Morning Star of the Reformation ~ 1324-1384 AD
Nearly two hundred years before the reformation a man name John Wycliffe was rector of a parish in Lutterworth. He had previously been both a student and a master at Oxford University. Many of Wycliffe’s ideas were like those of Luther, Calvin and other reformers. John Wycliffe devoted himself to the study of the scripture. He considered the Bible as the ultimate authority putting the Church and Pope only of secondary authority.
Called ‘the Master of Errors,’ John Wycliffe was accused by the Pope of heresy. There were multiple reasons for this charge; John believed the Church should not sell indulgences (get rich through taxes and money paid by the people for 'forgiveness of sin') but rather should follow Christ’s example of poverty and generosity instead of storing up treasure on earth. Wycliffe rejected the Catholic belief of Transubstantiation (the bread and wine becoming the actual body and blood of Christ). He believed in predestination (that before the creation of the world God chose some to have everlasting life, these receive salvation through Christ) and salvation by faith alone (not by works but by believing in Christ Jesus our Lord).
Wycliffe believed that people should be able read the bible in their native language. At this time the bible was read in Latin (which most people couldn't understand) and even these were not available to the common people. After the Pope confined him to his parish because of his so called heretical teaching, he set his time to translating the bible into English. Just one copy of the bible took ten months to copy out by hand. He made his translation from the Latin text.
Wycliffe never finished his translation. His friend finished it for him and those who followed in Wycliffe's steps received extreme persecution.The Pope condemned and excommunicated John Wycliffe forty three years after he died; his remains were dug up and burned then the ashes thrown into the river Swift. Just as the river took his remains out to sea so his ideas spread throughout the world. In the 20th century a new mission called themselves 'Wycliffe Bible Translates' and following his example are seeking to translate the scripture into every language so that every person can read the bible in their own tongue. It is estimated that there are more than 2000 languages that have some of the scripture translated into them but there may be still more than 1000 languages with no part of the bible yet translated.
And they sang a new song, saying,
“Worthy are you to take the scroll
and to open its seals,
for you were slain, and by your blood you ransomed people for God
from every tribe and language and people and nation,
and you have made them a kingdom and priests to our God,
and they shall reign on the earth.”
(Revelation 5:9-10)
http://www.britannia.com/bios/jwycliffe.html
http://christianity.about.com/od/Christians-In-History/a/John-Wycliffe.htm
http://www.greatsite.com/timeline-english-bible-history/john-wycliffe.html
http://www.christianitytoday.com/ch/131christians/moversandshakers/wycliffe.html
http://wycliffe.org.au/
And they sang a new song, saying,
“Worthy are you to take the scroll
and to open its seals,
for you were slain, and by your blood you ransomed people for God
from every tribe and language and people and nation,
and you have made them a kingdom and priests to our God,
and they shall reign on the earth.”
(Revelation 5:9-10)
http://www.britannia.com/bios/jwycliffe.html
http://christianity.about.com/od/Christians-In-History/a/John-Wycliffe.htm
http://www.greatsite.com/timeline-english-bible-history/john-wycliffe.html
http://www.christianitytoday.com/ch/131christians/moversandshakers/wycliffe.html
http://wycliffe.org.au/
