Documentary Notes – ‘William Tyndale: the Most Dangerous Man in Tudor England’

William Tyndale

William Tyndale – executed 1536 by burning

Immeasurable, translation of the Bible fuelled a protestant reformation

One of the co-creators of the modern English language (with Shakespeare)

Written out of history = savage truths about people who dominated Tudor England like Henry VIII (hypocrite, bully, tyrant)

One of the greatest men in English history

Courageous pioneer who wanted to see the word of God accessible to everyone – seen as an act of revolution to rip apart the status quo

Burning of heretics and sympathisers

Hounded out of his own country and spent most of his adult life on the run

1494 Gloucestershire Tyndale born

Timeline of the German Reformation

 

Martin Luther by Lucas Cranach 1528.

1510 – Luther is sent to Rome on monastic business and sees the corruption of the Church.

1517 – Luther posts his 95 theses on a church door in Wittenburg in Germany, formally beginning the Protestant Reformation in Europe:-

The disputation protests against clerical abuses like pluralism, absenteeism, baptism and the sale of indulgences (the idea that people could buy a place in heaven for their souls, and to forgive their sins).

1518 – Luther defends his beliefs in front of Augustinians, and refuses to recant. Frederick the Wise protects him from being handed over to Rome.

1519 – Luther debates papal infallibility and begins a New Testament sermon series.

1520 – Luther is told by papal bull to recant within 60 days or be excommunicated, but he instead burns the bull and writes three texts:-