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MTW Czech Republic |
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CZECH CHURCH HISTORY Hus was burned in 1415. Jeronym (of Prague) was burned in 1416. Other Reformers at the time of Hus: The reform program of the Hussites was formulated in the "Four Prague Articles" of 1420. One of the main issues of the reformation was allowing everyone to partake of the wine in communion. Wine was first administered to all people in 1414 in the Church of St. Martin-in-the-Wall (by Tesco). The chalice became the symbol of the Hussite Reformation. Around this time almost all of the Czech nation adhered to Hussite ideas. The Taborites and Bohemians Orebites were more conservative. The moderate Calixtin or Ultraquists joined with the Catholics in defeating the Taborites and Orebites in the battle of Lipany on May 30, 1434. The Ultraquists signed a peace agreement with King Sigismund (from Luxemburg dynasty). Pacts were also signed with following Kings granting limited freedom and self-government. The Hussite controlled "Diet" later elected Jiři from Podebrady. The victorious Ultraquists were too liberal for many Hussites, so another group was formed in 1457 in Kunvald (see above)--Jednota bratrska (Unitas Fratrum or United Brethren). This group was especially influenced by the writings of Peter of Chelčice and was conservative, but not militant. It was the first denomination formed independent of the Roman Catholic Church. By the end of the 1500's the three main protestant groups in Bohemia were: The pro-Roman Catholic rulers were bringing in Jesuits and started a counter reformation. The Catholic Austrian Hapsburg Rulers began to reign in 1526. In order to resist more firmly the growing Catholic pressure, the Protestants loosely united and wrote the Bohemian Confession (or Czech Confession) in 1575. In 1621 when the Hussites were defeated at White Mountain, all Protestants were forced to leave. The most famous representative of the Jednota bratrska (Free Brethren) was Jan Amos Komensky who went into exile also. The serfs, or extremely poor, who could not go into exile, were forced to become Catholic, but many went "underground." For 160 years (1621 until the Edit of Toleration in 1781) there was literally NO religious freedom. Secret, faithful Protestants gathered illegally together for secret worship in remote places in the forests, rocks and caves. Secret Protestants kept their Bibles and religious books hidden in different places to save them from the searching Jesuits and soldiers. New religious books were later printed in Germany and smuggled into Bohemia and Moravia. When Charles VI -Hapsburg King (1711-1740) tried to secure the throne for his daughter Maria Theresa, many nations were, at first, reluctant to accept a woman ruler. The idea of an independent Bohemia was temporarily revived. To gain support from the Catholic hierarchy for Maria Theresa to succeed him, Charles begin a new, harsher wave of religious persecution. Czech "heretic" books were burned. The Jesuit Koniaš was especially proud of the fact that he burned 60,000 books all by himself. Obstinate heretics were sent to toil (often till their death) in the salt mines of Transylvania or in Hungarian fortresses. Those who did not want to succumb found their way high up into the mountains or over the frontiers. It was in 1722 that so many Moravians (descendants of the Jednota bratrska) escaped at night into neighboring Germany (an area of Germany called Lusatia near the Czech and Polish border where Slavic was spoken) where Count Zinzendof granted them refuge on his estate. Their community came to be called "Herrnhut." Herrnhut became a printing center where Czech books were published and smuggled back into Bohemia. This group is called the Moravian Brethren although the denomination they formed in 1727 was called "Renewed Church of the Unity of the Brethren." They sent out many missionaries to many parts of the world.. Emperor Joseph II, influenced by the new tolerant ideas of the Enlightenment, decreed the "Edict of Toleration" on October 13, 1781. It gave, in fact, only a certain measure of toleration to the remaining Protestant "Underground." The old Czech Hussite churches were not allowed. The Edict only allowed for Lutheran Churches (with the Augsburg Confession), and Reformed Churches (Calvinists, with the 2nd Helvetic Confession) because it was these churches which were officially recognized by the "Roman Empire of the German Nation." The application for establishing these churches and for registering as either a Lutheran or Calvinist was not without difficulties (I suppose everyone had to register their religion). The Letter of Tolerance was not officially advertised in many part of the Czech land, therefore many people did not know about it. The possibility to be registered as either Lutheran or Calvinist was made even more difficult after 1783. That is why the areas with these new evangelical (or Protestant) congregations were relatively small. They originated in eastern Moravia, in the region along the river Labe where information about the Letter of Toleration was received in time. The Edict allowed them to establish congregations with simple buildings called "Toleration Churches,." and with preachers, and also schools and teachers, but only in places where at least 100 families or 500 "souls" could be registered as practicing the tolerated confession. The new congregations were supervised by the Roman Catholic priests and no missionary Protestant activities were allowed. The newly registered members had to submit to special "religious schooling" by the local Catholic priest. In spite of many difficult obstacles, the number of the protestant parishes grew rapidly. About 78,000 secret Protestants were registered officially during only the first five years of the "Toleration." Of them, 59,000 applied for the Reformed, Calvinistic Church, and 19,000 for the Lutheran. In 1787, 53 from 76 new parishes already had their own church schools. All new Protestant congregations greatly benefited by the voluntary service of Reformed ministers from Hungary, and Lutheran pastors from Slovakia, who, in spite of great poverty and many other difficulties, came and supported their Czech brethren in the faith. Greater religious freedom was granted in 1861 (an additional 80 years later--making it a total of 240 years without real religious freedom). Franz Joseph I from Austria issued the "Protestant Patent" on April 8, 1861. Now, all protestant churches were allowed. It was after this time that missionaries began to come to the Czech lands (much like we did after Communism fell and missionaries were again allowed). The Moravian Brethren started a church back in their "homeland." (The Moravian Brethren had spread throughout the world.) Baptists founded the Baptist Brethren Church, and Methodists the Methodist Church. A church from Boston sent missionaries, who, joining with believing Czechs, founded the "Free Reformed Church" (Svobodna cirkev reformovana) in 1880-- later to become "Cirkev bratrska." (Church of the Brethren). Brethren Church or Cirkev bratrska: 1880 - 1920: The beginning of this church goes back to the years 1870-80. In the north Bohemian town of Nachod, the Free Scottish Church from neighboring Prussia began a work, and founded the first Free Evangelical Czech Church there. Back in Prague, missionaries from Boston help established the Svobodna církev reformovana (Free Reformed Church) in 1880. The two churches joined and took the name of the church in Prague--Free Reformed Church or Svobodna cirkev reformovana. Edwin Adams* and Albert Clark* were the missionaries from Boston. Alois Adlof was a leading figure in the early church. (Period of around 40 years) 1920 - 1960: In 1919 after the establishment of Czechoslovakia, the official name of the church was changed to reflect what many felt were the true roots of the denomination (coming from the Jednota bratrska founded in 1457)--Jednota českobratrska (United Czech Brethren). Missionary activity saw churches established in Slovak and Poland, therefore the "Czech" part of the name no longer truly reflected the denomination. In 1958 the name was again officially changed to what we know it as today--Cirkev bratrska. (Church of the Brethren). (Period of around 40 years) 1958 - Present: Church of Brethren (Cirkev bratrska) continues in Czech Republic
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Send Email to Hans Deutschmann at
hdeutschmann@mtwczech.org for information about the team or serving.
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