulgences influenced Martin Luther and other early Protestant Reformers. It is incorrect to refer to Jan Hus as a Protestant, however, as he held to many Roman Catholic beliefs despite his strong opposition to papal authority and the selling of indulgences. Jan Hus set a tremendous example of ...
How long was Huss in prison?
He was kept in prison for seven months before he was burned. As Huss stood before the stake he said, “In the truth of the gospel which I have written, taught, and preached, I die willingly and joyfully today.”.
How did Huss influence Martin Luther?
The influence of Huss lived on through his preaching and the godly example of his death.
What did Huss say about the Church?
These sermons moved him to cry out for reform in the Church and a return to the authority of the Scriptures as the sole source of faith and doctrine for the believer. Huss maintained that Christ, not Peter, was the foundation of the Church and that some Popes had been heretics.
Who is Jon Huss?
Jon Huss, often referred as Jan Hus, was a noted academic, priest and church reformer, born in the latter half of the 14 century in the Bohemian town of Husinec. Scholars believe that his name has been derived from the name of this town; otherwise little is known about his early life. Founder of Hussitism, he is considered a key figure in ...
Where was John Huss born?
Childhood & Early Life. John Huss was born sometime around 1369 in Husinec, a town in the South Bohemian Region of the Czech Republic, then under the Kingdom of Bohemia. Most researchers describe his parents as poor peasants, but no other detail is available about his family background.
Where did Huss preach?
Preaching in Bethlehem Chapel, ignited in Huss an interest in religion and for the first time he began to study the Bible in earnest. Slowly, he realized the importance of imbibing the teachings of the Bible in life. Very soon, he became a well-respected preacher.
Where did Huss go to school?
According to available information, Huss began his education at Husinec, later going to the neighboring town of Prachaticz to complete his schooling. Thereafter, he moved to the imperial city of Prague, where he supported himself by singing. Concurrently, he began serving in various churches.
Did Huss agree with Wycliffe's order?
Huss obeyed the order, de claring that he did not agree with many of Wycliffe’s points, condemning the error in them. The act helped him to retain the king’s support. Other than that he had very few friends.
Where is the Jan Hus Memorial?
Today, he is remembered as a martyr, whose life and teachings led to the transformation of the church. The Jan Hus Memorial, located at the Prague Old Town Square as well as other smaller memorials and statues located in many towns across the world, continue to carry his legacy to this day.
Who controlled the academic atmosphere in Bohemia?
There was not only a conflict between the rival popes, Gregory XII and Benedict XIII, but the academic atmosphere in Bohemia was mostly controlled by the Germans, which was not to the liking of Bohemian scholars.

Overview
Jan Hus , sometimes anglicized as John Hus or John Huss, and referred to in historical texts as Iohannes Hus or Johannes Huss, was a Czech theologian and philosopher who became a Church reformer and the inspiration of Hussitism, a key predecessor to Protestantism, and a seminal figure in the Bohemian Reformation. Hus is considered by some to be the first Church reformer, even …
Early life
The exact date of Hus's birth is disputed. Some claim he was born around 1369, while others claim he was born between 1373 and 1375. Though older sources state the latter, more contemporary research states that 1372 is more likely. The belief that he was born on 6 July, also his death day, has no factual basis. Hus was born in Husinec, southern Bohemia, to peasant parents. It is well known that Hus took his name from the village where he lived (Husinec). The r…
Career
Hus began teaching at the university of Prague in 1398 and in 1399, he first publicly defended propositions of Wycliffe. In 1401, his students and faculty promoted him to dean of the philosophical department, and a year later, he became a rector of the University of Prague. He was appointed a preacher at the Bethlehem Chapel in 1402. Hus was a strong advocate for the Czechs and the
Execution
At the place of execution, he knelt down, spread out his hands and prayed aloud. The executioner undressed Hus and tied his hands behind his back with ropes. His neck was bound with a chain to a stake around which wood and straw had been piled up so that it covered him to the neck. At the last moment, the imperial marshal, von Pappenheim, in the presence of the Count Palatine, aske…
Aftermath
Responding with horror to the execution of Hus, the people of Bohemia moved even more rapidly away from Papal teachings. Rome then pronounced a crusade against them (1 March 1420): Pope Martin V issued a Papal bull authorizing the execution of all supporters of Hus and Wycliffe. King Wenceslaus IV died in August 1419 and his brother, Sigismund of Hungary, was unable to establish a …
Legacy
A century after the Hussite Wars began, as many as 90% of inhabitants of the Czech lands were Hussites (although in the Utraquist tradition following a joint Utraquist—Catholic victory in the Hussite Wars). Bohemia was the site of one of the most significant pre-reformation movements, and there are still Protestant adherents remaining in modern times; though they no longer comprise the maj…
In popular culture
Hus appears in the Mezi proudy trilogy by writer Alois Jirásek.
Jan Hus is a major character of the "Hussite Revolutionary Trilogy" directed by Otakar Vávra. He is played by Zdeněk Štěpánek in the 1954 film Jan Hus
Jan Hus is played by Rod Colbin in the 1977 American film John Hus.
Jan Hus is a major character in the stage play České nebe.
Famous followers of Jan Hus
• Jerome of Prague, Hus's friend and devoted follower shared his fate and on 30 May 1416 was also burned at Konstanz
• Jan Kardinál z Rejnštejna (1375–1428) (German: Johannes Cardinalis von Bergreichenstein)
• Jan Žižka z Trocnova a Kalicha (c. 1360–1424), Czech general and Hussite leader