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This week in Christian History

July 21, 1773: "Clement XIV issued the brief, 'Dominus ac redemptor noster,' officially dissolving the Society of Jesus (Jesuits). This politically-based suppression afterward left conspicuous gaps in Catholic education and foreign missions." (StudyLight.org)

July 21, 1900: "Albert Schweitzer Licensed in Theology" - for a snapshot of the life of a man who not only knew theology, but lived it and made it practical, read here -

http://www.christianity.com/church/church-history/timeline/1801-1900/albert-schweitzer-licensed-in-theology-11630662.html

July 24, 1874: "Born in Scotland on this day, Oswald Chambers grew up there. He is most famous for his book My Utmost for His Highest" but strictly speaking he did not write it. His wife prepared it from shorthand notes she had made of his sermons. He died at age 42 serving as a chaplain." (Christianity.com)

His book, formatted into a daily devotional guide is here - http://utmost.org/

July 25, 1741: "English revivalist George Whitefield wrote in a letter: 'Your extremity shall be God's opportunity.' " ((SLO)

It seems that it is when we are most pressured in life that we tend to be most receptive to what God wants for us.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9xPzTSpbYmk
 
July 27, 1681: Scotsman Donald Cargill climbed the ladder to the gallows with these words -

"The Lord knows, I go up this ladder in less fear and perturbed of mind that ever I entered the pulpit to preach... Farewell, all relations and friends in Christ; farewell all acquaintances and all earthly enjoyments; farewell reading and preaching, praying and believing, wanderings, reproaches and sufferings. Welcome joy unspeakable and full of glory. Welcome Father, Son and Holy Ghost. Into thy hands I commit my spirit." (Christianity.com)

Donald paid with his life for speaking truth to power, never backing down in the face of threats, deceit and treachery. He was unafraid to meet death, saying "Death to the believer is just like putting off a worn suit of clothes, and putting on a new suit." (C.c)

For more of his story read here - http://www.christianity.com/church/church-history/timeline/1601-1700/covenanter-cargill-executed-11630167.html

Cargill boldly demonstrated what every believer is assured of - that nothing can stand between a person and their Savior. The Apostle Paul said it this way:

"And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from God's love. Neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither our fears for today nor our worries about tomorrow—not even the powers of hell can separate us from God's love. No power in the sky above or in the earth below—indeed, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord." (Romans 8:38,39, NLT)

So no matter what challenges you may be facing in life, you can have the same assurance as was shown by Donald Cargill, martyr for his unshakable faith in Christ!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=flStZiy-Tmg


Imagine that - going backwards to reach your destination - July 28, 1960:
"American Trappist Thomas Merton wrote in a letter: 'I can depend less and lesson my own power and sense of direction... It is so strange to advance backwards and get where you are going in a totally unexpected way.'

July 29, 1866: "Birth of Thomas O. Chisholm, American Methodist pastor, teacher, editor and poet.Of the 1,200 sacred verses he penned, one later became the popular hymn: 'Great Is Thy Faithfulness.' " (StudyLight.org)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ry4Tb_B6KGc

July 30, 1233: "Cruel Conrad of Marburg Murdered" (C.c) It seems that one of the few who mourned the death of this cruel and beastly man was the pope himself. Later Catholic historians decried his inhumane treatment of others. Was the support of Pope Gregory IX justified or correct? It is pretty clear that this human institution is just as fallible as any other. Read a bit more of Conrad's story here -

http://www.christianity.com/church/church-history/timeline/1201-1500/cruel-conrad-of-marburg-murdered-11629830.html

or here -

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Konrad_von_Marburg

August 1, 1521: "German reformer Martin Luther wrote in a letter: 'Be a sinner and sin boldly, but believe and rejoice in Christ even more boldly, for He is victorious over sin, death, and the world.' "

Really? How does that line up with Paul's words in Romans 6: 1-4?

