ORTHODOX CHURCH ON KAREL FARSKÝ. ON THE BATTLE OF THEOLOGICAL ORIENTATION OF THE CZECHOSLOVAK CHURCH (HUSSITE) IN THE 1920s

Abstract

One hundred years have passed since 1920 and the ‘Czech schism’, which is considered to be the foundation of the national Czechoslovak (Hussite) Church. It was created as a result of the reform movement of the Catholic clergy after the end of the Great War and the constitution of an independent Czechoslovak Republic on the ruins of the Habsburg Monarchy. The clergy, who were dissatisfied with the position of the Catholic Church in the empire and with some matters of the Church life and priests that had not been addressed in the long term, set out a programme for the reform of the Catholic Church in Czech lands. His demands were directed towards the autonomous position of the church, the introduction of the national language into services, the democratisation of the organisation of the church, and the reform of clerical celibacy. After the Roman Curia rejected the proposals, the reform movement’s radical wing decided to leave the church and form a national church. However, its establishment wasn’t sufficiently prepared and all fundamental issues of its existence, including its doctrine, were only solved after establishing the church. Two opinion wings were formed on this matter in the church. The first sought to accept the doctrine of the Eastern churches, the second, led by the future patriarch Karel Farský, set out the concept of a modern 20th century church. There was a fierce ideological fight between the two groups to promote their own concept until 1924. The aim of this study is to reflect the behaviour and activities of K. Farský by the spokespersons of the Orthodox-oriented section in the church.