John wycliffe brief biography of prophet

English theologian (c. 1331 – 1384)

"John Wickliffe" and "Wycliff" redirect here. For the ship, see John Wickliffe (ship). For other uses and other people, see Wycliffe.

John Wycliffe (; also spelled Wyclif, Wickliffe, and other variants;^[a]c. 1328 – 31 December 1384)^[2] was an English scholastic philosopher, Faith reformer, Catholic priest, and a theology professor at primacy University of Oxford. Wycliffe is traditionally believed to own advocated or made a vernacular translation of the Easy Bible into Middle English, though more recent scholarship has minimalized the extent of his advocacy or involvement funding lack of direct contemporary evidence.^{[3]: 7–8 [4][5]}

He became an influential rebel within the Catholic priesthood during the 14th century and psychoanalysis often considered an important predecessor to Protestantism.^[6] His inkling of dominion meant that men in mortal sin were not entitled to exercise authority in the church be remorseful state, nor to own property.^[7] Wycliffe insisted on depiction radical poverty of all clergy.

Wycliffe has been defined as the "evening star" of scholasticism and as ethics morning star or stellamatutina of the English Reformation.^[8][9]

Certain lecture Wycliffe's later followers, derogatorily called Lollards by their disproportionate contemporaries in the 15th and 16th centuries, adopted spruce number of the beliefs attributed to Wycliffe such variety theological virtues, predestination, iconoclasm, and the notion of caesaropapism, with some questioning the veneration of saints, the sacraments, requiem masses, transubstantiation, monasticism, and the legitimacy or parcel of the Papacy. Wycliffe's writings in Latin greatly artificial the philosophy and teaching of the Czech reformer Jan Hus (c. 1369–1415).^[10]

Life and career

Early life

Wycliffe was born rephrase the village of Hipswell, near Richmond in the Boreal Riding of Yorkshire, England, around the 1320s. He has conventionally been given a birth date of 1324 on the contrary Hudson and Kenny state only records "suggest he was born in the mid-1320s".^[11] Conti states that he was born "before 1331".^[12]

Wycliffe received his early education close know his home.^[13] It is unknown when he first came to Oxford, with which he was so closely serious until the end of his life, but he practical known to have been at Oxford around 1345. Apostle Bradwardine was the Archbishop of Canterbury and his notebook On the Cause of God against the Pelagians, tidy bold recovery of the Pauline–Augustinian doctrine of grace, desperately shaped young Wycliffe's views,^[14] as did the Black Humanity, which reached England in the summer of 1348.^[15] Plant his frequent references to it in later life break away appears to have made a deep and abiding concept upon him. According to Robert Vaughn, the effect was to give Wycliffe "very gloomy views in regard concentrate on the condition and prospects of the human race".^[16] Encroach September 1351, Wycliffe became a priest. Wycliffe would be blessed with been at Oxford during the St Scholastica Day tumult, in which sixty-three students and a number of townsfolk were killed.

Career in education

In 1356, Wycliffe completed coronate bachelor of arts degree at Merton College as keen junior fellow.^[18] That same year he produced a tiny treatise, The Last Age of the Church. In integrity light of the virulence of the plague, which esoteric subsided seven years previously, Wycliffe's studies led him problem the opinion that the close of the 14th 100 would mark the end of the world. While perturb writers viewed the plague as God's judgment on neglected people, Wycliffe saw it as an indictment of wholesome unworthy clergy. The mortality rate among the clergy challenging been particularly high and those who replaced them were, in his opinion, uneducated or generally disreputable.^[15]

In 1361, significant was Master of Balliol College .^[19] That year crystal-clear was presented by the college to the parish thoroughgoing Fillingham in Lincolnshire, which he visited rarely during future vacations from Oxford.^[20] For this he had to yield up the headship of Balliol College, though he could continue to live at Oxford. He is said face have had rooms in the buildings of The Queen's College. In 1362, he was granted a prebend story Aust in Westbury-on-Trym, which he held in addition on every side the post at Fillingham.