"Well then, should we keep on sinning so that God can show us more and more of his wonderful grace? Of course not! Since we have died to sin, how can we continue to live in it? Or have you forgotten that when we were joined with Christ Jesus in baptism, we joined him in his death? For we died and were buried with Christ by baptism. And just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glorious power of the Father, now we also may live new lives." (NLT)

It is misleading and erroneous teaching like that of Luther that leads people to believe that grace of God allows them the liberty to live in bondage to sin (moral wrongdoing and wrong standing), rather than seeing the deliverance through grace that enables believers the liberty to live above the power of sin.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vsPc-Ix3_ow

August 2, 1948: "American missionary and martyr Jim Elliot penned this prayer in his journal: 'Father, teach me the speed of eternity. Synchronize my movements with the speed of Thine Own heart then, hasting or halting, I shall be in good time.' " (SLO)
 
July 30, 1233: "Cruel Conrad of Marburg Murdered" (C.c) It seems that one of the few who mourned the death of this cruel and beastly man was the pope himself. Later Catholic historians decried his inhumane treatment of others. Was the support of Pope Gregory IX justified or correct? It is pretty clear that this human institution is just as fallible as any other. Read a bit more of Conrad's story here -
Click to expand...

This has absolutely nothing to do with the institution or infallibility but everything to do with the individual.
 
August 5, 1869: "Birth of Grant C. Tullar, American Methodist evangelist and music publisher. He is remembered today for composing the tune to the hymn, "Face to Face with Christ My Savior." " (StudyLight.org)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SuLig-W4wSU

August 6: Celebration of the Transfiguration of Christ:

http://www.christianity.com/church/church-history/timeline/1-300/jesus-shone-like-the-sun-11629552.html

August 6, 1945: "Kiyoshi lost two more of his family..."

http://www.christianity.com/church/church-history/timeline/1901-2000/little-boy-obliterated-pastor-kiyoshis-family-11630784.html

August 7, 1954: Ming-Dao preaches a sermon of encouragement before being arrested by Chinese communists for "resistance to the government":

http://www.christianity.com/church/church-history/timeline/1901-2000/what-wang-ming-dao-preached-before-his-arrest-11630806.html

August 9, 1765:"English founder of Methodism John Wesley wrote in a letter: 'You have but one Pattern; follow Him inwardly and outwardly. If other believers will go step for step with you, well; but if not, follow Him!' (SLO)
 
August 10, 1948: "English apologist C.S. Lewis wrote in a letter: 'We ought to give thanks for all fortune: if it is good, because it is good; if bad, because it works in us patience, humility, contempt of this world and the hope of our eternal country." (StudyLight.org)

August 11, 1778, death of Augustus Montague Toplady, clergyman and writer of a classic hymn, favorite of millions who sought comfort from the world's troubles through the years - Rock of Ages.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gM7gt_cSxjw

August 12, 1973, Chuck Colson' First genuine Prayer -

http://www.christianity.com/church/church-history/timeline/1901-2000/chuck-colsons-1st-geniune-prayer-11630833.html

August 14, 1944: "German Lutheran theologian and Nazi martyr Dietrich Bonhoeffer wrote in a letter from prison: 'God does not give us everything we want, but He does fulfill all His promises ... leading us along the best and straightest paths to Himself.'" (SLO)

August 16, 1859, Carl Boberg was born at Monsteras, Sweden...He wrote the hymn "How Great Thou Art", which was subsequently translated in English and also became a favorite of many...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DcF75h4BHk8
 
August 18, 1856 - "Charles Hutchinson Gabriel was born in Wilton, Iowa. He settled in Chicago in 1892, where he edited collections of Christian music. He also wrote hymn tunes which speak of their own worth: "Oh, It Is Wonderful," "I Stand Amazed in the Presence of Jesus the Nazarene," and "Send the Light." " (Christianity.com)

Of all his songs, the one I find most powerful is "I Stand Amazed in the Presence"-

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-lGNIfyOGSo

Marshall Hall - I Stand Amazed
 
burnt said:
August 18, 1856 - "Charles Hutchinson Gabriel was born in Wilton, Iowa. He settled in Chicago in 1892, where he edited collections of Christian music. He also wrote hymn tunes which speak of their own worth: "Oh, It Is Wonderful," "I Stand Amazed in the Presence of Jesus the Nazarene," and "Send the Light." " (Christianity.com)

Of all his songs, the one I find most powerful is "I Stand Amazed in the Presence"-

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-lGNIfyOGSo

Marshall Hall - I Stand Amazed
Click to expand...

