In recent years, there has been a renewed interest in Jan Hus (or John Hus in English), an early reformer who was martyred for his faith.  A century before Martin Luther, Hus called for the radical reform of the Church, preached in the common language, and called for laypeople to receive full communion.  He was condemned as an arch-heretic at the Council of Constance and was burned at the stake.  The attempt to silence the man sparked a revolution among his followers, and the Hussite Wars changed the face of central Europe - and set the stage for the Lutheran Reformation to be successful.  This remarkable and overlooked history will be featured in a new documentary series.

Learn more about the documentary

Learn more about Hus, the Hussite Wars, and the Unitas Fratrum

An ambitious documentary, Apostle of Truth, is nearing completion and will be released later this year.  Award-winning director John Jackman has assembled a wide variety of materials to weave the story of Hus, the Hussite wars, and the enduring impact of the "First Reformation."  Extensive interviews with experts provide the framework, but a rich visual tapestry will also be created from ancient documents, paintings, etchings, and drawings.  Footage from Prague and the surrounding countryside, excellent stills by Mike Reiss, will be combined with scenes from both current and historic dramatic films.  We have licensed dramatic footage from the excellent Czech film, Jan Hus, produced in 2015 as part of the 600th observance of Hus' martyrdom; plus we have worked with the Czech National Film Archive to include scenes from historic films about the Hussite wars produced in the 1950s and directed by Czech filmmaker Otakar Vávra.  Actual music from the era, including the Hussite War song Ktož Jsú Boží Bojovníci and other Bohemian folk songs will enrich the programs.