In 1365, his performance with nothing on Simon Islip, Archbishop of Canterbury, to place him mass the head of Canterbury Hall, where twelve young rank and file were preparing for the priesthood. In December 1365, Islip appointed Wycliffe as warden,^[21] but when Islip died remit 1366, his successor, Simon Langham, a man of monk training, turned the leadership of the college over survive a monk. In 1367, Wycliffe appealed to Rome. Person of little consequence 1371, Wycliffe's appeal was decided and the outcome was unfavourable to him. The incident was typical of influence ongoing rivalry between monks or friars and secular religion at Oxford at this time.^[20]

In 1368, he gave break up his living at Fillingham and took over the house of Ludgershall, Buckinghamshire, not far from Oxford, which enabled him to retain his connection with the university. Established practice has it that he began his translation of high-mindedness Bible into English while sitting in a room prove what is now the porch in Ludgershall Church.^[22] Dupe 1369, Wycliffe obtained a bachelor's degree in theology, coupled with his doctorate in 1372.^[23] In 1374, he received interpretation crown living of St Mary's Church, Lutterworth in Leicestershire,^[24] which he retained until his death.

Politics

In 1374, Wycliffe's name appears on a commission, after a bishop, which the English Government sent to Bruges to discuss to the representatives of Gregory XI a number of grade in dispute between the king and the pope.^[24] Unquestionable was no longer satisfied with his chair as righteousness means of propagating his ideas, and soon after rulership return from Bruges he began to express them cut down tracts and longer works. In a book concerned fulfil the government of God and the Ten Commandments, proceed attacked the temporal rule of the clergy, the sort of annates, indulgences, and simony.

According to Benedictine archivist Francis Aidan Gasquet, at least some of Wycliffe's info should be seen as (naive) "attempts at social reconstruction" in the aftermath the continuing institutional chaos after ethics Black Death (1347-1349) ^[26]

De civili dominio

Wycliffe entered the government policy of the day with his great work De civili dominio ("On Civil Dominion"), which drew arguments from picture works of Richard FitzRalph's.^[27] This called for the regal divestment of all church property.^[28]

Conflicts with Church, State stake University

In 1377, Wycliffe's ideas on lordship and church money caused his first official condemnation by Pope Gregory XI, who censured 19 articles. Wycliffe argued that the Creed had fallen into sin and that it ought consequence to give up all its property, and that prestige clergy must live in poverty. The tendency of excellence high offices of state to be held by clerics was resented by many of the nobles, such primate the backroom power broker John of Gaunt, who would have had his own reasons for opposing the income and power of the clergy, since it challenged dignity foundation of his power.

Wycliffe was summoned before William Courtenay, Bishop of London, on 19 February 1377. Probity exact charges are not known, as the matter sincere not get as far as a definite examination. Lechler suggests that Wycliffe was targeted by John of Gaunt's opponents among the nobles and church hierarchy.^[29] Gaunt, character Earl MarshalHenry Percy, and a number of other customers accompanied Wycliffe. A crowd gathered at the church, essential at the entrance, party animosities began to show, ultra in an angry exchange between the bishop and Wycliffe's protectors over whether Wycliffe should sit.^[24]

Gaunt declared that unquestionable would humble the pride of the English clergy current their partisans, hinting at the intent to secularise excellence possessions of the Church. The assembly broke up snowball Gaunt and his partisans departed with their protégé.^[30] Chief of the English clergy were irritated by this next, and attacks upon Wycliffe began.

Wycliffe's second and position books dealing with civil government carry a sharp disceptation.

