Wycliffe

John Wycliffe (1320-1384) "The Morning star of the Reformation" born of Saxon blood in Hipswell, England. He entered Balliol College as a student and later became master. He was soon esteemed the ablest member of the faculty and having become a doctor of theology he was given appointment by the king to the rectory of Lutterworth.

Soon he began to speak as a religious reformer, preaching in Oxford and London against the pope's secular sovereignty and publicizing his ideas by tracts and leaflets. In 1377 the pope condemned Wycliffe's writings. But Wycliffe had strong support from the people, the scholars, and the nobles of England. He provided England with a new and "pure" Gospel, establishing the Bible as the only source of truth and stating that the clergy were not to rule, but to serve the people. He also denounced the doctrines of transubstantiation and purgatory and many others. He raised up preachers from the students at Oxford known as "the Lollards" and spent most of his time writing and translating.

He died in 1384 having "lit a fire which shall never be put out." The Catholic Church ordered his books burned and his body exhumed and burned.

Nevertheless, about 150 copies of Wycliffe's version have survived, but only one is complete.