The Early Reformers

PRPC Adult Sunday School, Fall 2009

Pre-Reformers?

• Traditional Historical Narrative– Early Church: Good– Medieval Church: Bad,

Dark– Pre-Reformers:

Morningstar– Luther: Dawn

• Is this right?– Is anyone who exhibits

“reformed tendencies” in the Middle Ages then a Pre-Reformer?

Semper reformanda

• Always being reformed• The church always

needed some reform (still does!)

• The church had mechanisms in place to effect that reform– Local bishops and leaders– Gregory VII– Innocent III– Canon Law– Papal Power

Corruption of Leadership

• What happens when the structures which are in place to reform have themselves become corrupt and recalcitrant?

• Papacy• Pope

• Curia (Court of Rome)

• Cardinals

– Investiture– Councils– Laws– Adjudication

Voices for Reform

• Many Voices Calling for Reform

• Who will hear these voices?– Pope? Bishop?

• They tried

– Council?• They tried

– Kings/Princes?• Yes.

Kings, Queens, and Princes

• So the stage is set. Kings and Princes and their local, non-Prelate church leaders would have to serve as the leaders of the Reform, at a great risk to themselves because of their opposition to the powers-that-be– Wycliffe/Edward Wales, John

of Gaunt– Hus/Vaclav – Luther/Frederick III– Cranmer/Henry VIII– Bucer/von Sickingen– Calvin/Francis?, Genevan City

Council– Knox/Lairds

Wycliffe and Hus

• Story of two local reformers who tried to make their voices heard– Anti-Papacy– Pro-Scripture– Early Church

emphasis– Local over Roman

John Wycliffe – 1330-84• Oxford Theologian and Pastor

– Robert Grosseteste – 1170-1253

• Bishop of Lincoln• Oxford Theologian

– Bonaventure – 1221-74• Paris Theologian• Cardinal Bishop of Albano• Minister General OFM

• These types were able to be bishops at this time– RG Clashed w/pope over local

appointments– RG believed Pope was the

problem with the church– Emphasis on pastoral care

• Training parish pastors

Local Royal Support

• By Wycliffe’s time men of his mindset were no longer able to be bishops– Challenge Papacy– Local Emphasis

• So he needed support from local rulers– Edward Wales– John of Gaunt

• These local powers protected Wycliffe and allowed him to preach his message of reform

Wycliffe’s Reform Agenda

• Royal Authority over the local church

• Common Language• Scripture• Parish Education

– Chaucer connection

• Eucharist• Philosophical Realism

14th Century Prague

• Czech Nationalism• Charles IV HRE• Prague Reform

• Patron: Charles

– Preaching– Liturgy– Bible Translation– Utraquism– Frequent Communion– Paedocommunion– Morals

Jan Hus – c1370-1415

• Luther to the Czechs• Educated in Prague

– Heir to the Prague Reform

– Deeply influenced by Wycliffe

• University Theologian and Pastor– Rector of Prague U.– Pastor of Bethlehem

Chapel

Bethlehem Chapel

• Founded by patrons of the Prague Reform

• Obtained a special charter from the Church– Allowed preaching in

vernacular on a regular basis

Bethlehem Chapel

• Founded by patrons of the Prague Reform

• Obtained a special charter from the Church– Allowed preaching in

vernacular on a regular basis

– In Hus’ time served like a regular Parish Church with full vernacular liturgy and Eucharist

Bethlehem Chapel

• Founded by patrons of the Prague Reform

• Obtained a special charter from the Church– Allowed preaching in

vernacular on a regular basis– In Hus’ time served like a

regular Parish Church with full vernacular liturgy and Eucharist

– Largest Chapel in all of Europe

• Like PRPC in many ways– Example of the kind of local

church I’ve been talking about

Hus’ Theology

• Against the abuses of church leadership– Papacy– Bishops

• Utraquism• Vernacular Liturgy• Preaching• Frequent Communion• Training young pastors• Love of Czech people• Pastor’s heart

The Murder of the Prophets:The Devil’s Council

• Council of Constance (1414-1418)• Met to solve the Great Western

Schism• Also on the agenda was to deal

with the voices of reform• Hus was called to the council,

promised safe conduct– It was a lie

• Immediately arrested upon arrival• Tried at a kangaroo court

– Though Hus had support from Czech Nobles, his King, Vaclav, was a degenerate

• Condemned falsely. Burned at the stake

– July 6, 1415• Wycliffe was condemned

posthumously, exhumed and burned in Britain

Hus’ Impact• Hussites

– Nearly won freedom from Church/Empire

– Poland, Bohemia, and Moravia

• Reformers– Looked to Hus as a hero

and example– Much of the life of Hus is

repeated in Luther

• Cirkev Bratska• Vatican II • His Martyr Blood