Truth Prevails: The Undying Faith of Jan Hus

Who was Jan Hus? A hero? A heretic? A saint? A martyr? A deluded man? Filmmakers Jerry and Misha Griffith's Truth Prevails profiles the life of the reform-minded 14th-century Bohemian cleric who defied pope, emperor, and king, only to be imprisoned, labeled a heretic, and burned at the stake. The documentary looks at Hus' life as a scholar, reformer, nationalist, revolutionary, and victim, weaving together several complex storylines with the aid of scholarly commentary, interviews, location footage, and beautiful art work. The film opens in Rome in December 1999, at the end of eight years of scholarly investigation into Hus' life at the behest of Pope John Paul II, and concludes with a defense of religious freedom and an apology for Hus' cruel death, with the Church admitting its error in wrongly condemning an innocent man whose only crime was seeking God. An epilogue contains a startling revelation: Frantisek Holecek, one of the papal scholars interviewed here, was later found to be a member of the secret police, selling information to the Russians while contributing to the investigation of Hus' case. A high quality offering from the Christian History Institute, this informative and provocative documentary features DVD extras including extended interviews, a historical timeline, and a downloadable PDF discussion guide. Highly recommended. Aud: H, C, P. (J. Reed)