My 101 Reasons for Leaving the Catholic Church:

John Hus: Burnt at the Stake

What is it ?

John Hus was born in Bohemia (now part of the Czech Republic), into a poor peasant family. He studied for the priesthood at Prague, becoming a professor of theology. He was ordained in 1400.

However, in 1401 he was deeply affected as he read several books by JOHN WYCLIFFE. The books were brought into the country from England by his friend, Jerome of Prague. Hus began preaching at the Bethlehem Chapel in Prague, incorporating his new beliefs into his sermons. He developed a large following of around 3,000 souls. Hus taught that the Church is the entire body of believers who are predestined for salvation. Christ, not the pope, is the head of this Church. He denied that obedience to the pope was necessary for salvation. He believed that all Christians should be able to read the Bible in their own language. And his sermons were often scathing in their condemnation of the corrupt Church hierarchy.

As a result of these teachings, Hus was excommunicated. To stem the growing popularity of his teaching, Bethlehem Chapel was ordered seized, and Hus was to be delivered over to the Archbishop for trial. Hus fled from Prague. Meanwhile his followers were even bolder as they continued in their struggle for the truth. Hus continued to preach as an itinerant preacher for several years.

Offered the opportunity to defend his teachings, Hus was granted a safe-conduct passage to the Council of Constance by the Emperor Sigismund. Ignoring the document, Hus was arrested at the council and imprisoned by the Archbishop of Constance. He spent 73 days in chains, his prison next to a sewer. Sick, he was transferred to a Franciscan monastery, where he awaited trial. At his trial, he refused to recant of his teachings unless his accusers could prove that they were contrary to the truth. He asked to be able to defend his teachings by reasoning from the Scriptures. The council ignored his requests.

On July 6, 1415, Hus and his writings were condemned. He was stripped of his priestly garments. A paper hat with the word "Arch-heretic" was placed on his head. He was brought out to be burned at the stake. Now bound, he was given one more chance to recant. Hus replied, "In the truth of the Gospel which I have written, taught, and preached I will die to-day with gladness." As the flames were ending his life, he sang out "Christ, thou Son of the living God, have mercy upon me." He died in the flames. His ashes were gathered and thrown into the nearby river.

Within a year, his compatriot Jerome of Prague was also condemned to death. But the followers of Hus had spread to other countries. Pope Martin V in 1429 ordered the King of Poland to exterminate the Hussites: "While there is still time, then, turn your forces against Bohemia; burn massacre, make deserts everywhere, for nothing could be more agreeable to God, or more useful to the cause of kings, than the extermination of the Hussites."

How did it come about ?

The office of the papacy was in a shambles at the time of Hus and Wycliffe. In 1305, by order of the French King, the headquarters of the papacy was moved to Avignon in France. It remained there for over seventy years. In 1376, Pope Gregory XI returned to Rome. After his death, the cardinals (the majority of whom were French) wanted to name a French successor. Under pressure from the people of Rome, they instead named an Italian, and fled the city. Later they elected a French pope, saying that the first election was void, being held under duress. Thus, for a while there were two competing Popes, and then three. To make matters worse, there was great immorality among the hierarchy of the Church.

With this background, Hus began his preaching against the evils of the papacy. This did not escape the notice of the Pope. He ordered the Archbishop of Prague to stop the spread of these teachings. The city was placed under an INTERDICT (they were excommunicated) until the heretical teachings were abandoned. The Archbishop of Hasenburg, still losing influence over the people, complained to the Holy See, accusing the "Wycliffites" of sedition and heresy. As a result, in 1409 the Pope issued a bull condemning the teachings of Wycliffe. All his writings were burned. But with the support of the government, Hus continued to preach undeterred.

In 1412, three rival popes were in a struggle for the papacy. Pope Gregory XII proclaimed the sale of indulgences to finance his war against Pope John XXIII. Hus, deeply offended that spiritual benefits were being sold for such a cause, wrote against the sale of indulgences. He also denounced the teaching that the Church had the right to take up the sword against her enemies, recommending instead that She pray for them. In 1414, in order to end the papal schism, John XXIII convened the Council of Constance. Unfortunately for John, the council deposed him, convicting him of piracy, murder, rape, sodomy and incest. The council also removed the other two popes, and elected Martin V.

Given the heinousness of his crimes, Pope John XXIII was given a three year sentence by the Council, after which he was released and restored to the office of cardinal. The Council was not so lenient with the heretic, John Hus.

Why it is wrong:

1) ...because of the hypocrisy of the Catholic Church, teaching the love of Christ on the one hand, while slaughtering Her opponents with the other;

2) ...because of the total disregard of the rules of law at the trial of Hus;

3) ...because of the gross immorality of the so-called Church during this period in history;

4) ...because of the audacity of believing that the Church had the ability to condemn an entire city to hell.

Warnings from Scripture:

Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you build the tombs of the prophets and adorn the monuments of the righteous, and say, "If we had been living in the days of our fathers, we would not have been with them in shedding the blood of the prophets." So you testify against yourselves, that you are sons of those who murdered the prophets. Fill up, then, the measure of the guilt of your fathers. You serpents, you brood of vipers, how will you escape the sentence of hell?
Mt. 23:29-33

Paul, looking intently at the Council, said, "Brethren, I have lived my life with a perfectly good conscience before God up to this day." The high priest Ananias commanded those standing beside him to strike him on the mouth. Then Paul said to him, "God is going to strike you, you whitewashed wall! Do you sit to try me according to the Law, and in violation of the Law order me to be struck?"
Acts 23:1-3

Blessed are those who wash their robes, so that they may have the right to the tree of life, and may enter the gates into the city. Outside are the dogs and the sorcerors and the immoral persons, and everyone who loves and practices lying. Rev. 22:16

For God did not send the Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world might be saved through Him. Who will bring a charge against God's elect? God is the one who justifies; who is the one who condemns? Jn. 3:17; Rom. 8:33-34