Between pacifism and anarchy
Peter Chelčický's teaching about society
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 11891840 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Wojciech Iwańczak (0000-0002-2095-7497, a Department of Medieval History, Pedagogical University, ul. Żeromskiego 5, 25-369 Kielce, Poland, corresponding author) |
| Year | 1997 |
| Volume | 23 |
| Issue | 3 |
| Pages | 271-283 |
| Publication date | 1997-01-01 |
| Open Access | No |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | Journal of Medieval History (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 0304-4181 • E-ISSN: 1873-1279 |
| Publisher | Taylor & Francis (PUBLISHER • GB) |
| DOI | 10.1016/s0304-4181(97)00008-0 |
| OpenAlex | W2095191900 |
| Language | EN |
| Citations received | 2 |
| References cited | 2 |
Peter Chelčický was one of the most interesting figures of the Hussite movement, whose distinctive views on the organisation of Christian society have been unjustly neglected in the west. He criticised the traditional division into three estates: the clergy who had pastoral duties, the knighthood who provided protection, and the peasants who produced the food. Chelčický argued that this division was pagan in origin and should be given up by Christian communities. He rejected the tripartite division on the grounds that it was a hierarchical arrangement in which the two upper estates lived off and dominated the third estate of ‘working people’. He rejected too not only war and aggression, but also the use of force in general. He believed that no Christian should have power over another Christian, a view which led him to the repudiation of all institutionalised authority as inconsistent with the faith and the way of salvation. His influence continued well beyond his lifetime: Tolstoy, for example, was a great admirer
Estate · Faith · Political science · Power (physics · Sociology · Theology · Catholicism and Religious Studies · History · Law · Philosophy · Reformation and Early Modern Christianity · Religion and Society Interactions · Religious studies · Religious Studies
| Citations per year | 0.4 |
|---|---|
| Citation span | 2021 - 2023 (3) |
| Highly cited | No |