John Wycliffe Biography
John Wycliffe 1330 - 84
John Wycliffe was a powerful figure in his day who lay the seeds for the later reformation of the church. He passionately argued against excesses and abuses of the church and stated it was only the direct intervention of Christ that could lead people to God.
He was born into a wealth family, near Richmond. At the age of 13, he went to Oxford to study the scriptures. He became a renowned scholar and polymath. He took an interest in not just theology but, economics, geometry and maths. He became Master of Balliol College and was known as the 'flower of Oxford' for his clear theological beliefs and learning.
In 1361, aged 31, he resigned as Master of Balliol college and devoted himself to teaching and arguing against the abuses of the Church.
He criticised mendicant friars who took alms from the deserving poor.
He argued that the Church should return to poverty as commended in the gospels.
In 1365, he travelled to Bruges to negotiate with the pope about England's lapsed payments to Rome. Wycliffe was unimpressed with the Pope and argued England should ignore the pope's demand and take King Edward as their only sovereign ruler.
He kept up his attacks on the Church widening his critique to include criticism of transubstantiation of the the Eucharist. This lost him support, even within Oxford. Yet, despite papal denunciations he survived and was never arrested. He was allowed to retire - supervising the translation of the Bible into English. He died in his bed from a stroke aged only 54. He left behind an important legacy of questioning the church authority.