"I Stand Amazed"..........one of my all-time favorite hymns.
 
We owe a great debt of gratitude to those who have left us with a tremendous gift of music, such as this woman -

August 31, 1861 "Birth of Jesse Brown Pounds, American hymnwriter. During her lifetime she published nine books, 50 cantatas and over 400 religious song texts. Three of her hymns remain popular today: "Anywhere With Jesus," "I Know That My Redeemer Liveth" and "The Way of the Cross Leads Home." " (StudyLight.org)

Here is one of her hymns for which I have recently gained a new appreciation -
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6jn7OD-2Wcg

1 I must needs go home by the way of the cross,
There's no other way but this;
I shall ne'er get sight of the gates of light,
If the way of the cross I miss.

Chorus:
The way of the cross leads home, (leads home,)
The way of the cross leads home; (leads home;)
It is sweet to know as I onward go,
The way of cross leads home.

2 I must needs go on in the blood sprinkled way,
The path that the Savior trod,
If I ever climb to the heights sublime,
Where the soul is at home with God. [Chorus]

3 Then I bid farewell to the way of the world,
To walk in it nevermore,
For the Lord says, "Come," and I seek my home
Where He waits at the open door. [Chorus]

A little over 100 years earlier, these words were written by John Newton, another man who left us with a rich heritage of hymns -

August 31, 1757: "Anglican clergyman and hymnwriter John Newton wrote in a letter: 'I am persuaded that love and humility are the highest attainments in the school of Christ and the brightest evidences that He is indeed our Master.' " (SLO)

Do you see the connection between the words expressed by these two predecessors from our Christian history? What took Jesus to the cross of Calvary if it wasn't love? And why did He accept such a cruel and unjust fate if not motivated by humility?

Jesus said to the crowds - "And He was saying to them all, "If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross daily and follow Me." (Luke 9:23, NASB)

We want to get to where He is, we must go the way He went!
 
September 11, 1962: "American Trappist monk Thomas Merton wrote in a letter: 'We have not tasted the things given to us in Christ. Instead, we have built around ourselves walls and cells, and buried ourselves in dust and documents, and now we wonder why we cannot see God, or leap to do his will.' " (StudyLight.org)

It is an amazing testimony to the power of the Living Word that the Church goes and grows, often in spite of institutionalized religion, rather than because of it...

It seems to be embedded in our human nature to hold up a favorite tradition as the "right way" to believe or practice Bible teaching. And, often as not, expect everyone else to follow.

I believe that there is a community - completely unseen by mortals - that transcends all denominational lines, united in true worship of the Father and Son, saved and bound together by the redemptive power of the cross of Calvary and united by the indwelling Holy Spirit rather than by some humanly contrived set of doctrines and constitutions.

And that on the last day that body will be revealed in all its glory - the pure bride of Christ!

Come, Lord Jesus.

https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John%2017&version=NLT

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gT-QWSxV0Hs
 
September 14, 1765: "Anglican clergyman and hymnwriter John Newton wrote in a letter: 'How unspeakable are our obligations to the grace of God.' " (StudyLight.org)

What!! - "...obligations to the grace of God"?

How could the words "obligations" and "grace" appear in the same sentence, let alone be used in mutual endorsement?

I'm sure Luther would bluster loudly at this thought while Calvin would conceive a reasonable objection to this apparent slight to the "inalienable" liberty the believer experiences in the redemptive work of the cross!

And on the other hand, some forms of institutionalized religion would attach their own list of "do's and don'ts" as "Christian duties" or obligations that were never intended to be.

It is true - the grace that brought salvation is free to all who will receive it.

