This document provides an overview of John Wycliffe and the Lollard movement in the late Middle Ages. It discusses that Wycliffe was an English theologian and reformer in the 14th century who criticized the papacy and felt all Christians should have access to the Bible in their own language. He oversaw the first complete translation of the Bible into English. His followers, known as Lollards, helped circulate his teachings and a translation of the Bible into English. The Lollards wrote the "Twelve Conclusions" outlining their beliefs, such as rejecting wealth accumulation by church leaders. Wycliffe died in 1384 but his ideas continued to influence others and spread reform.

1. History of Christianity-II
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3. 3
The Protestant Reformation
1300 – 1570 CE

4. Pre-reformation reformers and reform
movements
a. John Wycliffe
b. John Hus
c. Cathars
d. Petrobrusians
e.Waldensians

6. Jo
Wycliffe

7. John Wycliffe
• English theologian and reformer
• also called the Morning Star of the Reformation
• critical of the papacy
• felt that all Christians should have access to
the Bible in the vernacular
• his Bible becomes first complete, word-for-
word translation of Vulgate into English,
into a Midland dialect

8. John Wycliffe
• Two versions completed:
– first by Nicholas of Hereford up to Baruch
3:20
– remainder completed by an unknown
scholar
• A few years later a second version, revised
(less literal and less Latinate), completed by
John Purvey
• complete Wyclif Bible remained unprinted
until 1850

9. John Wycliffe
• Also known as the Lollard Bible, extant in 170 copies

10. Lollards
• Followers of Wyclif came
to be known as "Lollards"
• Name perhaps derived
from Dutch term lollaerd,
meaning mumbler
• Sect driven out of Oxford
in 1382
• Some devout members
circulated Wycliffe's
teachings and the "Lollard
Conclusions" (1394)

11. Lollards
• The Lollards translated the Bible into their
vernacular language, English.
• Most significant heretical group in England
before the Reformation

12. What is Lollardy?
• Political and religious mouvement
• Mid 14th century to Mid 16th
• No central belief or doctrine
• Basis : Translation of the Bible into
vernacular
• “Founder” : John Wycliffe
• Mostly criticize the western Church
• Wrote the “Twelve Conclusions”

13. • In red spread in the 15th c
• In blue before death of Richard II
(until 1400)

14. The twelve conclusions
• Written by group of lollards in 1395
• Examples of conclusions:
• Church leaders shouldn’t accumulate wealth => greed
• Should not deal with secular matters : power
• The Church is corrupt
• Priests Should be accountable by law
• Rejected pilgrimages
• Denounced war and violence

17. Wyclif’s End
• Wyclif died of paralysis on December 31,
1384.
• “In 1428 his body was disinterred and
burned, and the ashes cast into the Swift,
a tributary of the Avon” (McNeil, p. 163).
• However, his ideas were not so easily put
out of the way and many followed his path.