Český bratr

Český bratr (familiarly known as Brácha or Bruder) is the official monthly magazine of the Evangelical Church of Czech Brethren (Českobratrská církev evangelická, ČCE). It has been published since 1924, when it was founded by the church's synod committee in response to a long-expressed need among Czech Evangelicals for their own church periodical. The magazine appears twelve times a year, with one double issue (usually in July) that contains more pages; a standard issue runs 44–48 pages. The magazine's content focuses primarily on events in the Evangelical environment, but it also covers significant news from outside the church context. In addition to reports, interviews and reflective essays, it publishes reviews of newly released books with spiritual themes. It is described as an ecumenically open magazine that, alongside its regular columns, addresses various social questions; readers can find interviews with interesting personalities not only from the church world but also from culture and science, commentaries on current events, and reflections on ecological issues. Český bratr is published by the Evangelical Church of Czech Brethren and is based in Prague. Its editorial team consists of an editor-in-chief, a language editor, and a standing editorial board of approximately ten members appointed by the synod council on the proposal of the editor-in-chief, with no fixed term. A wide circle of external contributors includes prominent theologians (such as Tomáš Halík, Jan Štefan, Petr Sláma, Miloš Rejchrt), experts (literary historian Martin C. Putna, historian and theologian Martin Vaňáč, psychologist Bohumila Baštecká, semiotician Josef Šlerka) and laypeople, as well as members of other churches and people outside church circles. In addition to the magazine, the editorial team publishes the Sbírka kázání (Collection of Sermons, ISSN 0231-7419), issued twice a year and ordered separately, which contains homiletic texts serving as an aid for so-called read services (led by an authorized layperson). In autumn 2020 the Sbírka kázání was revitalized: it gained a new editorial board and changed its format (larger A4 instead of the previous A5) and graphic design. A freely accessible archive of the magazine on its official website contains issues in PDF format from 2011 onward. Issues from 1927–2015 are freely available via digitalniknihovna.cz, where they were made accessible by the Moravian Library. In 2024, on the occasion of the magazine's 100th anniversary, a special issue was published summarizing the magazine's history and offering a look at the present, including a behind-the-scenes view and an interview with the current editor-in-chief; the editorial team also prepared a dedicated website with further interesting material connected to the magazine.

Český bratr was founded in 1924 by the synod committee of the Evangelical Church of Czech Brethren (ČCE). Its establishment was a response to the repeatedly expressed need of Czech Evangelicals for their own church magazine. The magazine has been published continuously since then, appearing twelve times a year, with one double issue (usually in July) containing more pages; a standard issue has 44–48 pages. A same-named magazine that Jan Hrozný, a member of the Reformed Church of the Helvetic Confession, began publishing in Prague on 1 January 1886 at a price of 1.5 gold coins, has nothing to do with this church periodical. The publication of B. Hrozný's magazine was halted in July 1915, and before that state censorship interfered with its content. After 1989, the leadership of the magazine changed several times: Jaroslav Vetter (1986–1991), Zdeněk Susa (1991–1993), Lydie Roskovcová (1994–2002), Jan Mamula (2003–2009), Tomáš Pavelka (2009–2010), Daniela Ženatá (2010–2020), and Adéla Rozbořilová (2020–present). In addition to the editor-in-chief and a language editor, the magazine has a standing editorial board of approximately ten members, appointed by the synod council on the proposal of the editor-in-chief, with no fixed term. The authorial milieu includes many external contributors, among them prominent theologians (e.g. Tomáš Halík, Jan Štefan, Petr Sláma, Miloš Rejchrt), experts (e.g. literary historian Martin C. Putna, historian and theologian Martin Vaňáč, psychologist Bohumila Baštecká, semiotician Josef Šlerka) and laypeople. Members of other churches and people outside church circles also contribute. The editorial team also publishes the Sbírka kázání (Collection of Sermons, ISSN 0231-7419), issued twice a year and ordered separately. It contains homiletic texts serving as an aid for so-called read services (led by an authorized layperson). In autumn 2020 the Sbírka kázání was revitalized: it gained a new editorial board and changed its format (larger A4 instead of the previous A5) and graphic design. A freely accessible archive of the magazine on its official website contains issues in PDF format from 2011 onward. Issues from 1927–2015 are freely available via digitalniknihovna.cz, where they were made accessible by the Moravian Library. In 2024, on the occasion of the 100th anniversary of the magazine's founding, a special issue was published summarizing the magazine's history and offering a look at the present, including a behind-the-scenes view and an interview with the current editor-in-chief; the editorial team also prepared a dedicated website with further interesting material connected to the magazine.

• 2024

  Special 100th anniversary issue published, summarizing the magazine's history and offering a look at the present; dedicated website prepared.

• 2020

  Adéla Rozbořilová becomes editor-in-chief; Sbírka kázání revitalized in autumn with new editorial board, A4 format and new graphic design.

• 2011

  PDF archive of issues from 2011 onward made freely accessible on the official website.

• 2010

  Daniela Ženatá becomes editor-in-chief (until 2020).

• 2009

  Tomáš Pavelka becomes editor-in-chief (until 2010).

• 2003

  Jan Mamula becomes editor-in-chief (until 2009).

• 1994

  Lydie Roskovcová becomes editor-in-chief (until 2002).

• 1991

  Zdeněk Susa becomes editor-in-chief (until 1993).

• 1986

  Jaroslav Vetter becomes editor-in-chief (until 1991).

• 1924

  Český bratr founded by the synod committee of the Evangelical Church of Czech Brethren.

Ecumenically open church monthly for the Evangelical public and broader readership, covering church life, society, culture, science and ecology.

• Český bratr monthly magazine

  Published 12 times a year, with one double issue (usually July) of more pages; standard issue 44–48 pages. Covers Evangelical church life, society, culture, science and ecology.

• Sbírka kázání (Collection of Sermons)

  Published twice a year, ISSN 0231-7419, ordered separately; contains homiletic texts for read services. Revitalized in autumn 2020 with new editorial board, A4 format and new graphic design.

1. 1Evangelický měsíčník Český bratrceskybratr.cz
2. 2Český bratr – Wikidatawikidata.org
3. 3Český bratr – Wikipediecs.wikipedia.org