The vocation of clergy in the religious cultures in Bohemia at the end of 19th century

Abstract

The author analyses the socioeconomic and family conditions, as well as the spiritual motivation for the choice of vocation of clergymen, and their persuasion techniques in the application forms for the Prague seminary in 1880s. He compares those with the first generation of the Czech Free Reformed Church pastors.

Finally, the author evaluates the semantics of the term 'vocation' in the historical context.

Keywords

• vocation
• clergy
• priest
• pastor
• seminary
• religion
• culture
• secularization
• Czech lands
• Bohemia
• 19th century