But our salvation, as Paul said to the newly-formed group of believers at the wicked city of Corinth, came at a huge cost -

"... do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and that you are not your own? For you have been bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body." (1 Corinthian 6: 19,20 NASB)

We can do nothing to earn our salvation, yet when you or I accept the free gift of God, our life becomes His because of the price that He paid to give us eternal life - the life of His Son, Jesus Christ!

The alternative is to continue in our old, unredeemed ways (like some Corinthian believers were doing) that brought us spiritual death in the first place. Kind of a no-brainer, isn't it, trading death for life?

The song below captures the essence of the redeemed ones "obligation" to the grace of God, especially in the line - 'my whole life for you".

We are not asked to bring Him anything we do not have, simply to accept salvation through Jesus Christ and then dedicate our whole purpose for living to Him.

What a trade - nothing for everything!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eo7kntv5tZE

Jeremy Riddle - "What Can I Bring?"

This is my song to You
A melody of thanks for You
An expression of wonder
At Your beauty and Your splendor
No other cry have I
Than to know You more and lift You high
Oh, God of infinite glory
Above all You are worthy

What can I bring to You
Simply a song of love
And boundless gratitude
My whole life for You
You've rescued me from death
Given me Your kingdom
And blessed me with Your love
Countless mercies from above

Had I riches, I would bring them
Had I kingdoms, I would lose them
Had I the world, too small a gift
Would it be for You.
 
September 21, 1096 - Xerigordon's Crusaders Were Surrounded - what a horrendous tale of wasted lives, all because of a misguided directive to go to war... What did this disaster, in which the Crusaders murdered Christians, Jews and Muslims, all done under the name of Christ, have to do with any of His teachings?

And reading of the gruesome details of the conquest raises the question of how different was it than what ISIL is doing today.

http://www.christianity.com/church/church-history/timeline/901-1200/xerigordons-crusaders-were-surrounded-11629796.html

More - http://www.historynet.com/first-crusade-peoples-crusade.htm
or this - http://crusades-medieval.blogspot.ca/2007/10/first-crusade.html

September 21, 1992: Islamic Gunmen Hit Christian Radio Station -

http://www.christianity.com/church/church-history/timeline/1901-2000/islamic-gunmen-hit-christian-radio-station-11630853.html

This type of action, just like the gruesome displays of barbarity we have recently witnessed, are the true face of the teachings of Mohammad, a religion that demands total subservience from all those it encounters.

September 22, 1871: Charlotte Elliott died on this day after suffering from a "crippling fatigue" for most of her life. However, she left us with this stirring hymn -

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CxA0TFe3-Uo

September 25, 1789: "The establishment of religion on a national level was expressly prohibited in the U.S. with the adoption of the First Amendment, the opening words of which read: 'Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion or prohibiting the free exercise thereof.' Final ratification of the First Amendment came in 1791." (StudyLight.org)

In my understanding this amendment was intended to prevent one religion from imposing its views on everyone else. And by religion, I believe it was understood that it was referring to a denominational expression of the Christian faith, with the intent of avoiding religious wars and bloodshed such as frequently divided Europe.

As one might expect, the best-intentioned laws can be subverted and used to create the exact situations that they were created to prevent. An example is when atheists tried to use this law to have the cross removed from the memorial scene at Ground Zero in NYC.

However, the verdict is in - http://www.firstamendmentcenter.org/cross-at-ground-zero-history-lesson-or-state-religion

September 26, 1861: President Lincoln's fast - where is a "Lincoln" when you need one?

http://www.christianity.com/church/church-history/timeline/1801-1900/president-lincolns-fast-11630524.html
 
September 29, 1642: Ren Goupil, after suffering "weeks of torment" at the hands of his Iroquois captors, dies in faithful service to Christ.

How many people could withstand the tortures he suffered and still show love and forgiveness to those tormenting them, teaching them about the love of the God whom he served? What would speak the loudest to his captors, his words, or his actions?

http://www.christianity.com/church/church-history/timeline/1601-1700/ren-goupil-tomahawked-11630106.html

October 1,1889: Birth of Ralph W. (Sockman) Cushman, American scholar and devotional writer. His best-remembered poem begins: "I met God in the morning, when my day was at its best...." (StudyLight.org) (The site has his last name wrong)

A noble work of art that bears repeating!

