Jan Hus (c. 1370-1415) was a Czech Reformation ideologue, leader of the national movement, theorist of church reform and Czech national hero. He is considered a martyr by the Evangelical Church in the Czech Republic and is commemorated on 6 July. He is considered the first reformer, although he lived more than a hundred years before the activities of Martin Luther, U. Zwingli and J. Calvin.
Despite papal disapproval, Hus preached and sang in Czech. He considered the Bible, not church decrees, to be the basis of his faith, and Jesus Christ, not the pope, to be the true head of the church. He acknowledged the idea of predestination and advocated for a radical reform of the Church, bringing it closer to all people by having services in their mother tongues, and distributing communion to clergy and laity in both bread and wine. He condemned the Church's wealth, the sale of indulgences, and simony. He advocated for the peaceful secularization of Church estates for state purposes, fiercely denounced exploitation, the dominance of German feudal lords and affluent citizens, and insisted that only those who obey God's laws can reign.
Hus' teachings had a significant impact not just on the Czechs, but also on Western Europe, Martin Luther, and even Lithuania. In Constance, Hus was accused of heresy. A church council requested that he renounce his views, but Huss resisted, declaring that he was willing to accept the consequences of his errors if they were verified by the Bible, and requesting more time to substantiate his beliefs. Nevertheless, Huss was sentenced to death. In 1415, he was burned alive at the stake and his ashes dumped into the Rhine River. This event gave rise to the Hussite movement.
Hus created a system of Czech orthography (De orthographia Bohemica, c. 1406-1412), the fundamentals of which have lasted to the present day. He authored and translated hymns, polemical letters, and fifteen books. His most important works include the Apostles' Creed, the Decalogue, and the Lord's Prayer.
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