Discovering Comenius Comenius for a Complicated World Part 1

Comenius Museum in Moravia Moravian Heritage Tour 2008

Comenius’ Early Life Born 1592 in small town in Moravia Three towns compete for the honor of his birthplace Nivnice, Komna, Uhersky Brod Orphaned when 12 (1604) Had to leave home because of war with Hungary Educated by Unity of the Brethren in Prerov when 16 Brethren educated commoners as well as the wealthy Studied at prestigious Herborn Academy in Netherlands Wealthy patron sent him to study at Heidelberg Center of Protestant culture and science Elector Frederick V and Elizabeth Stuart of England

Heidelberg

Palatine Gardens

Comenius’s Circle Charles Zerotin – Powerful Czech Nobleman and member of the Unity Heinrich Alsted - Comenius’s professor at Herborn Inventor of the Encyclopedia David Pareus – professor in Heidelberg Tried to reconcile Protestant churches Johannes Valentinus Andreaes Author of the Chemical Wedding of Christian Rosenkreuz Author of Christianopolis: Utopian Book Samuel Hartlib John Drury

A Moravian Pastor Walked from Heidelberg back to Moravia in 1614 Eventually made a map of Moravia Ordained a deacon in the Unity of the Brethren in 1614 Taught at the Brethren’s school in Prerov Ordained a priest in 1616 Became pastor in Fulneck in 1618 and rector of school Married Magdeline Vizovska in 1618 Couple soon had two children

Fulneck today

Fulneck Church restored

Comenius’s tragedy Defenestration of Prague 1618 Protest against policies of new emperor Ferdinand II Frederick of the Palatinate elected King of Bohemia Crowned in 1619; bishop of the Unity helped in coronation Unity is given honor and privileges For first time ever, Brethren have political power

Defenestration of Prague 1618

The actual window

Empire Strikes Back 1620 Battle of White Mountain Complete Habsburg victory; Frederick fled country 1621 Day of Blood 27 people executed in Prague 1621 empire destroyed Comenius’ house and library Wife and children died of a plague while Comenius in hiding on estate of Count Zerotin

Day of blood memorial

The world in 1621 A new economy is appearing Capitalism and international trade Beginnings of the industrial revolution A new world is being conquered The Spanish had conquered Mexico and South America Native American population reduced by 75% or more The African slave trade is just getting going The Lost Colony has been lost and the Puritans have fled to America A new science is emerging Galileo is promoting a new view of the heavens Francis Bacon is calling for a new way of thinking The Thirty Years War just beginning By 1648 the population of Bohemia and Moravia would be half what it was in 1620 Whole villages wiped from the map in Germany

Comenius writes Labyrinth of the World in 1623 in midst of great depression The Pilgrim is guided through the city by the guides “Searchall” and “Delusion,” but he does not wear the glasses he is given. Sees things as they are From a distance, all appears to be harmonious Up close, society is full of complication, disorder, violence, emptiness, and deception Every profession, every status of life is a path to misery and confusion Everyone ignores death but fears death

Discovers wisdom and courage At the point of despair, the pilgrim hears a voice calling him to look within his own heart There he finds that his own soul is as corrupt as the world. He has neglected virtue and wisdom Rather than looking for truth in the world, must first find the truth in himself

Christ’s Instructions to the Pilgrim “For the sake of the peace of all, give up even yourself,” and do not return violence for violence. In religious matters, he should not “stir up disputes” but “serve me in quietness.” Rather than ruling others, the Pilgrim should devote himself to governing his own body and soul. The true meaning of heroism is the courage to master one’s own desires, not the ability to wage war. Christ instructs the Pilgrim to return to the Labyrinth, but seek out a community of true Christians from every church.

Comenius finds courage to lead exiles to Poland in 1627

A New Beginning Comenius and Zerotin negotiated with Polish lords to allow thousands of Brethren emigrate to Lesno Comenius elected co-Senior for church assigned task of church secretary/apologist Also in charge of school and printing press 1630s Wrote Janua Linguarum Reserata (Gate of Tongues Unlocked) 1637 Wrote Via pacis (The Way of Peace)

Comenius in England Samuel Hartlib ( ) published Comenius’ A Reformation of the Schools in England 1641 Members of English Parliament invited him to start a college in England turned down offer to be president of Harvard Wrote Via lucis (Way of Light) English Civil War began 1641; Comenius left for Sweden

Comenius and King Charles I

Comenius on Universal Education “development into full humanity not of one particular person or a few or even many, but of every single individual, young and old, rich and poor, noble and ignoble, men and women – in a word, of every human being born on earth with the ultimate aim of providing education to the entire human race regardless of age, class, sex, and nationality.”

Later Life Commissioned to establish a school system for the kingdom of Sweden 1645Ran afoul of Swedish politics because of ecumenical gathering in Poland Second Wife died; Remarried in Invited teach in Sárospaták in Hungary/Romania Wrote Schola ludus (School of Play) Prepared one of the most influential books ever, Orbis Sensualium Pictus

Pansophy: Reformation of all things Universal Awakening Universal Light Universal Wisdom Universal Education Universal Language Universal Reform Universal Warning.

Foundation of Comenius’s Method "As [God] himself does no violence to human nature, so does he wish his creatures to abstain from all compulsion."

Comenius’s Goals “let us recognize THE SALVATION OF MANKIND as our goal! Let us take steps to rescue our schools, churches and political systems (1)from partisanship which infinitely divides us, (2)from multiplicity which infinitely embarrasses and perplexes us, and (3) from compulsion and violence which endlessly afflict and torment us!”

End of life 1656Leszno burned during war between Sweden and Poland Comenius’ home, life savings, library, and manuscripts burned Moved to Amsterdam Town Council paid for publishing his Opera didactica omnia 1670 Died Buried in the Walloon Church in Naarden

Final resting place in Netherlands

Comenius’s pilgrimage “What will the admirers of human wisdom say to this? Will they perhaps laugh at a doting old man, descending from the heights of their estimation to the depths of their scorn? Let them laugh if it is their desire. My heart also will laugh, because it has escaped perplexities. Christ is all to me; I will have his bench before all the thrones of the world, his humility before all sublimity. My whole life was a journey; I did not stay in my fatherland. My place of lodging was changed perpetually and was never and nowhere a stable habitation. But now the celestial fatherland is in sight, to whose borders my leader, my light, my Christ has led me, all the way; he went before to prepare a place for me in the home of his father, where there are many habitations, and now he will come to take me, that where he is, I may be also. So this is now the one thing necessary for me, to forget all that which is behind, to hurry to the prize of the supreme call of God (Phil. 3:14).”

Motto: Let all flow freely; let violence be absent