Petr Chelčický

Petr Chelčický ( German Peter von Cheltschitz ), Peter of Zahorka, (* 1390 in Chelčice at Vodňany likely, † 1460 in Chelčice ) was a Czech lay theologian, reformer and writer. He is regarded as the spiritual father of the Unity of Czech Brethren ( Jednota Bratrská / Unitas Fratrum ).

Life

The biography Chelčickýs is in many ways in the dark because he was threatened as uncomfortable thinkers of the Inquisition in Bohemia. He was almost forgotten for many centuries. He was born 1380-1390 son of a South Bohemian country squire or yeomanry and is now regarded as identical with Peter von Zahorka. The Záhorkas of Záhořice had their seat at the festivals Záhoří ( German Zahorschitz ), which was located on the site of the present court Záhorčí in the reign Strakonitz ( Strakonice ) in southern Bohemia ..

The preacher and theologian, was a layman and followers of the major the Bohemian reformer Jan Hus. Since he lived around 1410 in Prague, it is likely that he knew personally Hus. After his death by fire in 1415 burned at the stake in Constance Chelčický held in 1420 again in Prague, where there is a first heavy content and theological dispute with the followers of Jan Hus as a preacher at Bethlehem Chapel in Prague, the Hussites Jakobellus Mies, came. The after Jan Hus ' name Hussites were divided after his death into two parties, the pragmatic Utraquists and the radical encampments. In Bohemia during the Hussite wars raged year-long violent struggle between two groups and the Crusader armies of the Catholics. The arguments urged in Bohemia and neighboring countries many lives.

Since 1420 retired to his estate in Southern Bohemia alive Chelčický developed in various tracts and treatises in Old Czech language, influenced by John Wyclif ( 1330-1384 ), a radical pacifist vision of Christianity, which he did quite argumentative and image- rich pointed out in his writings. So he compared Pope and Emperor with two mighty whales that would have ripped the fishing net of the Apostle Peter. He refused any exercise of power and authority in the church, as their possession. He justified this conception with the recognized as a forgery Constantinian donation. He sought a return to primitive Christianity, postulated the equality of all Christians, called for voluntary poverty, rejected monasticism from, spoke out against conscription and refused the oath. He criticized the then feudal social order of the manorial system and serfdom. Chelčický died 1452-1460.

Publications (selection )

• O boji duchovním ( From the spiritual struggle ); 1421
• O církvi svaté ( From the Holy Church ); 1421
• Postilla emerged 1434-41 (German excerpts: From the peace of God, Leipzig 1920; From good will, Leipzig 1921)
• Siet viery emerged 1440-43, printed 1521 with Pavel Severin in Prague. Current critical edition by Jaroslav Boubin, Historický ústav Praha 2012, ISBN 978-80-7286-196-5 (Eng. The power of faith, translated by Carl Vogl, Dachau 1923)
• Mensi spisy, Prague 1891 ( from Germany Sermon on the basis of human laws, Prague 1936)
• Traktáty, Prague 1940 ( dt We fools for Christ's sake, Prague 1929)
• Replica proti Rokycanovi (Eng. The Gift of the Holy Church. A polemic about the power of the Church in the time of the Bohemian Reformation. Replica of The Chelčický to Bishop Rokycana, Berlin 1993)
• The power of faith, from the Old Czech into German by Carl Vogl, Hildesheim 1970.

Aftereffect

Chelčický is one of the most important Czech reformers, who anticipated some positions of the doctrine of Martin Luther and was influenced by the mind of John Wyclif. His polemical and dogmatic writings are among the most important achievements of the Old Czech literature. Among his followers were also among German from Bohemia. He is regarded as the spiritual father of the Bohemian- Moravian Brethren, recorded the important thoughts Chelčickýs. Chelčický itself not a new church or religious community founded.

Only in the 19th century Chelčický was rediscovered. Especially Leo Tolstoy felt his ideas addressed and found him a precursor of his own pacifist conception of early Christianity, and mentioned him praise in his book The Kingdom of Heaven within you. He led the similarities in thinking back on alleged common traits as Slavs.

In his hometown Chelčice there is a monument and a memorial hall for the theologian.