Episode Details

In this episode of pplpod, we explore the life of Jan Hus, a Czech theologian and philosopher considered by many to be the very first Church reformer, anticipating the Protestant movement a full century before Martin Luther. From his pulpit at the Bethlehem Chapel in Prague, Hus openly denounced the moral failings of the clergy and the corrupt sale of indulgences, drawing deep inspiration from the writings of John Wycliffe.

We discuss how the Western Schism and political maneuvering led to Hus’s excommunication and his fateful decision to attend the Council of Constance under a promise of safe-conduct from King Sigismund—a promise that was ultimately broken. Listen in as we detail his imprisonment, his refusal to recant without scriptural proof, and his execution by burning on July 6, 1415. Finally, we examine his enduring legacy, from the prophecy that a "swan" would rise to replace the "goose" (Hus), to the violent Hussite Wars that followed his martyrdom.