Religion and Churches in the CR

Religion and Churches in the CRPast and Present

Why I was appointed to this topic, even if I am teaching economics and not e.g. philosophy?Of course there are more people who are religious or interested in religion at this faculty. However, as a result of the previous regime, many of them still somehow keep it as a personal secret.Because I am an active member of the Union of Catholic Women CR and was chairing it for some year, and member of the Christian Democratic/Union Czechoslovak Peoples Party as well as of some other Christian NGOs, I am quite widely known to be a Christian.And as I have already mentioned, I am also singing in a church choir for more than 40 years and my choir did a X-mas concert at the university several years ago

What are we going to talk about The very beginnings of Czech Christianity The person of Jan Hus Religious situation in Czechoslovakia in the Communist time The present situation - for better or for worse What is the role of churches in the todays CR ?

863 A.D.two learned priests from Thessaloniki, came first to the Moravian Velehrad, to baptise prince Svatopluk, and then to baptise also the Bohemian prince Boivoj and his wife LudmilaCyril and Methodius

They thought it important, that people understood the new belief, therefore they translated the Bible into an Old-Slavonic language and gave thus the country not only Christianity, but also literacy in their own language. July 5th is the feast of the Thessaloniki brothers and therefore Czech national holiday

Meeting Days of the Goodwill People at Velehrad, July 5

It was not an easy process, because Bohemia was a pagan country at that time,but eventually Christianity won.

Musical notation of the song "Hospodine, pomiluj ny (Lord, Have mercy on us) - one of the earliest recorded musical notations in the Czech lands, around 1000 A.D.

Jan Hus - a prophet or a heretic Some facts : born probably around 1370 in a Husinec several places compete to have been his birth-place got BA. In 1393, MA. in 1396, ordained in 1400

The truthwins

Some more facts :from 1411 on defending the side of John Wicklefwas an excellent preacher, mainly in the Bethlehem chapel in Praguetended to theological disputeswas an outstanding scholar invented the accent signs in the Czech writingwas also music composer was appointed rector of the Prague University 1402-1403,,opuszczonyoputn

Some more facts :criticised the Church for its life and wealth (namely selling the Church positions and the indulgences )but himself was not opposed to good food or drinkAfter being tried by the Church council as a heretic, he diedat the stake on July 6, 1415 in Konstanz

The main part of the problemwas not only religious discrepancies (so-called remanence), but also political problems.The archbishop of Prague Zbynk Zajc of Haznburg(nicknamed the Alphabet), was more of a soldier than a scholar (he was said to have been almost illiterate) and was not able to solve the theological problems, so he used power and since Hus opposed him, denounced him to the Church council

Because of it,July 6 is also Czech national holiday

Celebrations in Husinec, 2005

What did Hus really look like?

After Huss death, the Hussite wars started in Bohemia,which were first oriented at social equality and purity of faith,but later on deteriorated into fighting for powerMany churches, libraries and works of art were destroyed and the country was in economic chaos

The wars ended at the Battle of Bl Hora ( the White Mountain ) in 1620, where the Czech and Moravian protestants lost and afterwards there started the a gradual re-Catholicisation of the country under the German rule.Once more, it had its positive and negative features

Many protestant freemen left the country, among them J.A.Komensk,protestant bishop and great educationalist, who emigrated to England and then to the Netherlands, where he died

Museum and grave of J.A. Komensk in Naarden

The revived religious orders built not only beautiful churches, but also libraries, schools and hospitals, supported science and culture

Now we have to jump over several centuries..After the WW I., the origin of the independent Czechoslovakia brought abouta certain amount of anti-church feelings, since the prevailing Catholic Churchwas connected to the Austro-Hungarian Empire.

Also there were several serious outbreaks of anti-semitism andthe intelligentsia tended to liberal thinking

A typical example of antisemitism was the famous Hilsner case in 1899, revoked in 1910The town of Poln, 1890LeopoldHilsner

Czechoslovak Hussite Churchhas been established in January 1920, as the reflection on national freedom.It started as a criticism towards Catholic Church, the liberal priests asked for religious ceremonies in Czech, abolishment of priests celibate, women ministers and some other changes.Having been refused, they founded a new national church. Since 1947, they have women as ministers (since 1999, the first women was appointed bishops )

There used to stand the Plague Column It was destroyed in 1918 by Czech nationalist with the help of Prague firemen

The organisers also planned to throw down the statues of saints from the Charles Bridge , but fortunately were stopped in time

Nevertheless, Czechoslovakia still was the country of strong Christian and mostly Catholic traditions ...namelyin the ruralareas .

