Revd. Dr. Richard Turnbull lectures on 'John Wycliffe'

Listen to Revd. Dr. Richard Turnbull lecturing on the life and significance of John Wycliffe at the Codex evening service in St Mary's on 6th November 2011.  The lecture is in two parts and the links to each part are below.  (Part 1 is 20 minutes and Part 2 is 24 minutes)

John Wycliffe (c. 1328 – December 31, 1384) was an English Scholastic philosopher, theologian, lay preacher, translator, reformer and university teacher who was known as an early dissident in the Roman Catholic Church during the 14th century. His followers were known as Lollards, a somewhat rebellious movement, which preached anticlerical and biblically-centred reforms. The Lollard movement, was a precursor to the Protestant Reformation (for this reason,Wycliffe is sometimes called "The Morning Star of the Reformation"). He was one of the earliest opponents of papal authority influencing secular power.

Wycliffe was also an early advocate for translation of the Bible into the common language. He completed his translation directly from the Vulgate into vernacular English in the year 1382, now known as Wycliffe's Bible. It is probable that he personally translated the Gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John; and it is possible he translated the entire New Testament, while his associates translated the Old Testament. Wycliffe's Bible appears to have been completed by 1384, with additional updated versions being done by Wycliffe's assistant John Purvey and others in 1388 and 1395.

Richard Turnbull is the Principal of Wycliffe Hall, Oxford where he teaches courses on Anglicanism, Evangelicalism, and the Reformation. His research, writing, and speaking engagements focus on these areas.