Reformation Series: Jan Hus

Christ as Head of the Church, Conscience and Truth

Introduction

Good morning! Winter has arrived, and I hope you are all staying healthy and well as the cold weather sets in. Today marks the final Sunday in our Reformation sermon series. Next Sunday, Thanksgiving Sunday, we will welcome Lauren Rogers as our guest speaker, sharing on the topic “Becoming a Matthew 25 Church.” Following the service next Sunday, we’ll gather in the fellowship hall for our Harvest Dinner. As always, the church will provide bacon-wrapped turkeys and drinks. If you’d like to contribute a dish, there’s a sign-up sheet at the back of the sanctuary. However, even if you don’t sign up, you’re welcome to bring any dish you’d like to share.

Looking ahead, Advent begins on Sunday, December 1st. As announced in the newsletter, this year’s Advent services will feature monologues from the major characters of the Nativity story. Additionally, there’s another sign-up opportunity for the Advent Candle Lighting, and the sign-up sheet is located at the back of the sanctuary next to the one for the Harvest Dinner.

Introducing Jan Hus

Today, as I mentioned earlier, we conclude our Reformation sermon series. To do so, let us journey back in time about a hundred years before Martin Luther to meet a reformer whose life and sacrifice laid a cornerstone for the movements that would ultimately transform both the Church and society: Jan Hus. Although he lived nearly a century before Luther, Jan Hus’s teachings, courage, and convictions echoed through history, inspiring the reformers who followed. A man of unwavering faith, Hus was a Bohemian priest and scholar deeply committed to challenging corruption within the Church and calling for a return to the principles of the Gospel. His legacy is a powerful reminder of the transformative impact of standing for truth, even in the face of overwhelming opposition.

Early Life

The exact date of Jan Hus’s birth is disputed, but contemporary research suggests that 1372 is the most likely year. He was born in southern Bohemia to peasant parents and took his name from the village where he grew up, Husinec. The reason he chose to take the name of his village rather than his father’s name remains unclear. Some speculate that he may not have known his father. Interestingly, the name “Hus” means “goose” in Bohemian (now Czech). Beyond this, little is known about his very early life or his family. Around the age of 10, Hus was sent to a monastery for reasons that remain uncertain. His aptitude for studies quickly impressed his teachers, who recommended that he move to Prague, one of the largest cities in Bohemia at the time. In Prague, Hus supported himself by securing employment, which allowed him to meet his basic needs and gain access to the city’s library. In 1390, he was admitted to the University of Prague. Three years later, he earned a Bachelor of Arts degree, followed by a Master’s degree in 1396. The university, known for its strongly anti-papal sentiment among many of its professors, likely shaped Hus’s theological perspectives and future work. During his studies, Hus also worked as a choir boy to supplement his income. So the moral of today’s sermon is to join the choir.

Career

Jan Hus began teaching at the University of Prague in 1398, quickly distinguishing himself as a scholar dedicated to reform. By 1400, he was ordained as a priest and soon after became dean of the university’s philosophical department, eventually serving as rector. In 1402, Hus assumed the role of preacher at Bethlehem Chapel, where he delivered sermons in Czech, making his message accessible to the common people.

Hus was profoundly influenced by the teachings of John Wycliffe and openly criticised the corruption within the Church, particularly the moral failings of clergy, bishops, and even the papacy. He vehemently condemned the sale of indulgences, asserting that forgiveness of sins came through genuine repentance, not financial transactions. As his influence grew, so did tensions with Church authorities. By 1408, Pope Gregory XII demanded that Hus and his followers submit to Church authority, including the confiscation of Wycliffe’s works. However, Hus refused to comply. In 1410, he was excommunicated for his continued defiance. When Pope John XXIII authorised the sale of indulgences to finance a crusade, Hus spoke out against the practice, declaring that forgiveness could not be bought. This bold stance deepened his conflict with both the university and the Church.

In 1412, tensions escalated when three of Hus’s followers were executed for criticising indulgences, igniting public outrage and elevating them as martyrs for reform. King Wenceslaus IV attempted to mediate, but Church leaders demanded Hus’s unconditional obedience. Hus, however, argued that true obedience belonged to Christ alone, not to any earthly authority. By appealing directly to Christ as the supreme judge, Hus bypassed the authority of the Church entirely—a daring act comparable to Martin Luther’s Ninety-Five Theses more than a century later.

Exiled from Prague, Hus continued his ministry in the countryside, writing extensively in Czech to reach the common people—a highly unconventional and controversial choice at the time, as Latin was the scholarly and ecclesiastical standard. For perspective, even John Calvin’s Institutes of the Christian Religion, written 123 years later, was originally composed in Latin. In his treatise De Ecclesia, Hus argued that the true Church consisted of all believers, not just the clergy, and that its authority must align with Christ’s teachings. These writings spread throughout Bohemia and beyond, inspiring a growing movement that challenged the Church’s dominance. Hus’s bold ideas and unwavering commitment to reform laid the foundation for later reformers, including Martin Luther, and left an enduring legacy on the Christian faith.

Council of Constance

In 1414, Sigismund of Hungary, King of the Romans and heir to the Bohemian crown, convened the Council of Constance to resolve the papal schism and address Church reform. Jan Hus agreed to attend, trusting in Sigismund’s assurance of safe conduct. Before departing, Hus prepared his will and arrived in Constance in early November. Initially free, he continued preaching. However, false rumours of his intent to flee led to his arrest on November 28th. Despite Sigismund’s outrage at the violation of his promise, Church officials convinced him that heretics could not be granted protection. Hus was imprisoned under harsh conditions and denied legal representation for his defence.

