What is Utraquism? What is an Utraquist?

Response

The term Utraquism originates from a Latin expression that means “under both kinds.” The phrase “both kinds” refers to both components of the Lord’s Table (communion, Eucharist.) An Utraquist was an individual who believed that those partaking in communion should receive both the bread and the cup.

The traditional Roman Catholic stance had been that the laity could only partake of the bread (wafer) during the Eucharist, while the wine was reserved for the clergy. This custom was upheld for various reasons rooted in the Catholic belief of transubstantiation—wherein the bread and wine truly become the body and blood of the Lord. They also taught that the wafer contains both the body and blood of the Lord. Traditional Catholic practice prohibited worshippers from drinking from the cup due to concerns that they might spill or drip the blood of Christ, which could then be trampled underfoot, deemed sacrilegious.

In the early fifteenth century, Jan Hus, a Catholic priest in Bohemia, began to protest against certain abuses within the Catholic Church. One of the reforms Hus supported was permitting the laity to receive both the bread and the wine at Mass. This stance was known as Utraquism, and those who supported it (following Hus on this matter, though not necessarily on others) were referred to as Utraquists. An Utraquist could also be known as a Calixtin or Calixtine (derived from the Latin term for “chalice,” which is the vessel holding the wine).

While the Utraquists did advocate for this specific reform, they did not align with Hus on many other issues. Hus was ultimately condemned and executed by burning at the stake, but Utraquists were generally regarded as orthodox Christians by the Council of Basel in 1433.

During that era, religion and politics were deeply intertwined. Challenging the absolute authority of the Roman Catholic Church on a theological matter could potentially weaken it.Its political authority. If the Church’s influence over the masses was diminished, other political factions that gathered around the disputed theological issue might have the chance to gain popularity and control. This indicated that Utraquists posed a threat to the Catholic authorities.

George of Poděbrady was an Utraquist who opposed the pro-Catholic ruling party in Bohemia (the Czech Republic today) and seized the capital, Prague, in 1448. The pro-Catholic Hapsburg king Ladislav was a minor at that time, and a compromise was made to allow George to govern as regent until the king reached adulthood. Ladislav ascended to power in 1453 but passed away unexpectedly in 1457, leading to George’s election as king in 1458. George stood firm against the pope’s political demands, prompting the pope to try to incite the nobles against him.

These religious and political tensions persisted in Bohemia for the ensuing 150 years, resulting in the establishment of a distinct Utraquist church during that period. Utraquism became the prevailing belief in Bohemia. Eventually, an Utraquist military force was defeated by the Holy Roman Emperor’s armies at the Battle of White Mountain (near Prague) in 1620. Subsequently, Utraquism was prohibited in Bohemia.

Presently, Protestants adhere to Utraquism, and the laity partake of both the bread and wine during communion. The Roman Catholic Church now permits the priest some discretion in deciding whether to allow this practice. The official Catholic doctrine maintains that the body and blood of the Lord are inseparable, so anyone consuming the bread effectively receives both the body and blood of the Lord.