I Met God In The Morning

"I met God in the morning
When my day was at its best,
And His Presence came like sunrise
Like a glory in my breast.

All day long the Presence lingered,
All day long He stayed with me,
And we sailed in perfect calmness
O'er a very troubled sea.

Other ships were blown and battered,
Other ships were sore distressed,
But the winds that seemed to drive them
Brought to us a peace and rest.

Then I thought of other mornings,
With a keen remorse of mind,
When I, too, had loosed the moorings
With the Presence left behind.

So I think I know the secret,
Learned from many a troubled way;
You must seek Him in the morning
If you want Him through the day."

Ralph Cushman

I don't think I have ever heard anyone say - "I think I pray too much!", or "I spend too much time reading my Bible."

As important as these are in the believer's life, it seems so easy to neglect spending time in "His Presence." So many perfectly legitimate things crowd in - sleep, work, family needs, whatever... we have all been there.

One of the best examples we have of someone committed to prayer - no matter what - is Daniel, an Old Testament Israelite who was in captivity in Babylon.

He persisted in his 3-times-a-day prayers even when the King signed a document banning any prayers or petitions not directed to his own imperial throne.

"When Daniel knew that the document had been signed, he went to his house where he had windows in his upper chamber open toward Jerusalem. He got down on his knees three times a day and prayed and gave thanks before his God, as he had done previously." (Daniel 6:10)

For his faithfulness, Daniel was thrown into the lion's den where the God to whom he prayed closed the lions' mouths and protected His faithful servant. http://biblehub.com/esv/daniel/6.htm

Is there anything too small to bring to our Heavenly Father?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lCr1GNlx3Qk
 
October 6, 1536, William Tyndale was strangled and burned at the stake for translating the Bible into the English language, an action considered by the church to be heresy. (This is the commemoration date of his death which may have occurred a few weeks earlier)

Previous to this, the Bible was largely written in Latin, readable only to a relatively few clergymen, many of whom did not even have a good grasp of what they read in it.

Indeed, Tyndale once said to a priest - "If God spare my life, ere many years pass, I will cause a boy that driveth the plough shall know more of the Scriptures than thou dost.", believing that the Gospel message should be available to all people, not just a select few priests or churchmen.

He fled England to do his work in the slightly less dangerous environs of mainland Europe where he still had to hide to avoid capture by enemies of the Reformation. Yet he persevered, believing in his calling to provide light to the souls all hungering people.

Tyndale's translation efforts dovetailed perfectly with the invention of Gutenberg's printing press, enabling the printing of thousands of copies of the Bible in the commoner's English. These mass-produced copies were bought up about as fast as they could be printed!

However, not all of the Bibles fell into friendly hands - the Archbishop of Canterbury bought and destroyed them to get them away from the masses and Bishop Tunstal piled his purchases of Tyndale's work in front of St. Paul's Cathedral for a ceremonial bonfire.

King Henry Vlll and Cardinal Wolsey were hostile to Tyndale's efforts while Sir Thomas More had this to say - "...not worthy to be called Christ's testament, but either Tyndale's own testament or the testament of his master Antichrist."

Before he died, William Tyndale cried out - "Lord, open the King of England's eyes." Indeed, for whatever personal reason the king may have had, within a few years King Henry decreed that every parish in England must have a copy of Tyndale's Bible for the use of anyone who wanted to read it.

http://www.christianity.com/church/church-history/timeline/1501-1600/translator-william-tyndale-strangled-and-burned-11629961.html

http://www.christianitytoday.com/ch/131christians/scholarsandscientists/tyndale.html

Today, with a Bible available for every desk, we hold the results of his works at great value - or do we? Do we see the same value in the written Word as Tyndale did? He was martyred for his belief in the power of the Word.

