Czech Republic
13 April 2008
IBTS
Nad Habrovkou 3
Jeneralka, CZ – 16400 Prague 6
Dear friends and family,
Roger and I had a working week while Billie was here, so she toured by herself on Monday. I rode the Metro with her to the tour operator’s kiosk and then turned around again to get back by eleven o’clock for my class with Christina. As it turned out, Billie’s tour was a boat tour complete with lunch! And she had a great time despite the rain that misted off and on all day long. When I got back to meet her at the designated place, she was happily using a walking cane, and seemed very steady on her feet. She told me the tour people arranged the boat tour, and she had enough time beforehand to pop around the corner to a special pharmacy and get herself a collapsible cane. That was fine, for she had a twenty-minute walk with the other tourists just to get to the river and onto the boat. Clever woman! Having the cane makes her appear to be an elegant dowager, and she fit right in with the other seniors. She said the cane helps her stand straight and is a remarkable relief for her sore foot.
But I took Tuesday off in order to gallivant around town with Billie. Christina was very understanding. She had an extra day to prepare for the test, now postponed to Friday. Billie and I took our sweet time walking the length of Wenceslas Square, stopping from time to time for a little shopping and window-shopping. We found a nice little café for coffee and a pastry before walking on to Bethlehem Chapel. The trick is to keep oneself hydrated and sustained for the journey. ?
The present Bethlehem Chapel is a faithful reconstruction of the hall where Jan Hus preached in the Czech language attracting a huge following. They actually uncovered some paintings and songs on the walls of the hall, and there are paintings of Hus preaching and being executed. Strongly influenced by the teachings of the English religious reformer, John Wycliffe, Hus condemned the corrupt practices of the Church, arguing that the Scriptures should be the sole source of doctrine. Actually, many Czechs – nobles and peasants alike, shared Hus’ objections to the Catholic Church’s corrupt practices, opulent style, and wealth. But the large crowds listening to his preaching were noticed by the Roman Papacy, and he was excommunicated. In 1414 Hus decided to defend his teaching at the Council of Constance. Even though the Emperor was supposed to provide safe conduct, Hus was put in prison. The following year he was declared a heretic and burned at the stake in Constance on 6 July. Every year on that date, the Protestants of Prague have a special commemorative service in the chapel. Otherwise it is used as a ceremonial hall for the technical university. The name Hus means “goose” in Czech. As he was going to his execution, Hus is reported to have said, “You may silence this goose, but a swan is coming whose voice you may not be able to silence.” According to tradition, the reformer Martin Luther took these words to be a prophecy concerning himself. By 1514, with Luther, the time for the reformation was ripe.
Jan Hus became a revered martyr of the Czech people, and his followers launched a military crusade against the Emperor’s Catholic soldiers. Despite simple weapons made primarily from farm implements, they were a fearsome force, due largely to their religious fervor and to the discipline of their leader, the blind preacher Jan Zhizka who invented mobile artillery including an early form of the howitzer. Eventually the Protestants were defeated. After a war of thirty years and the execution of twenty-seven protestant leaders in Old Town Square, there followed a period of persecution for all non-conformers, and the beginning of German Catholic rule. In Old Town Square on the main tower of the Tyn Church there remains today a golden Madonna. At the Counterreformation, it replaced the Hussite symbol of the golden chalice.
That is probably far more Czech history than you ever wanted to know, but the history of Protestantism is important to us Baptists. For this reason, there is a special course of study here at IBTS on “Baptist and Anabaptist Studies.”
Billie and I concluded our day by taking a tram ride for the full length of the line – a wonderful way to get some of the glorious views of the city and the river. Of course we saw some of the city parts to which we will not return, but since we had all-day transportation tickets, we made good use of them.
On Wednesday Billie stayed here on campus visiting the longer chapel service and coffee break, shopping in the campus store, and poking around in the library. On Thursday she went with a new friend, Debbie Hedrick, to the museum of glass and textiles. Billie is very fond of antiques, especially glass. She bought a beautiful old piece of blue glass in an antique shop in Old Town. Her father was an antique dealer. So that museum was perfect for her. I understand from Debbie that the two of them also did their own tram tour. She was after 7 p.m. getting back. She left for the airport by taxi before 5 a.m. on Friday morning, and, although we are back in our own bed again, we feel somehow a sense of someone missing! Of course we’ll welcome the Williamses shortly. There will be concerts galore in May!
I’m reading another Magister thesis. Roger is working for Kris Angelov. We’ll provide dinner for the CATs on Tuesday (I’ve already cut up the six chickens I plan to fry), the Greek classes continue, and I’ll be leading the Sunday worship next week. No, I won’t be preaching, just leading. O.K.?
As you can see from the evidence, spring has arrived in the Czech Republic. But it is still pretty cold! The Forsythia is still bright yellow. Not a blossom has fallen. Amazing!
We’d love to hear from you.
Love,
Janice and Roger
