Transcript The Reformation

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
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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
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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, nonPrelate 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-thatbe
– 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 – 11701253
• 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
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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
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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
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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
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Immediately arrested upon arrival
Tried at a kangaroo court
– Though Hus had support from
Czech Nobles, his King, Vaclav,
was a degenerate
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Condemned falsely. Burned at the
stake
– July 6, 1415
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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