How should we view it today?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3vmTkXNpwzs

"Ancient words, ever true, Changing me and changing you..."

The words contained in our Bibles may be ancient, but they are not archaic. They are as relevant today as they were in the times in which they were first penned.

Indicating that he had come to fulfill everything the Scriptures represented, Jesus said this -

"Don't suppose for a minute that I have come to demolish the Scriptures—either God's Law or the Prophets. I'm not here to demolish but to complete. I am going to put it all together, pull it all together in a vast panorama. God's Law is more real and lasting than the stars in the sky and the ground at your feet. Long after stars burn out and earth wears out, God's Law will be alive and working. (Matthew 5: 17-18, The Message)

And when directed into our hearts and minds by the power of the Holy Spirit, they are as powerful an agent of change today as they were when Jesus would offer forgiveness, or speak demons into submission and heal the sick by the strength of his spoken word alone.

"Ancient words, ever true, Changing me and changing you..."

The change it can bring is different in each of us, but it is certain if we accept it for all it is worth!

"Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path."
Psalm 119:105, King James Version

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O9VKSBForJY

October 7, 1930: "Missionary linguist Frank C. Laubach wrote in a letter: 'Beside Jesus, the whole lot of us are so contemptible.... But God is like Jesus, and like Jesus, He will not give up until we, too, are like Jesus.' " (SLO)

October 9, 1253, death of Bishop of Lincoln, Robert Grosseteste. 300 years before Tyndale, Grosseteste proclaimed that the Bible should be read to the people in English.

Not only concerned about pure Biblical teaching and Christian service, society today is deeply indebted to this great intellectual and clergyman as the founder of the scientific method, as well as sowing the seeds of reformation.

http://www.christianity.com/church/church-history/timeline/1201-1500/robert-grossetestes-new-scientific-method-11629839.html

October 10, 1569: "Jacob Arminius was born at Oudewater, Netherlands. Becoming a theologian, he became controversial for opposing certain doctrines which had grown out of Calvinism. Believing that Calvinism was off-base, he taught a conditional predestination. Arminian Protestants are called by his name." (Christianity.com)

October 11, 1954: Presbyterian apologist Francis Schaeffer wrote in a letter: 'Doctrinal rightness and rightness of ecclesiastical position are important, but only as a starting point to go on into a living relationship -- and not as ends in themselves." (StudyLight.org)
 
Tyndale used a lot of 'Poetic license' in his translation, didn't he?

Compare Matthew 5: 17 - 18 " "Do not think that I have come to abolish the law and the prophets. I have come, not to abolish them, but to fulfill them. Of this much I assure you: until heaven and earth pass away, not the smallest letter of the law, not the smallest part of a letter, shall be done away with until it all comes true."

Then he also changed the gospels so that the stories in them were more the same between the different gospels.
 
It isn't clear from your comment what it is that we are to be comparing. The passage quoted above was taken from Eugene Peterson's paraphrase, "The Message", which is not considered to be a translation as such.

However, is it not rather ironic that Tyndale's excellent and effective work of translation is being subjected to criticism when the actions of the "church" - murder, no less - were a clear violation of the teachings of Christ?

I do not know what Tyndale may have done during his work of translation, or how it may have affected the Gospel message for good or otherwise.

I believe that the Bible as we have it is perfectly capable of communicating God's message and story to us and will accomplish His purposes. And what we have today is a direct result of the work of men like Tyndale and Wycliffe.

Therefore, any criticism of his work could be seen an the equivalent of justification of the murder of William Tyndale. Or, at the very least, a clumsy distraction from his unjustifiable killing.
 
burnt said:
It isn't clear from your comment what it is that we are to be comparing. The passage quoted above was taken from Eugene Peterson's paraphrase, "The Message", which is not considered to be a translation as such.

However, is it not rather ironic that Tyndale's excellent and effective work of translation is being subjected to criticism when the actions of the "church" - murder, no less - were a clear violation of the teachings of Christ?

I do not know what Tyndale may have done during his work of translation, or how it may have affected the Gospel message for good or otherwise.