..the more so in MoraviaandSlovakia..

As early as in 1949, the Communist movement against religion started by passing special Church ActsAs the act of open hostility, all the 12 bishops and numbers outstanding priests and monastery abbots, who were not willing to support the new regime, were arrested in 1949-1951, led by the archbishop of Prague Josef Beran.They were kept first in prison, later on in special concentration camps, namely in eliv in the South-East Bohemia, where they worked in stone-quarries, farms or cleaned lavatories in T.U.recreation hotels.Most of them were released only at the beginning of 60ies, but were not allowed to act as priests.

In June 1949, the archbishop of Prague Josef Beran wrote a letter to the communist government protesting against violation of the constitution with regard to church.As a result, he was confined in different places till 1965.Then he was allowed to leave for Rome (he was appointed a cardinal then), under the condition that he would never come back.He died in Rome in 1980 and is buried in St. Petrus cathedral.

The situation can be looked at from viewpoint of:priestsreligious ordersordinary believersgeneral publicchurch buildings

.position of priests. Special state permission for a given place, lost in case of violation of the the State control over churches Limited numbers of theology students, faculties etc.Most of the time only 1-2 bishops for the whole country Open terror in the 50ies ( political processes, imprisonments ) Very low state-granted salaries Often moved from one place to another Persuaded or pushed to collaboration through the pro-regime organisation Pacem in Terris Personal isolation, incessant control and following, meeting in groups or work with children punished But in the 80ies, new priests were ordained in secret

. position of religious orders.At the beginning of 1951, all monasteries abolished, monks and priests taken away in the middle of night, put to concentration camps, all property taken (partly destroyed) After the release, got the worst manual jobs elsewhere, prohibited to live together Nuns also turned out, at first left in hospitals, later only in mental asylums, with handicapped children and in old priests homes Satirised in films and literature, if emerging at all All religious orders prohibited to take any new applicants, supposed to die out But in the 70ies and 80ies, numbers of young people entered secretly

situation of the ordinary believers...According to the Constitution, a complete freedom of religion In practice, noted in everyones personal dossier and taken into consideration with regard to study, jobs, travelling More outstanding people followed and sometimes arrested Lessons on religion at schools limited, children registered Children at schools educated in pointed atheism Christian feasts, like Christmas, changed to secular ones (Grandpa Frost from the S.U.) or suppressed (Easter, Lent) Even things like Christmas carols prohibited in wireless or TV, if they mentioned Jesus or Mary or Bethlehem

situation of the ordinary believers...No public religious ceremonies allowed (Corpus Christi processions, pilgrim processions, first communions etc) , difficulties with a wedding in church etc.Practically no religious books published, secret samizdat or import of them punishedAll visits from the capitalists and imperialists registered and controlled, had to be announced at the jobBut : It kept people very much together, because there were no register believers.Underground activities were growing, there was high feeling of solidarity.

attitude of the general public... It was probably one the greatest successes of the Communist propaganda: most people did not mind much.It was so much easier not to think about omniscient God, ones sins, or even hell. The result :Several generations practically without any education regarding Christianity, people who entered church only as tourists, never read the Bible, never knowingly met a priest..Unfortunately, several generations also without the Christian moral code.

The general idea : Religion is something rather funny and obsolete, but also dangerous for ones future and good only for old people.

Church buildingsTheoretically still owned by the church (not monasteries, schools, economic buildings)Practically, the state decided about themOutside big cities, practically no repairsIn Western border areas, many destroyed by the army or let falling downNo new churches builtSome show-window cases ( church in Most etc.)