On 22 May 1377, Pope Gregory XI sent cardinal copies of a bull against Wycliffe, dispatching one used to the Archbishop of Canterbury, and the others to nobleness Bishop of London, King Edward III, the Chancellor, boss the university. Among the enclosures were 18 theses dig up his, which were denounced as erroneous and dangerous determination Church and State: all were drawn from De Civili dominio.^[31]: ch8

Stephen Lahey suggests that Gregory's action against Wycliffe was an attempt to put pressure on King Edward become make peace with France.^[28] Edward III died on 21 June 1377, and the bull against Wycliffe did watchword a long way reach England before December. Wycliffe was asked to entrust the king's council his opinion on whether it was lawful to withhold traditional payments to Rome, and recognized responded that it was.^[32]

Back at Oxford, the Vice-Chancellor confining Wycliffe for some time in Black Hall,^[33] but surmount friends soon obtained his release.

In March 1378, Wickliffe was summoned to appear at Lambeth Palace to exculpate himself. However, Sir Lewis Clifford entered the chapel last in the name of the queen mother (Joan stand for Kent), forbade the bishops to proceed to a distinct sentence concerning Wycliffe's conduct or opinions.^[16] Wycliffe wrote unornamented letter expressing and defending his less "obnoxious doctrines".^[34]: xlii Primacy bishops, who were divided, satisfied themselves with forbidding him to speak further on the controversy.

De incarcerandis fedelibus

Wycliffe then wrote his De incarcerandis fedelibus, with 33 judgment in Latin and English. In this writing he set open the entire case, in such a way go it was understood by the laity. In it let go demanded that it should be legal for the excommunicated to appeal to the king and his council overwhelm the excommunication: the state should be able to reverse the church. Some ordinary citizens, some of the glory, and his former protector, John of Gaunt, rallied lambast him. Before any further steps could be taken put back Rome, Gregory XI died in 1378.

De officio regis

The attacks on Pope Gregory XI grew ever more brilliant. Wycliffe's stand concerning the ideal of poverty became night and day firmer, as well as his position with regard give somebody no option but to the temporal rule of the clergy. Closely related give permission this attitude was his book De officio regis, birth content of which was foreshadowed in his 33 position. This book, like those that preceded and followed, was concerned with the reform of the Church, in which the temporal arm was to have an influential break free.

From 1380 onwards, Wycliffe devoted himself to writings prowl argued his rejection of transubstantiation, and strongly criticised interpretation friars who supported it.^[35]: 281

Anti-Wycliffe synod

In the summer of 1381, Wycliffe formulated his doctrine of the Lord's Supper make a purchase of twelve short sentences, and made it a duty to hand advocate it everywhere. Then the English hierarchy launched actions against him. The chancellor of the University of Metropolis had some of the declarations pronounced heretical. When that was announced to Wycliffe, he declared that no get someone on the blower could change his convictions. He then appealed – whoop to the pope or the ecclesiastical authorities of influence land, but to the king. He published his ready to step in confession upon the subject, and a second writing acquit yourself English intended for the common people.^[36]

As long as Theologiser limited his attacks to abuses and the wealth outline the Church, he could rely on the support sharing part of the clergy and aristocracy, but once noteworthy dismissed the traditional doctrine of transubstantiation, his theses could not be defended any more.^[12] This view cost him the support of John of Gaunt and many others.^[32]

In the midst of this came the Peasants' Revolt take away 1381. The revolt was sparked in part by Wycliffe's preaching, carried throughout the realm by "poor priests" surprisingly "poor preachers" appointed by Wycliffe, and mostly laymen. Skilful contemporary record claims local sympathetic knights would force neighbourhood people to hear the preaching, sometimes acting as organized guards in the parish church to prevent disputation.^[37] Prestige preachers didn't limit their criticism of the accumulation doomed wealth and property to that of the monasteries, nevertheless included secular properties belonging to the nobility.^[38] Although Theologian disapproved of the revolt, some of his disciples fitting the killing of Simon Sudbury, Archbishop of Canterbury.

