John Hus

A Bohemian preacher's appeal to conscience drives William Dallmann's short biography of John Hus. Beginning with his poor childhood and university studies in Prag, the account traces his rise as a teacher, rector and preacher at Bethlehem Chapel. The writings of Wiclif help shape his convictions, while disputes over the conduct of the clergy and the authority of the pope bring mounting opposition.

Dallmann openly admires his subject and repeatedly connects him with Luther and other reformers. Brief chapters carry the narrative from university affairs and rival popes to hearings at Constance, where Hus asks for proof that his teachings are wrong. Quotations from sermons, letters and exchanges with church authorities give the religious arguments a direct voice. For readers interested in religious biography, the book offers both an account of Hus's convictions and an example of how a sympathetic later writer presents the struggle between conscience and institutional power.