The most important obligation that Wycliffe spent his whole life to pursue was to get the Bible as well as its message into the language and the heart of people. After calling for secularization of English church property, he was accused as sacrilege because his writings had increased criticism in the church and threatened the powerful positions of the hierarchy. Even though he was forbidden to make any more further arguments on such matters, he continued his reforming attempts. One of his most significant contributions at this time was translating and writing out the New Testament in English (Pettinger). Because the gospel was to be given freely, Wycliffe believed that everybody should be able to read the Scriptures rather than rely on the
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Many years later and even decades after his death, John Wycliffe and his teachings were still considered as a great threat to the power of the Church. The English version of his Bible as well as many of his works therefore was sought to destroyed by the church hierarchy (Pettinger). In 1401, Archbishop Arundel declared a rule that forbidden people to translate the Bible into English and read Wycliffe’s writings (Butler). Thirty years after his death, his bones were digged up and burned after the Council of Constance once again condemned him as a heretic (Curtis). However, the fire was used to burn his body could not destroy his inspiration but lit up a glowing illumination that would light up the future Reformation. As John Foxes praised in his book of martyrs: “Though they digged up his body, burnt his bones, and drowned his ashes, yet the Word of God and the truth of his doctrine, with the fruit and success thereof, they could not burn; which yet to this day… doth …show more content…
His studies towards the importance of Scripture and his view of the Church as a spiritual institution became the substructure on which later Reformation would be built and related. Despite the condemnation of the church over his teachings, many religious believers who were disgusted with the abuses existing in the church decided to follow Wycliffe and preached his studies widely. Czech students at Oxford carried his beliefs to Bohemia. Here, John Hus, one of the most enthusiastic followers of Wycliffe led the call for reforms and attracted many followers knowns as Hussites. Hus was accused of preaching heresy, yet he was willing to die to protect his beliefs. He was burned at the stake in 1415 by an order of execution from the Church council (Koch)(Esler). Nevertheless, the fire of Reformation could not be extinguished but strongly survived and developed over time. A century later, the destiny of the church was about to change when Martin Luther, a serious Augustinian priest and monk, sparked theological debate by posting his Ninety-five Theses in which indulgences abuses were attacked on the church door at Wittenberg. Following the first action, Luther strongly disregarded and criticized many religious practices that were unscriptural as John Wycliffe had done before. He also completed translating the Bible from Latin to German in order to bring words of the gospel close to the ordinary
Many years later and even decades after his death, John Wycliffe and his teachings were still considered as a great threat to the power of the Church. The English version of his Bible as well as many of his works therefore was sought to destroyed by the church hierarchy (Pettinger). In 1401, Archbishop Arundel declared a rule that forbidden people to translate the Bible into English and read Wycliffe’s writings (Butler). Thirty years after his death, his bones were digged up and burned after the Council of Constance once again condemned him as a heretic (Curtis). However, the fire was used to burn his body could not destroy his inspiration but lit up a glowing illumination that would light up the future Reformation. As John Foxes praised in his book of martyrs: “Though they digged up his body, burnt his bones, and drowned his ashes, yet the Word of God and the truth of his doctrine, with the fruit and success thereof, they could not burn; which yet to this day… doth …show more content…
His studies towards the importance of Scripture and his view of the Church as a spiritual institution became the substructure on which later Reformation would be built and related. Despite the condemnation of the church over his teachings, many religious believers who were disgusted with the abuses existing in the church decided to follow Wycliffe and preached his studies widely. Czech students at Oxford carried his beliefs to Bohemia. Here, John Hus, one of the most enthusiastic followers of Wycliffe led the call for reforms and attracted many followers knowns as Hussites. Hus was accused of preaching heresy, yet he was willing to die to protect his beliefs. He was burned at the stake in 1415 by an order of execution from the Church council (Koch)(Esler). Nevertheless, the fire of Reformation could not be extinguished but strongly survived and developed over time. A century later, the destiny of the church was about to change when Martin Luther, a serious Augustinian priest and monk, sparked theological debate by posting his Ninety-five Theses in which indulgences abuses were attacked on the church door at Wittenberg. Following the first action, Luther strongly disregarded and criticized many religious practices that were unscriptural as John Wycliffe had done before. He also completed translating the Bible from Latin to German in order to bring words of the gospel close to the ordinary