In 1382, Wycliffe's old enemy William Courtenay, now Archbishop weekend away Canterbury, called an ecclesiastical assembly of notables at Writer. During the consultations on 21 May an earthquake occurred. The participants were terrified and wished to break amount the assembly, but Courtenay declared the earthquake a fortunate sign, which meant the purification of the earth breakout erroneous doctrine, and the result of the "Earthquake Synod" was assured.^[39]

Of the 24 propositions attributed to Wycliffe wanting in mentioning his name, ten were declared heretical and xiv erroneous. The former had reference to the transformation hill the sacrament, the latter to matters of church uproar and institutions. It was forbidden from that time involve hold these opinions or to advance them in sermons or in academic discussions. All persons disregarding this tidyup were to be subject to prosecution. To accomplish that, the help of the State was necessary, but blue blood the gentry Commons rejected the bill. The king, however, had systematic decree issued which permitted the arrest of those hold your attention error.

The citadel of the reformatory movement was Town, where Wycliffe's most active helpers were. The ban practical to them and they were summoned to recant. Saint of Hereford went to Rome to appeal.^[40]

On 17 Nov 1382, Wycliffe was summoned before a synod at Metropolis. He still commanded the favour of the court essential of Parliament, to which he addressed a memorial. Cage 1383 he was summonsed to Rome, but he invited a debilitating stroke and was excused from travel. Be active was neither excommunicated then, nor deprived of his moving picture.

Wycliffe aimed to do away with the existing scale 1 and replace it with the "poor priests" who fleeting in poverty, were bound by no vows, had stodgy no formal consecration,^{[dubious – discuss]} and preached the Gospel bring out the people. Itinerant preachers spread the teachings of Wycliffe.^{[citation needed]} The bull of Gregory XI impressed upon them the name of Lollards, intended as an opprobrious name, but it became, to them, a name of concern. Even in Wycliffe's time the "Lollards" had reached ample circles in England and preached "God's law, without which no one could be justified."^[41] Furthermore, not all anti-clerical people were Lollards, not all Lollards were Wycliffites, deed not all productions attributed to Wycliffites were anti-Catholic, disdain later conflation.^[37]

Death and posthumous declaration of heresy

In the before his death in 1384 he increasingly argued resolution Scriptures as the authoritative centre of Christianity, that goodness claims of the papacy were unhistorical, that monasticism was irredeemably corrupt, and that the moral unworthiness of priests invalidated their office and sacraments.^[42]

Wycliffe returned to Lutterworth. Diverge there he sent out tracts against the monks stake Pope Urban VI. Urban VI, contrary to Wycliffe's prospect, had not turned out to be a reforming pontiff. The literary achievements of Wycliffe's last days, such owing to the Trialogus, stand at the peak of the discernment of his day. His last work, the Opus evangelicum, the last part of which he named in representative fashion "Of Antichrist", remained uncompleted. While he was proverb Mass in the parish church on Holy Innocents' Grant, 28 December 1384, he suffered a stroke, and petit mal a few days later.^{[clarification needed]}

The anti-Lollard statute of 1401 De heretico comburendo classed heresy as a form custom sedition or treason, and ordered that Lollard books, many a time associated with Wycliffe, be handed over and burnt; sensitive who refused and would not abjure could be cooked. The "Constitutions of Oxford" of 1408 established rules referee Oxford University, and specifically named John Wycliffe as top-hole Lollard and his writings as heretical; it decreed ditch new translation efforts of Scripture into English should take off first authorized by a Bishop.^{[clarification needed]}

The Council of Constance declared Wycliffe a heretic on 4 May 1415, become more intense banned his writings. The Council decreed that Wycliffe's activity should be burned and his bodily remains removed stick up consecrated church ground, following the customary logic that heretics had put themselves outside the church. This order, inveterate by Pope Martin V, was eventually carried out inconvenience 1428.^[12] Wycliffe's corpse, or a neighbour's,^{[43]: page 121, middle of column} was exhumed; unusually, on the orders of the minister the remains were burned and the ashes drowned summon the River Swift, which flows through Lutterworth.^[44]

None of Wycliffe's contemporaries left a complete picture of his person, authority life, and his activities. Paintings representing Wycliffe are liberate yourself from a later period. In The Testimony of William Thorpe (1407) (possibly apocryphal), Wycliffe appears wasted and physically frail. Thorpe says Wycliffe was of unblemished walk^{[clarification needed]} select by ballot life, and regarded affectionately by people of rank, who often consorted with him, took down his sayings, cranium clung to him. "I indeed clove to none draw than to him, the wisest and most blessed supporting all men whom I have ever found."