Church buildings Gothic Virgin Mary Assumption Church built by Jakub Heilmann of Schweinfurt that was cut from the foundations and transferred. The transfer took place between l3th September and 27th October 1975 during which time the church travelled 841.1 metres along a curved trajectory at a speed of 2.16 cm per minute. The church and the 12,000 ton supporting steel frame were supported by 53 hydraulic carriages that equalised every unevenness of the ground within a tolerance range of ~1 mm. But it took another 13 years to finish the installation and stabilisation of the structure and to restore the church to its previous beauty. The church was re-opened to public as a cultural memorial and the original furniture-altar, organ, etc. were not returned until after 1989. The re-opening for religious services and consecration took place in 1993

Pilgrim church Maria HilfZlat HoryBuilt18411955use forbidden1973 torn down1990 re-building started

.by the end of the 80ies...The Church, namely Catholic Church, become the symbol of the protest against Communism.Every Church eventwas a sort of manifestation.Partly it wasrepresented by theperson of the cardinaland archbishop ofPrague, FrantiekTomek.

Things culminated in November 1989, when Agnes of Bohemia was canonised in Rome, where almost 4000 Czech pilgrims came by special buses and trains. The ceremony was broadcast by Czech TV and the event was perceived as a sign of better times

The situation after the Velvet RevolutionPositive moments: freedom of religious beliefs, churches and denominations opportunity of different activities reinstated religious orderschurch schools, hospitals renewed contacts with world churches and church organisations developing ecumenism growing need of spiritual experience among young people a number of new churches built

Very importantfor religious life and situation in Czechoslovakia/Czech Republic were three visits of the late pope John Paul II. in 1990, 1995 and 1997

By the way, the story of that new church is quite typical. In 1924, when that part of Prague ( Stranice) became to grow, a Society for Building the Church was founded, in 1930 a building plot was donated by the local landlord and the parish started to collect money. They first decided to build a parish house with a chapel, which was finished in 1930 Further activities were stopped by the war After the war, they started planning again but lost all money in the currency reform in 1952 They lost also the remaining plot in the sixties expropriated by the state, but fortunately it was made a public park The parish started renewed activities in 1968, but was not quick enough In 1992, new church was started with the help of an Austrian diocese, finished in 1994. There were new buildings all around at that time, but miraculously the free space had still been left

1934(project)1994

New church and Community Centre of Mother Theresa of Calcutta in the suburb of Prague (the Southern Town)

It was opened on May 26, 2007,the church was full.It is still full on Sundays

The situation after the Velvet RevolutionProblems: still unsettled relationships with the state unsolved property claims and financing of churches, many church buildings dilapidated numerous robberies in churches growing move towards the consumption society lack of priests and ministers feeling of a partly lost credit of traditional churches spreading of different religious movements, some of them sects

Average age of Catholic priests in the Prague diocesis is 65

Only 3 new priests were ordained for the same diocesis in 2006, 4 in 2007, 3 in 2008 (all of them Polish) and just 1 this year

In total, there were 42 new priests ordained in the whole CR last year, 14 in Czech and 28 in Moravian dioceses

In the CR, churhes and religious congregations have got to be registered according to the law. At present, there are 25 registered churches and denominations:Apostolic Church Baptist Curch Adventists of the Seventh Day Brethren Church Czechoslovak Hussite Church Mormon Church in the CR Living God Church Greek Catholic Church Roman Catholic Church Czech Brethren Evangelic Church Evangelic Church of Ausburg Creed Methodist Church

Union of Baptists Christian Communities Lutheran Evangelic Church New Apostolic Church Eastern Orthodox Church Russian Orthodox Church Salesian Evangelic Church of Ausburg Creed Old Catholic Church Church of Christian Communities Community of Christians Religious Community of Unitarians Jehova WitnessesJewish Community

Structure of denominations

Graf3

26.3

1.3

0.9

3.2

2001

List4

2001

Roman Catholic26.3

Czech Brethren1.3

Czechoslovak Husit0.9

Other3-Jan

List4

0

0

0

0

2001

List1

19912001

Non-believers39.958.3Non-believers

Believers43.931.7Believers

Not stated16.210Not stated

2001

Non-believers58.3

Believers31.7

Not stated10

List1

00

00

00

1991

2001

1991

List2

0

0

0

2001

List3

Structure of denominationsStructure of population according to denominationsin 1950, 1991 and 2001

As the country opened to the outside, there emerged many philosophical and religious movements and groups,some of which are, according to European understanding, regarded as sects

Jehova Witnesses

We have got even Mormons from the U.S.

