Jan Hus: A Voice of Truth

Jan Hus Statue - Prague

Over a century before Martin Luther nailed his Ninety-Five Theses to the church door in Wittenberg, another courageous preacher dared to speak out against corruption within the Church of Rome. His name was Jan Hus, a man whose conviction and sacrifice made him one of the most powerful forerunners of the Protestant Reformation.

Jan Hus was born around 1369 in the small Bohemian town of Husinec, in what is now the Czech Republic. From humble beginnings, he rose through learning and determination to become one of the most influential preachers of his age. His voice for reform would echo across Europe long before Luther, Calvin, or Knox, and his courage would make him a martyr for the truth of the Gospel.

Hus studied theology and philosophy at Charles University in Prague, eventually earning his Doctor of Theology. His talent as both a thinker and a teacher saw him rise to become a professor and later rector of the university. But it was his preaching that gave him his greatest influence.

At Bethlehem Chapel in Prague, Hus delivered his sermons not in Latin, but in the Czech tongue—making the truths of Scripture accessible to ordinary people. He became a beloved preacher, admired for his eloquence, conviction, and boldness in speaking truth to power.

During his studies, Hus encountered the writings of the English reformer John Wycliffe. Like Wycliffe, he condemned the corruption, greed, and worldliness of the clergy. Hus declared that the Bible, not the Pope or Church councils, was the ultimate authority for the Christian life. He also denounced the sale of indulgences and the lavish wealth of Rome, calling for a return to the Gospel’s purity and simplicity.

His words inspired a movement of reform within Bohemia, gathering both admiration from the people and fierce opposition from the Church.

In 1414, Hus was summoned to appear before the Council of Constance, which had been convened to address division and corruption within the Church. Though promised safe conduct by Emperor Sigismund, Hus was arrested upon his arrival.

Refusing to renounce his convictions or deny the authority of Scripture, he was condemned as a heretic. On 6th July 1415, Hus was burned at the stake. His death caused shock and outrage across Bohemia, igniting the Hussite movement and sparking the Hussite Wars that followed.

Hus’s followers kept his vision alive, demanding reform and resisting Rome’s authority. A century later, Martin Luther would look back to Hus as a forerunner of his own work, declaring: “We are all Hussites without knowing it.”

Jan Hus calls us to remember that the Reformation was not born in a single day—it was the fruit of centuries of faithful witness. Hus’s sacrifice and steadfastness remind us of what it means to be faithful even unto death. He stood on the truth of God’s Word when it was neither popular nor safe, leaving an indelible mark on Christian history.