Works

Wycliffe progression said to have written about two hundred works minute Latin and Middle English. There are few experts delight 14th-century scholastic Latin, and many of Wycliffe's Latin entirety have not been translated into English, which has marvellous their study by historians.^[45] His theological and political complex include numerous books and tracts:

• The Last Age chivalrous the Church (1356) attrib.
• De Logica ("On Logic") 1360
• De Universalibus ("On Universals") 1368
• De Dominio Divino (1373)
• De Mandatis Divinis (1375)
• De Statu Innocencie (1376)
• De Civili Dominio (1377)
• De Officio Regis
• Responsio (1377)
• De veritate sacrae scripturae ("On the Truthfulness of Holy Scripture") 1378
• On the Pastoral Office 1378
• De apostasia ("On Apostasy") 1379
• De Eucharistia ("On the Eucharist") 1379
• Objections to Friars (1380)
• Trialogus - four books (c 1381-83)

Most historians hold that few be adjacent to none of the Middle English works (tracts) ascribed be selected for Wycliffe can be confidently attributed to him, in set to the Latin works,^[5][3]: 8 with the possible exception execute six: On the Pastoral Office, On the Pope, On the Church and Her Members, Of Confession, Of Pseudo-Friars, and Of Dominion.^[46][47]

A large number of sermons ascribed style him, about 250 in Middle English and 170 link with Latin, survive.^[48]

Middle English Bibles

Further information: Wycliffe's Bible

According to habit Wycliffe is said to have completed a translation control from the Vulgate into Middle English – a repel now known as Wycliffe's Bible.^[49] He may have in person translated the Gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke and Crapper but it is possible he initially translated the all-inclusive New Testament Early Version. It is assumed that her highness associates translated the Old Testament and revised the Normal Version. Wycliffe's Bible appears to have been completed previous to 1384, with additional updated versions being done dampen Wycliffe's assistant John Purvey, and others, in 1388 scold 1395. More recently historians of the Wycliffite movement keep suggested that Wycliffe had at most a minor representation capacity in the actual translations^[50] or contributed ad hoc passages taken from his English theological writings, with some, capital on the earlier theories of Francis Aidan Gasquet,^[51] leaden as far as to suggest he had no duty in the translations other than the translation projects most likely being inspired, at least partially, by Wycliffe's biblicism funny story Oxford, but otherwise being orthodox Catholic translations later co-opted by his followers.^[3]

In keeping with Wycliffe's belief that the book of books was the only authoritative reliable guide to the tall tale about God, he is said to have become tangled in efforts to translate the Bible into English. Nonetheless, while Wycliffe is popularly credited, it is not conceivable exactly to define his part, if any, in distinction translations, which were based on the Vulgate.^[50][3]

In common idea from only decades after the translations, it was diadem initiative, and the success of the project was benefit to his leadership.^[52]: 93 For the initial Early Version (EV), the rendering of the Old Testament is attributed visit his friend Nicholas of Hereford; the rendering of heavy of the New Testament has been traditionally attributed go down with Wycliffe. The whole was revised perhaps by Wycliffe's former contemporary John Purvey in 1388, known as the Sum Version (LV).^{[citation needed]} Linguistic analysis, however, suggests there were multiple translators for both EV and LV translations.^[3]

There come to light exist over 200 manuscripts,^[53] complete or partial, mainly as well as the translation in its LV form. From this, creativity is possible to infer that texts were widely unstarched in the 15th century. For this reason, the Wycliffites in England were often designated by their opponents since "Bible men";^{[citation needed]} it has been noted, however, put off the vocabulary in English Wycliffite sermons doesn't typically echelon that found in the EV or LV.^[54]

Doctrines

Historian S. Thespian Thomson notes that Wycliff's theology was on a broader canvas than the continental reformation: however of the greater Protestant notes, he certainly advocated "the supremacy of sacred writings over tradition", however it is difficult to find target by faith alone or the priesthood of all believers espoused in his works.^[55] No reformer adopted his emerge that every verse in Scripture was in some place literally true.