I believe that the Bible as we have it is perfectly capable of communicating God's message and story to us and will accomplish His purposes. And what we have today is a direct result of the work of men like Tyndale and Wycliffe.

Therefore, any criticism of his work could be seen an the equivalent of justification of the murder of William Tyndale. Or, at the very least, a clumsy distraction from his unjustifiable killing.
Click to expand...

What we actually have today is a direct result of Tyndale wanting the uneducated to interpret scripture. Like Phillip and the Ethiopian eunuch "He said to him, "Do you really grasp what you are reading?" "How can I," the man replied, "unless someone explains it to me?". Protestantism has been splintering every since and continues to do so at an alarming rate as individual congregations even disagree with other congregations of the same denominations on the interpretation of scripture and with no one in authority except those who are self proclaimed.
 
by Matthew A. C. Newsome




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Document Information

Description:
This is an examination of William Tyndale's translation of the Bible (1525) and the reason why he was condemned for heresy.
Larger Work:
This Rock
Pages: 18 – 19
Publisher & Date:
Catholic Answers, Inc., San Diego, CA, December 2002


The new edition of the New International Version (NIV) Bible came out this year. Why is it newsworthy? Because this is the "Inclusive Language Edition," and conservative Protestants everywhere are up in arms. I read of the NIV Inclusive Language Edition while visiting family in Greenville, South Carolina. On Sunday February 24, 2002, the Greenville News ran an article by Deb Richardson-Moore. She wrote that the business of biblical translation can be dangerous, citing as evidence William Tyndale, whom she wrote "was burned at the stake for the heresy of translating the Greek New Testament into English in 1525." She reported that today he's known as "the father of the English Bible."



Phrasing it this way makes it sound as if the heresy Tyndale was condemned for was the act of translating the Bible into English. This is a common mistake and often repeated. In fact, when doing a bit of research for this article, I came across several web sites on Tyndale that said just this. One stated, "Translating the Bible was considered a heresy" (our-world. CompuServe.com/homepages/geoff_whiley/tyndale.htm). Another proclaimed that in 1408 a law was enacted that forbade the translation of the Bible into English and also made reading the Bible illegal (britannia.com/bios/tyndale.html).



Of course, anyone familiar with the history of the Catholic Church, which for 2,000 years has been preserving and protecting the word of God, recognizes how ludicrous this is. It was is only by the authority of the Catholic Church, which collected the various books of Scripture in the fourth century, that we have a Christian Bible at all. And it is only because of the Church that the Bible survived and was taught for the many centuries before the printing press made it widely available. All Christians everywhere owe it a great debt for that.



So what was the real reason William Tyndale was condemned? Was translating the Bible into English illegal? The answer is no. The law that was passed in 1408 was in reaction to another infamous translator, John Wycliff. Wycliff had produced a translation of the Bible that was corrupt and full of heresy. It was not an accurate rendering of sacred Scripture.



Both the Church and the secular authorities condemned it and did their best to prevent it from being used to teach false doctrine and morals. Because of the scandal it caused, the Synod of Oxford passed a law in 1408 that prevented any unauthorized translation of the Bible into English and also forbade the reading of such unauthorized translations.



It is a fact usually ignored by Protestant historians that many English versions of Scripture existed before Wycliff, and these were authorized and perfectly legal (see Where We Got the Bible by Henry Graham, chapter 11, "Vernacular Scriptures Before Wycliff"). Also legal would be any future authorized translations. And certainly reading these translations was not only legal but encouraged. All this law did was prevent any private individual from publishing his own translation of Scripture without the approval of the Church.



Which, as it turns out, is just what William Tyndale did. Tyndale was an English priest of no great fame who desperately desired to make his own English translation of the Bible. The Church denied him for several reasons.



First, it saw no real need for a new English translation of Scripture at that time. In fact, booksellers were having a hard time selling the print editions of the Bible that they already had. Laws had to be enacted to force people to buy them.



