Page 172 - Vinkler, Jonatan. 2021. »Češka gos«, Božji bojevniki, obstranci: češka »reformacija pred reformacijo« in njeni evropski ter slovenski konteksti, ideariji in imaginariji. Ljubljana: Pedagoški inštitut
P. 172
»češka gos«, božji bojevniki, obstranci
German-speaking region, either as independent books or as parts of larger
volumes, but in most cases such editions represented a considerable theo
logical sensation, which increasingly turned the attention of German theo
logians to theology and the defence of the small, persecuted, but independ
ent and persevering Czech Reformed Church. Luther’s direct contacts with
the Czech Brethren came about through the role of Jan Hus’s key text in
Luther’s historical appearance as a reformer. This was because Hus’s crown
ing work De Ecclesia became the handbook for all those in the German lands
who, after the Leipzig dispute between Luther and Eck (1519), took part in
the heated debates about papal authority and stood up against the worldly
power of the Holy Father; it became a real Noah’s ark of anti-papal argu
ments, which Luther as well as his fellow thinkers drew from Hus’s work.
Hus thus became an intellectual patron, a saint and protector, the leading
intellectual authority of critics of the dealings of the pope, the Roman Curia
and the Roman Church, and especially the predecessor of Martin Luther’s
similar kind of writings.
After Luther’s appearance – between reform and politics
After Luther’s appearance in 1517 the Czech Brethren were faced with sever
al important issues. They had to define their attitude towards the reformed
movement near at hand, in Saxony, which in the decade since its beginnings
had developed into a church with its own confession (1530). They had to tack
le the challenges of Lutheran theology, especially concerning their own con
sideration of justification. They needed to define afresh their own teaching
on the sacraments. And they had to determine over again the position of
the church in society and the position of the aristocracy and the intelligent
sia within itself. All these changes began to happen after the death of Bishop
Lukáš of Prague (1528). The Czech Brethren accepted Luther as the lead
ing religious teacher and officially turned away from the theological views
of Lukáš of Prague and his predecessors. In 1535 they first published their
own confession, in which the main emphasis on justification by faith shows
Luther’s influence. Moreover, they no longer recognized seven sacraments,
but only two (the Lord’s Supper and baptism). After 1543 the Church of Czech
Brethren also “returned to society” – it ceased to build the life of a secluded
Christian community on the fringe of society or even beyond it and its order.
From then on its members could be found in numerous professions where
previously they had not participated (due to the strong theological empha
sis on the importance of works, i.e. “the true Christian life” for salvation):
172
German-speaking region, either as independent books or as parts of larger
volumes, but in most cases such editions represented a considerable theo
logical sensation, which increasingly turned the attention of German theo
logians to theology and the defence of the small, persecuted, but independ
ent and persevering Czech Reformed Church. Luther’s direct contacts with
the Czech Brethren came about through the role of Jan Hus’s key text in
Luther’s historical appearance as a reformer. This was because Hus’s crown
ing work De Ecclesia became the handbook for all those in the German lands
who, after the Leipzig dispute between Luther and Eck (1519), took part in
the heated debates about papal authority and stood up against the worldly
power of the Holy Father; it became a real Noah’s ark of anti-papal argu
ments, which Luther as well as his fellow thinkers drew from Hus’s work.
Hus thus became an intellectual patron, a saint and protector, the leading
intellectual authority of critics of the dealings of the pope, the Roman Curia
and the Roman Church, and especially the predecessor of Martin Luther’s
similar kind of writings.
After Luther’s appearance – between reform and politics
After Luther’s appearance in 1517 the Czech Brethren were faced with sever
al important issues. They had to define their attitude towards the reformed
movement near at hand, in Saxony, which in the decade since its beginnings
had developed into a church with its own confession (1530). They had to tack
le the challenges of Lutheran theology, especially concerning their own con
sideration of justification. They needed to define afresh their own teaching
on the sacraments. And they had to determine over again the position of
the church in society and the position of the aristocracy and the intelligent
sia within itself. All these changes began to happen after the death of Bishop
Lukáš of Prague (1528). The Czech Brethren accepted Luther as the lead
ing religious teacher and officially turned away from the theological views
of Lukáš of Prague and his predecessors. In 1535 they first published their
own confession, in which the main emphasis on justification by faith shows
Luther’s influence. Moreover, they no longer recognized seven sacraments,
but only two (the Lord’s Supper and baptism). After 1543 the Church of Czech
Brethren also “returned to society” – it ceased to build the life of a secluded
Christian community on the fringe of society or even beyond it and its order.
From then on its members could be found in numerous professions where
previously they had not participated (due to the strong theological empha
sis on the importance of works, i.e. “the true Christian life” for salvation):
172
