In the context of Reformation Sunday and the birthday celebrations of
the Reformed Faith, all of which are well conceived and justified, one
man appears to quietly slip through a crack in the memory of the Church.
His name is John Wycliffe.
Our
tradition reminds us of the ministry of Martin Luther and of 95 theses
nailed to the door of the Cathedral Church in Wittenburg, Germany on
October 31, 1517 -- a banner occasion for the Reformed Church. It also
brings to mind the several issues of confrontation with Rome that were
the hallmark of Luther's career. We recall them with gratitude.
Yet
it was John Wycliffe whom history has dubbed: "The Morning Star of the
Reformation". Born almost 200 years before Luther, in the obscurity of a
tiny village in North Yorkshire, England, Wycliffe completed his early
childhood education in a one-room school and made his way to the
University of Oxford. There he studied first as a student of philosophy
and theology, and then became a full professor in the same field. He was
of stoic demeanor, not given to frivolity, a serious minded man whose
primary interest was always the inspiration and inerrancy of Scripture.
He consistently argued that the Word of God was the primary
authoritative source of Christianity and that it would remain so for all
time.
Despite
the consternation that he caused in the Roman Church, from his earliest
days as an Oxford Don, he postulated several of the key arguments later
embraced by Martin Luther. He wrote a number of tracts and books to
make his ideas known, and especially denounced the notion of a purchased
salvation by means of paid-for indulgences. In addition he warmly
embraced the Biblical doctrines of "Justification by Faith" as a single
act of Sovereign Grace; and Sanctification as the process which means
the Holy Spirit directs in the life of the believer. Both almost unheard
of in their day. Supremely he saw Christ as Sovereign Lord and God, the
Savior of Mankind, and trusted in His substitutionary death.
In his zeal for truth, Wycliffe set to work on his magnum opus , the
translation of the New Testament into the English Language. This had
the dual benefit of delivering the Word of God to the common people of
Britain, while removing the Church from the role of sole interpreter of
truth. Wycliffe's action was fiercely opposed by Rome and vigorous
efforts were made to destroy his work and unseat him from his position
at Oxford. Indeed, some copies of the New Testament were destroyed, but
because there were so many of them, zealously copied by believers, many
survived.
John
Wycliffe, a gentle giant, valiant for the faith once delivered to the
saints, died of a stroke in 1384. It was thirty years later that the
Roman Church, still incensed and still smarting because of Wycliffe's
great influence and his role in pioneering the reformation of the
church, had his bones dug up and publicly burned.
But
give John Wycliffe his due! He was long gone and safe home. He had
already received his "well done, good and faithful servant," from his
Lord.
Wilfred A. Bellamy, Ph.D.
November 2013
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