The Rev. Pavel Černý was called to be a theologian during the 1968 Soviet invasion of Prague. His doctoral work (2006) included studies on the influence of Marxism, Liberation Theology and the KGB within the World Council of Churches. He is a former president of Church of the Brethren, a former vice-chairman (2001-2005) and chairman (2005-2009) of the World Council of Churches in the Czech Republic, and a teacher of practical theology at the Evangelical Theological Seminary in Prague.