MARTIN KMEC
KATEDRA CIRKEVNÝCH DEJÍN EVANJELICKÁ BOHOSLOVECKÁ FAKULTA
UNIVERZITA KOMENSKÉHO V BRATISLAVE
DEPARTMENT OF CHURCH HISTORY EVANGELICAL LUTHERAN THEOLOGICAL FACULTY
COMENIUS UNIVERSITY BRATISLAVA
THE WAYS OF SPREADING THEOLOGICAL IDEAS AND WORKS OF J. A. COMENIUS IN THE SLOVAKIAN
TERRITORY UNTIL THE END OF THE 17TH CENTURY
Abstract: J. A. Comenius’ theological ideas were well-received in the northern regions of Austro-
Hungarian Empire (what is today Slovakia). Many of his notable works were spread across the region
in various ways. Geographical and language affinity of today’s Slovakia, Moravia and the Czech lands
constituted optimal conditions for not only cultural, economic, or church relations, but also for
personal connections. This was the case especially after the year 1624 and even more after 1628,
during the time of religious exile of Czech non-Catholic priests, middle-class, and nobility, following
the defeat of the Protestant forces in the Battle of White Mountain.
We examined the main congregations of Unitas Fratrum (United Brotherhood) in Slovakia, which
helped us appreciate the role of exile print for distribution and popularization of Comenius’ practical
religious works. The theological tradition of Comenius found several paths into Slovakia. We can
detect its presence at Protestants city schools, among students, and individual people. Besides the
members of Unitas Fratrum, the main role of spreading theological ideas and works of J.A. Comenius
can be attributed to the printing of his books and rich contacts between Comenius and people in
what is today Slovakia and as well as lower Hungary. The main goal of this paper is to identify and
describe the ways of how J. A. Comenius’ theological ideas and works spread the territory of Upper
Hungary (Slovakia) during the 17th century.
Keywords: John Amos Comenius; Slovakia; Comenius’ theology; Unitas Fratrum; Czech-Moravian
exiles
THEOLOGICAL REVIEW, Vol. 92, 2021, No. 3, Number of Article 2, p. 258 – 267.
DOI: 10.14712/12117617.92.3.2