John Wyclif

John Wyclif (or Wycliff or Wycliffe ) (v. 1320 - 1384) was a theologist and precursor of the Reform.

Wyclif resolutely takes party for realism against the Nominalisme in a debate which remains sharp at its time. It militates for a return to the Bible and the Augustinisme and publishes domino divino (1375), Of governed officio , Of veritate scripturæ (1378), Of potestate papæ (1379).

In 1376, Wyclif exposes the doctrines of the “authority based on the grace”, according to which any authority is granted directly by the grace of God and loses his value when its holder is guilty of mortal Péché. For him, true the Église is the invisible Church of the Christians in a state of grace: Wyclif blames the principle of the authority of the hierarchy in the Church and recommends the designation of the Pape by drawing lot . He denies with the priest S in a state of mortal sin the possibility of giving the faults. Wyclif clearly lets hear that the Church of England is pecheress and guilty of Corruption. It gains the favors of part of the nobility while wanting to redistribute the richnesses of the Church to him. Thus it is supported by Percy de Northumberland and John of Lancaster.

February 19th 1377, it is convened by the bishop of London, Guillaume Courtenay, to present its doctrines. The interrogation finishes when Jean of Ghent, which had accompanied Wyclif, is mingled with a scuffle with the bishop and his entourage. The May 22nd 1377, the Pape Gregoire XI publishes several bubble S showing Wyclif of Hérésie. With the autumn of the same year, the Parlement requires its opinion of him on the legal character of the prohibition made with the Church of England transfer its goods abroad on the order from the pope. Wyclif confirms the legality of such a prohibition, and at the beginning of 1378 it is again convened by the Courtenay bishop and the Archevêque of Canterbury, Simon de Sudbury. Wyclif receives a simple blame thanks to its special relationships with the court.

During the year 1378, Wyclif and its friends of Oxford undertake the translation in English of the Vulgate, facing by there the interdict the Church. In 1379, Wyclif repudiates the doctrines of the Transsubstantiation. This daring standpoint causes such a reprobation that Jean of Ghent withdraws his support to him. Wyclif sends starting from 1380 its disciples, called the Pauvres preachers, in the campaigns so that they make known his egalitarian religious theses. The preachers find a broad audience and one shows Wyclif to sow the social disorder. However, it does not engage directly in the fallen through revolt of the peasants in 1381, but it is probable that its doctrines influenced those. In May 1382, Courtenay, become archbishop of Canterbury, gathers a ecclesiastical Tribunal which condemns Wyclif like heretic and pronounces his expulsion of Oxford. Wyclif is withdrawn then in its parish of Lutterworth.

The Duke of Lancaster, the London population and during a certain time the Ordres beggars support its ideas which are propagated in England by itinerant preachers called “the poor priests” or Lollards . However its attacks against papacy are worth the judgment of Rome to him and in 1384 it dies in insulation.

After the death of Wyclif, its teaching is spread quickly. Its Bible, which appears in 1388, is widely distributed by its disciples, the lollards. Lastly, works of Wyclif strongly influence the Czech reformer Jan Hus and the anabaptists. Martin Luther will also recognize his debt with regard to Wyclif. In May 1415, the Concile of Constancy will condemn the heresies of Wyclif and will order that its body is exhumed and burned. The decree will be carried out in 1428.

The thought of Wyclif represents a complete rupture with the Church, insofar as he affirms that there exists a direct relationship between humanity and God, without the intermediary of the priests. While conforming to the Writings, Wyclif thinks that the Christians are able to take in hand their lives without the assistance of the Pape and of the Prélat S. Wyclif denounces many beliefs and practices of the Church, considering them contrary of the Writings. Condemning the Slavery and the War, it supports that the Christian clergy must follow the ideal of evangelic poverty , following the example Christ and of its disciples.

See too

Internal bonds

External bonds

  • movements former to the Reform by Georg Plasger

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