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JOHN WYCLIFFE "Morning Star of the Reformation"

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JOHN WYCLIFFE JOHN WYCLIFFE "Morning Star of the Reformation" The Gospel light began to shine in the 1300’s when John Wycliffe, the “Morn- ing Star of the Reformation,” began to speak out against the abuses and false teachings prevalent within the Roman Catholic Church in England. An influential teacher at Oxford, Wycliffe was expelled from his teaching position because of his outspoken stance. Wycliffe was convinced that every man, woman, and child had the right to read God’s Word in their own language. He knew that only the Scriptures could break the bondage that enslaved the people. With the help of his followers, he completed his Middle English translation in 1382 -- the first English translation of the Bible. But how to spread God’s Word? The printing press had not yet been invented, and it took 10 months for one person to copy a single Bible by hand. Wycliffe recruited a group of men that shared his passion for spreading God’s Word, and they became known as “Lollards.” Many Lollards left worldly possessions behind and embraced an ascetic life-style, setting out across England dressed in only basic clothing, a staff in one hand, and armed with an English Bible. They went to preach Christ to the common people The Roman Catholic clergy set out to destroy this movement, passing laws against the "Lollard" teaching and their Bibles. When the Lollards were caught, they were tortured and burned at the stake. A Lollard knew that when he received a Bible from John Wycliffe and was sent out to preach, he was mostly likely going to his own death. Yet they faced death to preach the Gospel and bring the Bible to people in their own language. In 1384 Wycliffe died of a stroke, but the Lollards continued to preach. The Church clergy made every effort to kill the Lollards and burn Wycliffe’s English Bibles. 44 years after his death, the Church clergy was still furious with Wycliffe and what he stood for. The Pope had his bones dug up and, along with some of his writings, had them burned and thrown into the River Swift. The Pope thought this act of desecration would deter anyone else who thought about translating the Bible into the vernacular. But just as Wycliffe’s ashes flowed down the River Swift, to the English Channel, and eventually connecting to the world’s oceans, so his influence has spread to every part of the earth. NOTES FROM BOOK (PAGE 42) Notice the language changes . 1) Find examples of the GVS (Great Vowel Shift) 2) Find examples of how inflected the language at this stage ( word endings) 3) Find examples of the Germanic/Scandinavian roots of the language. 4) Find examples of how words have changed in meaning. 5) Notice the phonetic spellings & find examples! Wyclif, On Indulgences In Wyclif’s On Indulgences, he condemns the church practice of granting indulgences long before Luther posted his 95 Theses at Wittenberg. He writes . In such infinite blasphemies is the infatuated church involved, especially by the means of the tail of this dragon—that is, the sects of the friars, who labor in the cause of this illusion, and of other Luciferian seductions of the church. But arise, O soldiers of Christ! Be wise to fling away these things, along with the other fictions of the prince of darkness, and put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and confide, undoubtedly, in your own weapons, and sever from the church such frauds of Antichrist, and teach the people that in Christ alone and in his law, and in his members, they should trust; that in so doing, they may be saved through his goodness, and learn above all things honestly to detect the devices of Antichrist! Wyclif, Psalm 23 compared to KJV Psalm 23 1 The Lord gouerneth me, and no thing schal faile to me; 2 in the place of pasture there he hath set me. He nurschide me on the watir of refreischyng; 3 he conuertide my soule. He ledde me forth on the pathis of riÞtfulnesse; for his name. 4 For whi thouÞ Y schal go in the myddis of schadewe of deeth; Y schal not drede yuels, for thou art with me. Thi Þerde and thi staf; tho han coumfortid me. 5 Thou hast maad redi a boord in my siÞt; aÞens hem that troblen me. Thou hast maad fat myn heed with oyle; and my cuppe, fillinge greetli, is ful cleer. 6 And thi mercy schal sue me; in alle the daies of my lijf. And that Y dwelle in the hows of the Lord; in t o the lengthe of daies. King James Version 1 The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want. 2 He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters. 3 He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name’s sake. 4 Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me. 5 Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over. 6 Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the LORD for ever. Lollard Conclusions, 1394 1. That when the the Church of England began to go mad after temporalities, like its great stepmother the Roman Church, and churches were authorized to by appropriation in divers places, faith, hope, and charity began to flee from our Church.... 2. That our usual priesthood which began in Rome, pretended to be of power more lofty than the angels, is not that priesthood which Christ ordained for his apostles.... 3. That the law of continence enjoined on priests, which was first ordained to the prejudice of women, brings sodomy into all the Holy Church, but we excuse ourselves by the Bible because the decree says that we should not mention it, though suspected.... 4. That the pretended miracle of the sacrament of bread drives all men but a few to idolotry, because they think that the Body of Christ which is never away from heaven could by power of the priest’s word be enclosed essentially in a little bread which they show the people.... 5. That exorcisms and blessings performed over wine, bread, water and oil, salt, wax, and incense, the stones of the altar, and church walls, over clothing, mitre, cross, and pilgrim’s staves, are the genuine performance of necromancy rather than of sacred theology.... 6. That king and bishop in one person, prelate and judge in temporal causes, curate and officer in secular office, puts any kingdom beyond good rule... 7. That special prayers for the souls of the dead offered in our Church, preferring one before another in name, are a false foundation of alms, and for that reason all houses of alms in England have been wrongly founded.... 8. That pilgrimages, prayers, and offerings made to blind crosses or roods, and to deaf images of wood or stone, are pretty well akin to idolotry and far from alms, and although these be forbidden and imagi- nary, a book of error to the layfolk, still the customary image of the Trinity is specially abominable.... 9. That auricular confession which is said to be so necessary to the salvation of a man, with its pretended power of absolution, exalts the arrogance of priests and gives them opportunity of other secret collo- quies which we will not speak of; for both lords and ladies attest that, for fear of their confessors, they dare not speak the truth.... 10. That manslaughter in war, or by law of justice for a temporal cause, without spiritual revelation, is expressly contrary to the New Testament, which indeed is the law of grace and full of mercies... 11. That the vow of continence made in our Church by women who are frail and imperfect in nature is the cause of bringing the gravest horrible sins possible to human nature, because, although the killing of abortive children before they are baptized and the destruction of nature by drugs are vile sins, yet connection with themselves or beasts of any creature not having life surpasses them in foulness to such an extent as that they should be punished with the pains of hell. 12. That the abundance of unnecessary arts practised in our realm nourishes much sin in waste, profusion, and disguise....since St. Paul says, “having food and raiment, let us be therewith content,” it seems to us that goldsmiths and armorers and all kinds of arts not necessary for a man, according to the apostle, should be destroyed for the increase of virtue.....
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