Řehoř Krajčí

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Řehoř Krajčí (also Bratr Řehoř ; brother Gregor ; * unknown; † August 12, 1474 in Brandeis an der Adler ) was a Bohemian reformer and one of the founders of the Unity of the Bohemian Brothers .

Life

His father was a descendant of an impoverished country nobleman, his mother the sister of Archbishop Jan Rokycana . Řehoř was from 1448 to 1458 monastery administrator in Sloben , without being ordained a priest. He was an avid listener and supporter of his uncle. He and his uncle were suspicious of some of the excesses of the Hussite movement , but he also did not approve of the actions of the Catholic Church. He was more drawn to the thoughts of Petr Chelčický and spread his written thoughts. The archbishop, who respected these views, sent Řehoř to the scholar in Chelčice in the late 1440s. Řehoř led a group of believers whose desire was to found an exemplary village of true believers away from the “cities ruled by the order of the Antichrist”.

In 1457 the Bohemian brothers received permission from Archbishop Jan Rokycana to settle on the lands of the Lititz rule in Kunwald in the Eagle Mountains . A “unity of brothers and sisters” was founded, who lived according to the ideals of the biblical and Hussite rules of equality. In the course of time, other communities were founded, and Řehoř was appointed spokesman. However, Řehoř did not stay in his community permanently. He traveled the country, trying to attract new followers and to win back lost members.

In addition to his work as a preacher, Řehoř began to publish. His focus was on literary polemics. He meanwhile rejected some of Chelčicky's ideas about exploiting others through worldly power. He portrayed one's own poverty and piety as an ideal. The livelihood should be raised through one's own work, and one should escape from the real world and turn again and again to religious tranquility.

With his teaching he created many enemies, including his supporters: the Archbishop and King George of Podebrady . His uncle realized that this split-off group was against the guidelines of the Chalice Brothers' faith and could become a threat. During the first persecution he was captured, interrogated and imprisoned from 1461 to 1463. He avoided torture and prolonged detention, presumably through the intercession of his brother. All he had to do was commit himself to accepting the rule of the king and the church. After he was released, his followers hid him and kept moving. He moved from Prague to north-west Bohemia, was arrested a second time in Teplitz , but was soon released again. All he had to do was promise to keep his uncle's orders. The years 1461 to 1467 were marked by internal power struggles between the brothers. The main thing was to clarify the relationships within the unity as well as the attitude towards the church in general. Řehoř belonged to the wing that took the view to separate from both directions, both from the rule of the Pope and from the movement of the Hussites.

However, his thoughts kept spreading. After the strictness of the rules he had drawn up were weakened (especially with regard to property issues), more and more supporters were found among the citizens of the cities and later also among the nobility. A positive attitude towards education, the Bohemian language and its history was gained, so that patriotism developed. In 1467 he finally succeeded in establishing his own order of priests, the first highest representative of which was Brother Matthias von Kunwald ( Matěj z Kunvaldu ). However, the leading head remained bliebehoř, who now appeared against his uncle, who in turn broke away from the brother union. He accused them of illegally exercising their own order. The brothers were persecuted, and Řehoř was further hidden from supporters. It eventually became calmer under the rule of King Vladislav . At that time Řehoř was staying in Brandeis an der Adler, where he finally died. His grave is in the Orlík rock cemetery opposite Brandeis Castle.

Literary work

Řehoř wrote some religious essays and petitions of a religious nature to officials of the king and the church. There are also some tracts, e.g. B.

  • Spis o dobrých a zlých knězích (About good and bad priests)
  • Traktát o církvi svaté ( Treatise on the Holy Church)
  • O dvojím díle

He is also considered by scholars to be the author of the work "Scripture on the Narrow Way". The thoughts that Řehoř wrote down are mostly those of Peter Chelčický. With the difference that Řehoř put Chelčický's theoretical considerations into practice.

Effects

Řehoř can be described as the founder and first organizer of the Unity of Bohemian Brethren through his work. He gave the movement monarchist organization controlled by a single administrator. The unit was ruled by strict discipline from which any unworthy member was immediately excluded. Following the example of Christ, he created an ideal of a Christian to be modeled by followers. A moral life and actions were more important than religious deeds and theoretical creeds. He was not against belief, nor against dogma, but viewed belief without deeds as death. A true Christian should control himself, endure injustice. He should not engage in worldly power if it was based on violence. He shouldn't take on judicial duties, he shouldn't trade in goods and certainly not perform military service.

Soon after his death, resistance to his doctrine and principles grew within the university. Finally, in the Reichenau assembly of 1495, it was decided that the ideas of Řehoř and Chelčický are not binding on the Brethren unity. The teaching of Řehoř was described as excessive and excessive. However, there was a small wing that separated from the unity and continued to represent the original teaching for a while.

Literature on the subject

personal data
SURNAME Krajčí, Řehoř
ALTERNATIVE NAMES Řehoř, roast; Gregor, brother
BRIEF DESCRIPTION Bohemian reformer and one of the founders of the Unity of the Bohemian Brethren
DATE OF BIRTH before 1448
DATE OF DEATH August 12, 1474
Place of death Brandeis