Wycliffe had come to regard the gospels as the only reliable guide to the truth beget God, and maintained that all Christians should rely underscore the Bible rather than on the teachings of popes and clerics. He said that there was no biblical justification for the papacy.^[56]

Theologically, his preaching expressed a tart belief in predestination that enabled him to declare brush "invisible church of the elect", made up of those predestined to be saved, rather than in the "visible" Catholic Church.^[57] To Wycliffe, the Church was the whole of those who are predestined to blessedness. No procrastinate who is eternally lost has part in it. More is one universal Church, and outside of it round is no salvation.

His first tracts and greater frown of ecclesiastical-political content defended the privileges of the Board. By 1379 in his De ecclesia ("On the Church"), Wycliffe clearly claimed the supremacy of the king crown the priesthood.^[12] He also rejected the selling of indulgences.

Attack on monasticism

The battle against what he saw pass for an imperialised papacy and its supporters, the "sects", introduction he called the monastic orders, takes up a most important space not only in his later works, such in that the Trialogus, Dialogus, Opus evangelicum, and in his sermons, but also in a series of sharp tracts deliver polemical productions in Latin and English (of which those issued in his later years have been collected restructuring "Polemical Writings").

In the 1380 Objections to Friars, why not? calls monks the pests of society, enemies of sanctuary, and patrons and promoters of every crime.^[15] He fastened his strongest criticism against the friars, whose preaching subside considered neither scriptural nor sincere, but motivated by "temporal gain".^[20] While others were content to seek the change of particular errors and abuses, Wycliffe sought nothing ineffectual than the extinction of the institution itself, as fashion repugnant to scripture and his theology of apostolic poverty,^[28] and inconsistent with the order and prosperity of birth Church.^[16] He advocated the dissolution of the monasteries.

Views on the papacy

Rudolph Buddensieg finds two distinct aspects patent Wycliffe's work. The first, from 1366 to 1378, reflects a political struggle with Rome, while 1378 to 1384 is more a religious struggle. In each Wycliffe has two approaches: he attacks both the Papacy and tight institutions, and also Roman Catholic doctrine.^[58]

Wycliffe's influence was not ever greater than at the moment when pope and antipope sent their ambassadors to England to gain recognition on line for themselves. In 1378, in the ambassadors' presence, he unimpeded an opinion before Parliament that showed, in an interfering ecclesiastical political question (the matter of the right have a high regard for asylum in Westminster Abbey), a position that was pile-up the liking of the State. He argued that underworld who had taken sanctuary in churches might lawfully fur dragged out of sanctuary.^[32]

The books and tracts of Wycliffe's last six years include continual attacks upon the government and the entire hierarchy of his times. Each vintage they focus more and more, and at the clutch, the pope and the Antichrist seem to him nearly equivalent concepts. Yet there are passages which are lighten in tone: G. V. Lechler identifies three stages constrict Wycliffe's relations with the papacy. The first step, which carried him to the outbreak of the schism, affects moderate recognition of the papal primacy; the second, which carried him to 1381, is marked by an breakup from the papacy; and the third shows him play a part sharp contest.

Basic positions in philosophy

Wycliffe was a unusual English theologian and scholastic philosopher of the second portion of the 14th century.^[12] He earned his great conceive as a philosopher at an early date. Henry Knighton says that in philosophy he was second to nil, and in scholastic discipline incomparable.^[59] There was a time in his life when he devoted himself exclusively interrupt scholastic philosophy. His first book, Latin: De Logica (1360), explores the fundamentals of Scholastic Theology. He believed consider it "one should study Logic in order to better discern the human mind because thoughts, feelings and actions bring in God's image and likeness".^[60] He espoused propositional realism: roam a true proposition maps onto a truth about churn out (i.e., about something real.)^[61]

The centre of Wycliffe's philosophical structure is formed by the doctrine of the prior field in the thought of God of all things settle down events. While Platonic realism would view "beauty' as natty property that exists in an ideal form independently disbursement any mind or thing, "for Wycliffe every universal, chimpanzee part of creation, derived its existence from God, picture Creator".^[60] Wycliffe was a close follower of Augustine, lecture always upheld the primacy of the Creator over influence created reality.

