John Wycliffe
Theologian / Translator
John Wycliffe (sometimes Wyclif) was a scholar at Oxford who wrote on philosophy and theology. In the 1370s he was condemned for errors and heresies by Popes Gregory XI and Urban VI, but his popularity in England allowed him to escape arrest and persecution by the Church. In 1380 Wyclif claimed that transubstantiation was not supported by the Bible; he was condemned at Oxford as a heretic and forced to retire. After his retirement he continued to write and is credited with initiating the first full English translation of the Bible. His followers, called Lollards, are considered forerunners to the Protestant Reformation.Wycliffe appears in our loop Exhumation Celebration.
Four Good Links
John Wyclif
Tells the story of his career
The Lollards
Some background about religious dissenters
The Theology of John Wycliffe
From the Living Word Bible Church; includes another section on his influence
John Wyclif
The Catholic Encylopedia's take on him and his influence
Vital Stats
Birth
c. 1324
Birthplace
Death
31 December 1384
(age 60)
Best Known As
Church reformer who translated the Bible into English