Islamic Foundation in Prague - Prague Mosque

Data accordingto theCENSUS

Graf1

39.958.3

43.931.7

16.210

1991

2001

1991

List1

19912001




2001

Non-believers58.3

Believers31.7

Not stated10

List1

1991

2001

1991

List2

2001

List3

Graf2

58.3

31.7

10

2001

List1

19912001




2001

Non-believers58.3

Believers31.7

Not stated10

List1

1991

2001

1991

List2

2001

List3

Age structure of believersStructure of population according to denominations in 1950Age structure of believers in the CR (2001)

Age and gender structure of believers

CzechMoravianShares of believers in regions

Financing of churches in the CR All registered churches are financed by the state, problems with wages of priests and ministers, repairs and maintenance Self-financing is discussed since the 90ies Problems: restitution of church property still not resolved (estimated at 100 bill.CZK) proposal of settlement prepared but opposed in the Parliament low private contributions attitude of the state not much changing Attitude of the public rather schizophrenic

1-Wages of priests, 2-Insurance, 3-Other wages, 4-Taxes,5-Overhead costs,6-Church buildings, 7-Cultural activities, 8-Investments

Graf1

422825

148465

31813

11328

38833

12029

1014

23000

Expenditures on Churches, CR, 2007

List1

platy duch.422825

pojistn duch.148465

platy admin.31,813

pojistn admin.11328

provoz sted38833

kulturn pamtky12029

kulturn aktivity1014

investin vdaje23000

Expenditures on Churches from the State Budget, in CR, 2000 ( ths CK)

ths CK%

Wages of prists and ministers422.82560%

Obligatory insurance to wages of priests148.46522%

Wages of church administration31.8235%

Obligatory insurance to wages of administration11.3282%

Expenditures of church central bodies388336%

Church buildings and mobiliary ( repairs and maintenance)120292%

Cultural activities of churches1.0140%

Investments23.0003%

Total653.264100%

List1

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

0

Expenditures on Churches, CR, 2000

List2

List3

Attitudes of young peopleare especially interesting, because most of themnever met with much (or any)education regarding religions, Bible, etc. - neither at school, nor in the family

1-believes, 2-admits, 3-does not believe

Graf2

17

35

48

c

Belief in God in %, young people, 1998

List1

198919911992199319941995

believe141416131617

admit233336403735

do not believe635348474748

List1

0

0

0

c


List5

Know in detail22

Know roughly47

Do not know31

List5

0

0

0

Knowledge of the Christmas story

List4

never read70

seldom read18

read often12

List4

0

0

0

Knowledge of Bible

List2

believe according to church6

believe in own way21

do not know22

not believing, but tolerant38

not believing, do not like churches13

List2

0

0

0

0

0

Attitude towards church

List3

Psychology50

Christianity36

Eastern philosophies18

sects15

New Age7

List3

0

0

0

0

0

Interest in different spiritual concepts

1- never read, 2-seldom read, 3-often read

Graf1

70

18

12

Knowledge of Bible

List1

198919911992199319941995

believe141416131617

admit233336403735


List1

0

0

0

c


List5

Know in detail22

Know roughly47

Do not know31

List5

0

0

0


List4

never read70

seldom read18

read often12

List4

0

0

0

Knowledge of Bible

List2



do not know22



List2

0

0

0

0

0


List3

Psychology50

Christianity36


sects15

New Age7

List3

0

0

0

0

0


1-in detail, 2-roughly, 3-nothing

Graf1

22

47

31


List1

198919911992199319941995

believe141416131617

admit233336403735


List1


List5

Know in detail22

Know roughly47

Do not know31

List5


List4

never read70

seldom read18

read often12

List4

Knowledge of Bible

List2



do not know22



List2


List3

Psychology50

Christianity36


sects15

New Age7

List3


Our students talked to a living monk for the first time in their lives

Where lays the role of churches in the present Czech Republic ?To shut into themselvesor to go out and offer a different solution ?

Religious ceremony in the streets of Prague2 weeks ago

The Pilgrimage of Our Little Mothersin myslovice, 2009

So some churches are still full on Sundays

some are opened once a month or never

Ecumenical cooperationoikoumene = common house

Where lays the role of churches in the present Czech Republic ?

Hospices, hospitals, Peaceful Seniors Homes

Where do we go ?

Any questions ?

Documents

Religion and Churches in the CR