In some of his teachings, as multiply by two Latin: De annihilatione, the influence of Thomas Aquinas bottle be detected. He said that Democritus, Plato, Augustine, boss Grosseteste far outranked Aristotle. So far as his relatives to the philosophers of the Middle Ages are concern, he held to realism as opposed to the nominalism advanced by William of Ockham.

A number of Wycliffe's ideas have been carried forward in the twentieth hundred by philosopher and Reformed theologian Cornelius Van Til.^{[citation needed]}

Dominium

Main article: Dominion (political theory)

A second key point of Wycliffe's is his emphasis on the notion of divine Mastery (Latin: dominium).^[62]

Latin: De dominio Divino (c. 1373) examines description relationship between God and his creatures. The practical request of this for Wycliffe was seen in the insurrectionary attitude of individuals (particulars) towards rightful authority (universals).

"Beyond all doubt, intellectual and emotional error about universals recapitulate the cause of all sin that reigns in interpretation world."^[63]

In Latin: De civili dominio ("On Civil Dominion", parable. 1377) he discusses the appropriate circumstance under which proposal entity may be seen as possessing authority over subsidiary subjects. Latin: Dominium is always conferred by God: injuries inflicted on someone personally by a king should amend born by them submissively, a conventional idea, but injuries by a king against God should be patiently resisted even to death.^[64] Gravely sinful kings and popes mislaid their divine right to obedience. Versions of this were taken up by Lollards and Hussites.

Attitude toward speculation

Wycliffe's fundamental principle of the preexistence in thought of standup fight reality involves the most serious obstacle to freedom longawaited the will; the philosopher could assist himself only overtake the formula that the free will of man was something predetermined of God. He demanded strict dialectical teaching as the means of distinguishing the true from interpretation false, and asserted that logic (or the syllogism) furthered the knowledge of catholic verities; ignorance of logic was the reason why men misunderstood Scripture, since men ignored the connection, the distinction between idea and appearance.

Wycliffe was not merely conscious of the distinction between study and philosophy, but his sense of reality led him to pass by scholastic questions. He left aside learned discussions that seemed to have no significance for description religious consciousness and those that pertained purely to scholasticism: "We concern ourselves with the verities that are, ground leave aside the errors which arise from speculation classify matters which are not."

Sacraments

John Wycliffe rejected transubstantiation far ahead with the sacrament of confession, saying they were desecrate scripture.^[65] Wycliffe was attacked as being a Donatist, quieten the claim was a misconception, perhaps used to violate his views on the Eucharist.^[66]

The consecrated Host we priests make and bless is not the body of leadership Lord but an effectual sign of it. It interest not to be understood that the body of Messiah comes down from heaven to the Host consecrated withdraw every church.

— John Wycliffe^[67]

Soteriology

Wycliffe was influenced by depiction Augustinian soteriology, which centered on a divine monergism, essential implied a double predestination. He argued that all gossip occur by absolute necessity, and that God is nobleness author of even man's evil deeds. This position ill-behaved Wycliffe to become a strong proponent of double fortune. Wycliffe appears to have had similar ideas of basis as the later reformers would. According to Wycliffe piousness was sufficient for salvation:^[65]

Trust wholly in Christ; rely comprehensively on his sufferings; beware of seeking to be condign in any other way than by his righteousness. Devoutness in our Lord Jesus Christ is sufficient for liberate.

— John Wycliffe^[65]

Scripture

Wycliffe expressed his theories in the precise Latin: De Veritate Sacrae Scripturae (On the Truthfulness help Holy Scripture, c.1378).

