The parents of Zbynek Zajic bought him the job of the Archbishop of Bohemia. You read that right. Zbynek’s parents paid big money so their son could have a coveted church job. He had no qualifications for the position as he was an ex-soldier with zero theological training (his lack of education earned him the moniker “Bishop Alphabet”).
Not surprisingly, the men who bought their way into the priesthood rarely took their jobs seriously. One priest under Zbynek’s charge, Jan Hus (1372-1415) (pronounced Yon Hoos), was a professor at the University of Prague and priest at Bethlehem Chapel. Jan condemned simony, the selling of papal offices as well as selling the forgiveness of sins, called indulgences. Zbynek banished him from preaching, but Jan ignored the edict. He then arranged with his buddies to have Jan excommunicated. While in exile, Jan wrote a treatise On Simony, labeling such practices as heretical to Jesus’ teachings. Without naming names, he had Zbynek clearly in his sights. Jan made his appeal directly to the Czech people, urging them to condemn simony and restore proper order to the church. The Council of Constance was convened to deal with the issue. Jan was promised safe passage but upon arrival, was arrested and thrown into prison. He was brought before the council and ordered to recant his writings. Jan stood his ground, “I appeal to Jesus Christ, the only judge who is Almighty God and completely just. Into his hands I plead my cause.” Jan was condemned and burned at the stake. When Martin Luther took up the cause a century later, he was accused of being a “Hussite.”
Jan’s prayer was spoken at his execution: