The Religious Attitudes of Radical Hussitism

The article investigates the religiousness of radical followers of the Hussite movement at its early, revolutionary stage (the early 1420’s). It therefore treats about Taborites active in provincial Czechia, and adherents to a party created around Jan Želivský, a Prague-based preacher and people’s tribune.

The whole Hussite movement centered on a fundamental return to Christian basics: Scripture (with emphasis on the New Testament) and the Eucharist. While mainstream Hussites recognized the primacy of Scripture in matters of faith, to Taborites this authority was sole and exclusive (they effectively rejected the entire church tradition). Radical Hussites enthusiastically believed in a true understanding of the gospels which was denied to unworthy priests of the Roman Church. This belief imposed on them a duty of universal preaching the Word of God and legitimized armed struggle for realization of „God’s truth” (i.e., Hussite faith).

Receiving Communion in two forms by laymen (with radicals, even by little children) was seen as a supreme ideal, a necessary condition for salvation. The Hussite „Chalice” was a symbol to fight and die for.

Hussites thought of themselves as belonging to the elect, a community of the best Christians who, once the Antichrist was defeated, would restore sinful humanity and establish a new church. Even during the Czech civil war, Taborites concentrated their religious program on forcefully propagated Chiliastic prophecies based chiefly on the Apocalypse and Old Testament prophetic writings. The prophecies, which made a deep impression in provincial Czechia, centered on the faith in Christ actually descending onto Czech soil, but not before apocalyptic disasters and destruction of all the unrighteous. Once that was done, a blessed era of God’ Millenarian Kingdom would embrace the earth.

The religious doctrine of radical Hussitism rejected all that did not directly relate to the worship of One God. Cult of St. Mary was rejected (with some moderation), that of other saints categorically renounced, as of persons elevated by men. Nor did Taborites accept the cult of Hussite martyrs, Jan Hus and Jerome of Prague, both burned at the stake in Constance, which was promoted by moderate Prague Hussites called Utraquists. Further, they violently condemned, to the point of destruction, any worship of religious-related paintings and statues.

Taborites’ extremely simplifi ed liturgy, celebrated by a non-chasubled priests with a congregation, was reduced to a joint saying of Our Father, a blessing of bread and wine, and reception of Hussite communion.

The exemplary ethics of radical Hussite groups involved strict moral rigor. Of the Four Articles of Prague (the fundamental Hussitic principles), the fourth was introduced by Taborites and provided for punishment by civil authorities of all openly committed mortal sins. Indeed, in cities governed by Taborites, banned activities included crafts serving luxury, entertainment, dancing, profane singing, and sale of alcoholic beverages. 

The article investigates the religiousness of radical followers of the Hussite movement at its early, revolutionary stage (the early 1420’s). It therefore treats about Taborites active in provincial Czechia, and adherents to a party created around Jan Želivský, a Prague-based preacher and people’s tribune.

The whole Hussite movement centered on a fundamental return to Christian basics: Scripture (with emphasis on the New Testament) and the Eucharist. While mainstream Hussites recognized the primacy of Scripture in matters of faith, to Taborites this authority was sole and exclusive (they effectively rejected the entire church tradition). Radical Hussites enthusiastically believed in a true understanding of the gospels which was denied to unworthy priests of the Roman Church. This belief imposed on them a duty of universal preaching the Word of God and legitimized armed struggle for realization of „God’s truth” (i.e., Hussite faith).

Receiving Communion in two forms by laymen (with radicals, even by little children) was seen as a supreme ideal, a necessary condition for salvation. The Hussite „Chalice” was a symbol to fight and die for.

Hussites thought of themselves as belonging to the elect, a community of the best Christians who, once the Antichrist was defeated, would restore sinful humanity and establish a new church. Even during the Czech civil war, Taborites concentrated their religious program on forcefully propagated Chiliastic prophecies based chiefly on the Apocalypse and Old Testament prophetic writings. The prophecies, which made a deep impression in provincial Czechia, centered on the faith in Christ actually descending onto Czech soil, but not before apocalyptic disasters and destruction of all the unrighteous. Once that was done, a blessed era of God’ Millenarian Kingdom would embrace the earth.

The religious doctrine of radical Hussitism rejected all that did not directly relate to the worship of One God. Cult of St. Mary was rejected (with some moderation), that of other saints categorically renounced, as of persons elevated by men. Nor did Taborites accept the cult of Hussite martyrs, Jan Hus and Jerome of Prague, both burned at the stake in Constance, which was promoted by moderate Prague Hussites called Utraquists. Further, they violently condemned, to the point of destruction, any worship of religious-related paintings and statues.

Taborites’ extremely simplifi ed liturgy, celebrated by a non-chasubled priests with a congregation, was reduced to a joint saying of Our Father, a blessing of bread and wine, and reception of Hussite communion.

The exemplary ethics of radical Hussite groups involved strict moral rigor. Of the Four Articles of Prague (the fundamental Hussitic principles), the fourth was introduced by Taborites and provided for punishment by civil authorities of all openly committed mortal sins. Indeed, in cities governed by Taborites, banned activities included crafts serving luxury, entertainment, dancing, profane singing, and sale of alcoholic beverages.