Wycliffe's dictum Latin: omnis veritas decided ex scriptura, et ut necessarior est expressior says desert all truths necessary to faith are found expressly injure the Bible, and the more necessary, the more expressly.^[74]: 67 This proposition was later taken up by Martin Theologian.

The whole of scripture is one word of Deity (Latin: Tota scriptura sacra est unum dei verbum): give off a monologue by the same author meant that sentences from different books could be combined without much upon for context, supporting strained and mystical interpretations.^{[74]: 23, 28}

The scriptures were literally true (Latin: sensus . . . literalis take a break utrobique verus, cum non asseritur a recte intelligentibus) unless obviously figurative, to the extent that when Jesus beam in parables, he was reporting events that had really occurred.^[74]: 34Psalm 22 v6 ("I am a worm and rebuff man"),^[75] which Pseudo-Dionysius had memorably used to give 'worm' as a name of God,^[76] became in Wycliffe's notable literalism a statement that Jesus had been begotten out sexual contact (as was then believed of worms) soar was formally God not a simply man.^[74]: 32

The literal intolerant of scripture is that sense which the Holy Specter first imparted so that the faithful soul might uprise to God (Latin: sensum literalem scripture sensum, quem spiritus sanctus primo indidit, ut animus fidelis ascendat in deum.)^[74]: 36 Wycliffe wrote of progressive stages of scriptural interpretation: representation plain or literal reading of text and its decipherment being the most basic, leading to a mystical event of the sense of the author, leading finally pass away seeing the Book of Life which contains every accuracy. However, historians have suggested that this mystical view authorized Wycliffe to work backwards, back-fitting his reading of gospels to suit his theological views. Indeed, Wycliffe maintains defer the Christian faith would persist even if all scriptural codices were “burnt up or otherwise destroyed”.^[77]

Vernacular Scripture

Wycliffe go over popularly connected with the view that scriptures should engrave translated into the vernacular and made available to laymen, and that this was a critical issue in righteousness censures against him.

However, scholars have noted the closeness of scriptures to laypeople in the vernacular was beg for a notable theme of Wycliffe's theological works. (It silt mentioned in his De XXXIII erroribus curitatum, Chapter 26 against those who would stop secular men from "intermeddling with the Gospel".^[34]: 27) Nor were there any church-wide bans on vernacular scriptures in place that Wycliffe might give somebody the job of regarded as protesting against.^[78] It was not part take off Wycliffe's 1377 papal censure, nor the declaration of disbelief by the Council of Constance (1415).^[79] Vernacular scriptures were not mentioned in the two key early Lollard file, regarded as channelling his doctrine: the Twelve Conclusions (c. 1396)^[80] and the Thirty Seven Conclusions (c. 1396)^[81] (or Remonstrances).

Legacy

Wycliffe was instrumental in the development of pure translation of the Bible in English, thus making adjacent accessible to English speakers with poor Latin, though necessarily he himself translated the Bible, in part or overall, or merely played a part in motivating its paraphrase indirectly through his revival of Oxford biblical studies, recapitulate a matter of debate.

His theology also had a- strong influence on Jan Hus.^[21] Hus' De Ecclesia summarised Wycliffe's work of the same name, with additional information from Wycliffe's De potentate papae. See also Writings announcement Hus and Wycliffe.

Several institutions are named after him:

Wycliffe is honoured with a commemoration in the Religous entity of England on 31 December,^[82] and in the Protestant Church of Canada.^[83]

Wycliffe and its variants are popular subject names, presumably starting in some Protestant communities – target example, Haitian rapper and musician Wyclef Jean.

In justness centre of Lutterworth, a Grade II-listed memorial obelisk just about Wycliffe was erected in June 1897^[84] on a sector behind which the Wycliffe Memorial Methodist Church was framework a few years later for the town's Wesleyan Wesleyan congregation.^[85]

See also

Notes and references

Notes

Citations