For Hus Truth Was Supreme

April 24, 2007

John Hus (1369-1415)

Hus, the Czech reformer, came from peasant parents in southern Bohemia, a small town called Husinetz. Hus took to John Wyclif’s views of the church as an elect company with Christ, not the pope, its true head. Bethleham Chapel near the university gave Hus an unrivaled opportunity to circulate Wyclif’s teaching including his criticisms of the abuses of the power in the papacy. On the walls were paintings contrasting the behavior of the popes and Christ. The pope rode a horse; Christ walked barefoot. Jesus washed the disciples’ feet; the pope preferred to have his kissed.

The Archbishop of Prague grew restless and complained to the pope about Hus. Root out the heresy, replied the pope. Hus agreed to attend the Council of Constance and appear before a council. He had hopes of presenting his views to the assembled authorities, but upon his arrival he found himself instead a victim of the Inquisition. Hus must recant or be burned. You can quess what happened. Hus was condemned for ‘heresies’ he never taught.

Hus was willing to yield himself to the teaching of the church, when instructed by Scripture in what way his teaching was wrong. For Hus truth was supreme:

I have said that I would not, for a chapel full of gold, recede from the truth. I know that the truth stands and is mighty for ever, and abides eternally, with whom there is no respect of persons.

Finally, 6 July 1415, the day for his burning came. Said Hus: “God is my witness that the evidence against me is false. I have never thought nor preached except with one intention of winning men, if possible, from their sins. In the the truth of the gospel I have written, taught, and preached;

today I will gladly die.

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