“God is my witness that I have never taught that of which I have been accused by false witnesses. In the truth of the Gospel which I have written, taught, and preached I will die today with gladness,” so said Jan Hus July 6, 1415 on the occasion of his execution. Jan Hus was born in the year 1373, in southern Bohemia. In 1390 he began attending the University of Prague where he obtained his BA and MA, in which he ranked sixth of twenty-two. His literary mentor was John Wycliffe, whose teaching was transplanted from England with the marriage of Bohemia’s Princess Anne to King Richard II of England. In 1396, Hus began to teach at the university and in 1402, he was received priestly ordination, and was appointed the rector and preacher of Bethlehem Chapel, a church in central Prague.
The plague of politics confronted Hus, in his attempts to support truth. He lived during the time of the three popes, which were in a constant struggle for control of the church. King Wenceslas, the Czech University and Jan Hus supported Gregory XII, but unfortunately he was deposed, and Alexander V gained the papal office and Gregory was deposed in 1409. The following year in 1410, the declaration came in the form of Papal Bull, which ordered all Wycliffe, books and documents to be destroyed. The Archbishop of Prague (Zbynek) achieved a prohibition of preaching in Prague, from Alexander V. This greatly upset Hus, who kept preaching in Bethlehem Chapel.
The King of Bohemia, was greatly angered with the German interference within his ecclesiastical province and decreased their voting power at the university. Hus began to seek for reconciliation for the church in Bohemia and sought equal rights in regard to ecclesiastical rights and privileges (a Wycliffe teaching). The theological faculty in Prague, urged Hus to yield his views of repentance and equality with God, for the sake of peace, but Hus replied “even if I should stand before the stake which has been prepared for me, I will never accept the recommendation of the theological faculty.”
In 1411, the Pope John XXIII issued a call for an increase in the sale of indulgences and also issued a crusading bull against King Ladislas of Naples who was protecting Pope Alexander V. Jon Hus spoke out against this and encouraged everyone to find peaceful means of reconciliation, instead of shedding blood, and also condemned the pope for raising an army to fight other Christians. For this transgression on the behalf of Hus, he was excommunicated by Cardinal Peter degli Stephaneschi. The city of Prague was also put under an edict because of his presence, and Hus therefore fled into exile. Hus found residence in south Bohemia, were he proceeded to do much of his writing, such as Exposition of Faith and Exposition of the Lord’s Prayer.
The Holy Roman Emperor, Sigismund, called a council at Constance on November 1, 1414, to try to reconcile Hus with the Church. He was promised a safe conduct both ways, even if the charges against him were not dropped. Popr John XXIII, presided over the council at first, but was later deposed. Hus was then seized by the Archbishop and imprisoned, in complete disregard of the safe conduct. On June 5, 1415, he was tried for the first time, and he publicly announced that he would willingly recant, if errors in his doctrine could be produced. He was instructed by King Wenceslas, encouraged Hus to bring himself to the mercy of the council, which Hus did. The council asked him to confess: that he had erred in the theses which he had maintained; that he renounced them for the future; that he recant them and that he declare the opposite of these sentences. Hus refused to do this, declaring that he had never taught what he was being charged with. He continued to only ask for the council to show him from the scriptures where he had erred.
Jan Hus’ condemnation took place on July 6, 1415. Hus prayed in his trial: “O God and Lord, now the council condemns even thine own act and thine own law as heresy, since thou thyself didst lay thy cause before thy Father as the judge, as an example for us, whenever we are sorely oppressed.” Hus repeated over and over, that he only desired for them to show him from scripture where he had erred, but he was forced to be silent. Hus fell upon his knees and asked God with a low voice to forgive his enemies.
He was then robed in priestly robes and then asked again to recant, which he refused. His ornaments were taken from him and a high hat, which marked him as a heretic was placed upon his head. He was then led to the place of execution were he was entreated again to recant, which he again refused. He was stripped of his clothes in public humiliation, much like his Saviour and was tied to a stake and covered up to his neck in hay, wood, and manuscripts of John Wycliffe were added to the pile.
He was asked one final time to recant, but he refused again stating clearly “God is my witness that I have never taught that of which I have been accused by false witnesses. In the truth of the Gospel which I have written, taught, and preached I will die today with gladness.” As the wood was kindled and the flames began to rise, Hus sang a hymn “Son of God have mercy on me.” Then as the smoke began to overcome him he cried out one final word of prophesy “In one hundred years, God will raise up a man whose calls for reform cannot and won’t be suppressed.”
Jan Hus ashes were scattered into the depths of the Rhine River. His life was ended but truth of his message lived on. In almost exactly one hundred years later, an Augustinian monk, Martin Luther, nailed his 95 Theses to the Church door, final bring justice to the Roman Catholic Church, in the spirit of the many men of the faith that had died, for daring to confess the truths of Scripture. On December 18, 1999, Pope John Paul II apologized for the execution of Jan Hus, but refused to pardon him, despite having adopted much of his then controversial teaching.
Jan Hus fought a good fight, he finished the course, he kept the faith: henceforth there is laid up for him a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give him at that day: and not only to him, but also unto all them that love his appearing (2 Timothy 4:7-8).
