Page:The Net of Faith.pdf/125



The story of Chelc̄icky̍'s growth to independence is a chapter in which we are still missing several links. At the present day, the available and known material enables us the reconstruction of his gradual estrangement from the Hussite Reformation in approximately the following sequence:

In another place we spoke of the year 1419 which was so decisive in Chelc̄icky̍'s life. This is the year in which there occurred the initial rift with the Taborites because of his insistence on total non-violence. You will remember that he then asked the masters of the Prague University the question whether it is permissible for Christians to take pp. 30ff.

that, at the Synod of St.Wenceslas' Day, A.D.1418, the principle of just war and limited violence was upheld and that, even after the reversal of the position in 1419, a Hussite priest Jan Z̄elivsky̍, was defending Chelc̄icky̍'s absolutist position. F. Bartos̄ "K poc̄a̍tkūm Petra Chelc̄icke̍ho," (The Beginnings of Peter Chelc̄icky̍),, Prague, vol.II, p.154.