Second, we must remember that this was a time of great strife and confusion for the Church in Europe. The Reformation had turned the continent into a volatile place. So far, England had managed to remain relatively unscathed, and the Church wanted to keep it that way. It was thought that adding a new English translation would only add confusion and distraction where focus was needed.



Lastly, if the Church had decided to provide a new English translation of Scripture, Tyndale would not have been the man chosen to do it. He was known as only a mediocre scholar and had gained a reputation as a priest of unorthodox opinions and a violent temper. He was infamous for insulting the clergy, from the pope down to the friars and monks, and had a genuine contempt for Church authority. In fact, he was first tried for heresy in 1522, three years before his translation of the New Testament was printed. His own bishop in London would not support him in this cause.



Finding no support for his translation from his bishop, he left England and went to Worms, where he fell under the influence of Martin Luther. There in 1525 he produced a translation of the New Testament that was swarming with textual corruption. He willfully mistranslated entire passages of sacred Scripture in order to condemn orthodox Catholic doctrine and support the new Lutheran ideas. The bishop of London claimed that he could count over 2,000 errors in the volume (and this was just the New Testament).

And we must remember that this was not merely a translation of Scripture. His text included a prologue and notes that were so full of contempt for the Catholic Church and the clergy that no one could mistake his obvious agenda and prejudice. Did the Catholic Church condemn this version of the Bible? Of course it did.

The secular authorities condemned it as well. Anglicans are among the many today who laud Tyndale as the "father of the English Bible." But it was their own founder, King Henry VIII, who in 1531 declared that, "the translation of the Scripture corrupted by William Tyndale should be utterly expelled, rejected, and put away out of the hands of the people."

So troublesome did Tyndale's Bible prove to be that in 1543 — after his break with Rome — Henry VIII again decreed that "all manner of books of the Old and New Testament in English, being of the crafty, false, and untrue translation of Tyndale . . . shall be clearly and utterly abolished, extinguished, and forbidden to be kept or used in this realm."



Ultimately, it was the secular authorities who proved to be the end for Tyndale. He was arrested and tried (and sentenced to die) in the court of the Holy Roman Emperor in 1536. His translation of the Bible was heretical because it contained heretical ideas — not because the act of translation was heretical in and of itself. In fact, the Catholic Church would produce a translation of the Bible into English a few years later (the Douay-Rheims version, whose New Testament was released in 1582 and whose Old Testament was released in 1609).

When discussing the history of biblical translations, it is common for people to toss around names like Tyndale and Wycliff. But the full story is seldom given. This present case of a gender-inclusive edition of the Bible is a wonderful opportunity for Fundamentalists to reflect and realize that the reason they don't approve of this new translation is the same reason that the Catholic Church did not approve of Tyndale's or Wycliff'ss. These were corrupt translations, made with an agenda, and not accurate renderings of sacred Scripture.

Here at least Fundamentalists and Catholics are in ready agreement: Don't mess with the word of God.
 
Protestants ban the reading of the Bible

Interestingly Protestants did officially ban the reading of the Bible.

"1543 was to bring its own catastrophic set-back for the cause of reform, the notorious Act, passed on 10th May, "for the advancement of true religion"... Severe penalties were therefore imposed on those who had or kept any books containing doctrines contrary to those authorised since 1540. The Act targeted unauthorised versions of the scriptures, in particular Tyndale's New Testament, and it forbade altogether the reading of scripture in private by "women… artificers, prentices, journeymen, serving men of the degrees of yeomen or under, husbandmen or labourers.", though noble and gentlewomen might read the Bible in private. Persistent clerical offenders against this Act might be burned, laymen were subject to forfeiture of goods and perpetual imprisonment."
(Eamon Duffy, The Stripping of the Altars pp432-433)
 
It's likely news to many to learn that "common" people are endangering their souls by reading their bibles.

It was the failures of institutionalized religion that led to the Reformation.

However, the Reformation, as necessary as it was, should never be equated with "transformation", which is what Christ calls His disciples to.

It is shocking and frightening to contemplate why the "church" is so often averse to truth and light.
 

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