The intensity of the dark age largely escapes the attention and understanding of modern Christians, but in its darkness came the light of life in one determined to open God’s Word to the common man in England. His name was John Wycliffe and his followers were dubbed
“Lol ards.” Their influence has been noted as the dawn of the Protestant Reformation.
John Wycliffe’s life spanned most of the fourteenth century. He was a noted scholar, priest of the Roman Catholic Church, and was connected to Oxford University for many years.
As such, he created friends in high places, and wielded significant influence.
Wycliffe got his hook hung on the Holy Word. He saw the sins of the Roman Church, and declared no biblical authority for the papacy. He decried the entrenchment of power hungry clergy of his day.
Wycliffe set his hand to translate the Bible into the English vernacular. He often translated small portions, a chapter or two, or a book or two, and had helpers to laboriously copy the scripts, and distribute them throughout England. These scribes and distributors were called Lollards. This activity soon brought the wrath of the entrenched clergy, and the powers of Rome upon him, but he escaped imprisonment and persecution by means of influential friends that often came to his aid. Still, Wycliffe succeeded in becoming a major enemy of the church of darkness whose wrath would not die with his own.
Wycliffe died in 1384, but the Anti-Wycliffe Statue of 1401 sought to reclaim and reaffirm Roman authority in all ecclesiastical matters. It banned Wycliffe’s writings and extended persecution to his followers.
As a result of this ongoing determination to extinguish the light of the Word, a Council declared Wycliffe a heretic. Additionally, he was retroactively excommunicated. His body was exhumed, burned, and his ashes scattered into the river.
Some of Wycliffe’s theological views and doctrinal beliefs would not be accepted as true today, especially by Bible believing Baptists, but a study of his life is so worthy of one’s time.
Moreover, when one considers the theological quagmire from which he arose, and the sacrifice he made to expose the Bible to the common man, it brings a sense of gratitude and thankfulness for him and his Lollards. It also underscores that the powers of darkness still exist, and whoever opens his heart and mind to serious study of the eternal Word will suffer persecution. But such is greater identity with the God of the Bible, and the best of all possible preparations for the unavoidable day of meeting Him one on one, face to face. I thank God for the Lollards!
FOR THOUGHT: In the days recalled in this article, Baptists, or Anabaptists as they were then known, were outlawed in many countries including England. They existed, but always beneath the radar of the powers that were. Wycliffe and his Lollards were a blessing to England and doubtless an encouragement and motivator to William Tyndale.