The Fate of the Bible’s First English Translator

John Wycliffe, an esteemed Oxford professor, philosopher, and priest, pioneered the translation of the Bible from Latin to English. Defying the Pope’s edict, he was motivated by a belief that access to the scriptures should be universal, bringing the holy texts into the common man’s language for the first time.

In an era when conducting church sermons in Latin was the norm, and translating the Bible into vernacular was considered a crime, John Wycliffe’s actions were revolutionary. Despite his significant connections sparing him from execution, he faced public denunciation by the Archbishop of Canterbury, spotlighting the immense controversy his work incited.