Dr Paul Allen

Martin Luther, author of the text of Christ lag in Todes Banden, and who, with Johann Walter, also wrote the melody (Photo credit: Wikipedia ) The truth that Christ is Lord of His church may sound somewhat benign to a casual listener in our generation, but the struggle for Christ’s authority in the church has come to us through the ages on a sea of blood. Thankfully, literal bloodshed over the issue is no longer very common. But faithful Christians are still waging a fierce moral and intellectual battle for Christ’s lordship over the church. One of the major early catalysts in the Protestant Reformation was a book by Jan Hus , a Bohemian Christian who preceded Martin Luther by a full century. The book was  De Ecclesia  (The Church), and one of Hus’ most profound points was proclaimed in the title of his fourth chapter: “Christ the Only Head of the Church .” Hus wrote, “Neither is the pope the head nor are the cardinals the whole body of the [true] holy, universal, cat

Image via Wikipedia In many respects, the life of Jerome of Prague paralleled that of his teacher and friend Jan Hus . Hus welcomed the writings of Wycliffe to Bohemia . There he preached reformation a century before Luther. Jerome was also convinced of the Wycliffian truths. At Hus's suggestion Jerome sailed to England and studied at Oxford, Wycliffe's old seat of learning. For the next several years, Jerome moved about a good deal, spreading reform doctrines in Paris , Jerusalem, Heidelberg, Vienna , Russia, Lithuania, Hungary and Cologne . In his native Bohemia he sided with nationalistic students. He denounced a bull proclaiming an indulgence for a crusade against Naples. When Hus was arrested by the Council of Constance , Jerome secretly followed, hoping to defend his friend. He discovered he could do nothing but was in great danger himself, and so he went to neighboring Idelberg and asked for safe conduct.  Unwilling to do nothing, he had placards posted throu