On July 23, 1433 the Bohemian Paul Crawar (Kravar) was burnt at the stake for heresy. Crawar was a physician, but also a follower of John Hus. The citizens of Prague had previously adopted John Wycliffe’s teachings and it was they who sent Crawar to Scotland to make contact with Lollards, followers of John Wycliffe, who were to be found throughout the Lowlands and, indeed, in significant numbers in such areas as Fife, Cunningham and Kyle.
The Lollards there had been attacking the Catholic church, exposing the many errors and abuses characteristic of it at that time, while vigorously promoting a ‘back to the Bible’ movement. While in Scotland, Crawar made the most of his opportunities to add his voice to all this and, indeed, it would appear had been successful in converting many to Lollardism. After preaching from such platforms as the University of St. Andrews, Crawar became an influential presence that could not be ignored by the ecclesiastical authorities of the time. The Inquisitor, Lawrence of Lindoris, had Crawar brought into court. However, it became apparent that Crawar had a great intellect and considerable knowledge of the Scriptures. However, his adherence to the teachings of Wycliffe, as upheld by the citizens of Prague, caused him to be branded as a heretic.
In a manner reflective of Wycliffe’s influence, Crawar taught that the Bible should be freely communicated to all people. He also taught that the spiritual power should be subservient to the secular power and that secular judges should be able to bring charges against delinquent members of the clergy, including archbishops. He taught that purgatory was a fable and that the doctrines of transubstantiation and the rites of absolution were delusions, being but human inventions. By contrast, he and other Lollards celebrated the Lord’s Supper in a much more simplified manner, involving no clerical vestments and no canonical hours. They themselves simply began the service with the Lord’s Prayer, then read from the New Testament passages recalling Jesus’ institution of the practice. They distributed the elements using normal, everyday bread and, for the wine, an ordinary cup.
Such was the stranglehold of ecclesiology on Scotland that the Scottish Parliament had passed an act against Lollardism in 1425. Crawar was condemned as a heretic for such views and, indeed, all graduates of the University of St. Andrews took an oath to guard the Church against Lollardism. Since Crawar refused to renounce his beliefs he was led to be burned at the stake, thereby suffering the same fate as his Lollard predecessor James Resby, who was similarly executed in 1407. It is said that Crawar gave his life cheerfully and resolutely. Indeed, Crawar would gladly have preached a last sermon to the assembled crowd before dying, but the authorities prevented this by forcing a ball of brass into his mouth.
Sources:
Patrick Fraser Tytler, History of Scotland, Vol 3, pp283-285
James A. Wylie, The History of Protestantism, Volume Third, Book Twenty-fourth
Posted October 25, 2010
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