Prague, Czechia—UPF held a special lecture to honor the 17th century Czech pedagogue, philosopher and religious leader John Amos Comenius.
Four hundred years have passed since the appearance of his famous work Labyrinth of the World and Paradise of the Heart, written in 1623.
To mark this occasion, the Czech chapter of UPF held a lecture titled “Comenius Today” on June 7, 2023. A total of 21 persons attended the meeting in the Prague Peace Embassy.
Comenius (Jan Amos Komenský in Czech), born in the Czech region of Moravia, is considered the father of modern education. He served as the last bishop of the Unity of the Brethren before becoming a religious refugee and one of the earliest champions of universal education, a concept eventually set forth in his book Didactica Magna. As an educator and theologian, he led schools and advised governments across Protestant Europe through the middle of the 17th century.
Dr. Adolf Inneman, a scientist, philosopher, researcher and expert on Comenius, pointed out his significance for the present time. Comenius searched for peace. In his lifetime there were many wars, usually because of religion, i.e., the Thirty Years’ War (1618-48). He claimed that people should be educated for peace from a very young age.
Comenius is known for his universal education methods. We should not only teach skills but also educate the character and heart of children, Dr. Inneman said. There are universal laws based on God’s creation, and we need to know them and live according to them, he said.
John Amos Comenius was a bishop of the Unity of the Brethren church, which had its roots in the teaching of Czech reformer Jan Hus. His famous book Labyrinth of the World and Paradise of the Heart represents his thinking about the world being full of various useless things and complex labyrinths. True peace of mind and soul can be found only in one's heart when Christ the Savior dwells and rules there.
The presentation was enriched by readings from Comenius’ texts, beautiful music, and a video presentation about Comenius.
This lecture was streamed by an alternative platform stream, on which 560 people were watching.