Hus’s trial began in June 1415. The council presented excerpts from his writings, accusing him of heresy. Hus maintained that he would recant only if his alleged errors were proven through Scripture. Sigismund urged him to submit to the council’s mercy, but Hus resolutely refused. At his final trial on June 8th, he was confronted with statements from his works that challenged Church authority and was pressured to renounce teachings he insisted he had never espoused. Hus remained steadfast, declaring he would revoke nothing he believed to be true. Up to this point, Hus’s situation bore remarkable similarities to that of Martin Luther. However, unlike Luther, who found protection under a powerful prince, Hus lived a century earlier, when the Church wielded unchallenged authority. Secular rulers did not dare to defy it openly. On July 6th, 1415, Hus was formally condemned in a solemn assembly. After a sermon denouncing heresy, his teachings were declared heretical, and he was stripped of his priesthood. Offered one final chance to recant, Hus refused and was sentenced to death. He was led to the stake wearing a paper hat inscribed “Haeresiarcha” (leader of a heretical movement).

Before his execution, Hus is said to have declared, “You may kill a weak goose, but more powerful birds—eagles and falcons—will come after me.” Martin Luther later modified and adapted this statement, claiming that Hus had prophesied, “They may have roasted a goose, but in a hundred years, a swan will sing to whom they will be forced to listen.” This allusion to Luther as the “swan” gained traction in later years. In 1546, Johannes Bugenhagen echoed this sentiment in Luther’s funeral sermon, and in 1566, Johannes Mathesius, Luther’s biographer, presented it as evidence of Luther’s divine calling.

At the stake, Jan Hus prayed aloud, refusing yet another offer to recant. Bound and surrounded by flames, he died, steadfast in his faith. To prevent any veneration of his remains, his ashes were scattered into the Rhine River. Today, the city of Konstanz in Germany houses a Jan Hus museum, and visitors can still see the site of his execution, a solemn reminder of his sacrifice and enduring legacy.

Jan Hus and Czech Language

Last Sunday, we discussed how Martin Luther’s translation of the Bible into German profoundly shaped the modern German language. Similarly, Jan Hus played a pivotal role in shaping the modern Czech language through his commitment to making religious teachings accessible to ordinary people. At the time, the Catholic Church strictly prohibited the use of local languages in the liturgy—including prayers and sermons—until as recently as 1965. To illustrate, imagine if I preached in Korean, and all our prayers and hymns were also in Korean. How would you understand? This was the reality for ordinary people in Jan Hus’s time—they could not comprehend the prayers they recited or the sermons they heard. Hus believed this was unjust, so he championed the use of Czech in sermons rather than Latin, which was illegal but enabling people to understand and connect with religious teachings.

Hus’s contributions extended beyond preaching. He developed a phonetic system for writing Czech, introducing diacritical marks such as the háček (ˇ). This system transformed the language, making it easier to read and write. His innovations laid the groundwork for a more standardised Czech language, enhancing literacy and fostering a stronger sense of national identity among the Czech people. Jan Hus’s efforts not only advanced theological reform but also left a profound cultural legacy. His work shaped the Czech language, making it a tool for communication, education, and identity, and his influence endures in Czech culture even to this very day.

Faith and Hope

Jan Hus stands as a profound example of unwavering faith and steadfast commitment to the Gospel—a man who clung to the truth even unto death. His devotion to Christ was so deep that he chose the flames over compromising his beliefs or betraying his conscience. In the face of condemnation, imprisonment, and relentless pressure to recant, Hus remained resolute, anchored by a conviction that transcended personal survival. As he stood at the stake, he did not despair but held fast to a hope that would outlive him: a vision that another reformer would rise to carry forward the work he began, a voice of truth that would resonate across Europe.

Hus’s faith was not in his own strength, but in the power of God to continue His work through others. He reportedly declared, “You may kill a weak goose, but stronger birds—eagles and falcons—will come after me.” These prophetic words reflected his deep hope and trust in God’s eternal plan for His Church—a plan no earthly power could thwart. The martyrdom of Jan Hus became a seed of transformation, planted in faith and watered with hope, destined to bear fruit in a reformed Church. Just as he believed and hoped, the religious and political landscape shifted dramatically within a century, paving the way for reformers such as Martin Luther, John Calvin, John Knox, and many others to emerge. His courage and vision remind us that even when we cannot see the fulfilment of our work, God is faithful to bring it to completion in ways beyond our imagining.

Conclusion

In the life and death of Jan Hus, we witness the power of unwavering faith and the resilience of hope, even in the darkest of times. Hus faced what seemed like a hopeless situation—condemned by the very institution he longed to reform. Yet, even as he walked through what must have felt like an endless, dark tunnel, he never lost hope. He trusted that God’s truth would prevail, even if he could not witness the outcome himself. He believed that God would raise up others to carry the torch he had lit, spreading the light of the Gospel across the world.

In his example, we find encouragement to hold fast to hope, no matter how bleak our circumstances may seem. When we are surrounded by uncertainty, fear, or defeat, let us remember that God is always at work, even in the shadows. We may not always see the way forward, but God walks with us, faithfully guiding His purposes to completion.

Friends, as we go forward, let us carry the spirit of Jan Hus—steadfast in faith, unyielding in truth, and filled with hope. Let us trust that, even when the light seems dim, it will grow, for God’s plan is never thwarted. And let us walk boldly through any dark tunnel, confident that God will lead us through and that the light of Christ will always shine, illuminating our path and giving us strength to move forward. Amen.