Essay/Term paper: William tyndale (mla format)

Essay, term paper, research paper:  Religion

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The smell over whelming in the air. The brunt flesh cast a shadow with the dark smoke

that the fire created. Some people cheered, some people cried, and yet others smiled greedily

under hidden cloaks. The people of England had decided to burn one man that stood up and

translated the bible from the original manuscripts into what we have today. William Tyndale cried

out with his last breath, " O Lord, open the King of England's eyes." The executioner first

strangled Tyndale in order to keep him quiet about "his" word of God. William Tyndale has since

become known as "The Father of the English Bible." Without Tyndale and his translation of the

original manuscripts later versions of the English bible would not be available.

William Hutchinson, later changed to Tyndale, was born around the date of 1494 AD.

Tyndale had an exceptional gift of speaking over seven known languages. Tyndale attended

Oxford University and in 1512 he received his Bachelors Degree. After another three years at

Oxford University Tyndale graduated with a Masters Degree. In order to support his education

William Tyndale tutored students from the higher class society. Tyndale joined the group called

"the White Horse Society." This group gathered together in order to discuss the teachings of

Erasmus and Luther.

Then Tyndale was learned and well practiced in God's matters, spared not to show unto

them simply and plainly his judgment, and when they at any time did vary from Tyndale in

opinions, he would show them in the Book, and lay plainly before them the open and manifest

places of the Scriptures, to confute their errors, and confirm his sayings. And thus continued they

for a certain season, reasoning and contending together divers times, until at length they waxed

weary, and bare a secret grudge in their hearts against him. As this grew on, the priests of the

country, clustering together, began to grudge and storm against Tyndale, railing against him in

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alehouses and other places, affirming that his sayings were heresy; and accused him secretly to the

chancellor, and others of the bishop's officers.

After a few short years Tyndale left "the White Horse Society" and moved back home to

teach children. Tyndale preached at Saint Austen's Green which resided in front of the Cathedral

of Bristol. During Tyndale's stay at home he caused a commotion that consisted charging him

with heresy. All of this was due to the teachings of the "Lollardry." These people were followers

of John Whitcliffe that sent themselves on missions to teach God's word to the people of the

nations. The main "crime" of these people was that they believed that the pope was not the sole

agent of God and only the word of God was the doctrine that could be held for people. Not long

after, Tyndale happened to be in the company of another man of God communing and disputing

with him, he drove him to that issue, that the said great doctor burst out into these blasphemous

words, "We were better to be without God's laws than the pope's." Tyndale, hearing this, full of

Godly zeal, and not bearing that blasphemous saying, replied, "I defy the pope, and all his laws;"

In 1523 Tyndale moved to London where he met the Bishop of London (who happened to

be a close friend of Erasmus). With Tyndale being a "Lollardry" he asked the Bishop for a letter

of introduction, but Bishop Tusntal refused to grant the request that Tyndale asked for. Even

though Bishop Tusntal was believed to be supportive of the Lollardry cause he still would not

grant the letter. Tyndale referred to the Bishop as "a ducking hypocrite." Even with this minor set

back Tyndale would not give his quest of giving God's word out to the nation.

Being refused of the bishop he came to Humphrey Mummuth, alderman of London, and

besought him to help him: who the same time took him into his house, where Tyndale lived (as

Mummuth said) like a good priest, studying both night and day. He would not eat meat or drink

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but small single beer. He was never seen in the house to wear linen about him, all the time he lived

there. Each day Tyndale increased his knowledge of the word and continually extended his

knowledge of God's great word.

Tyndale gave up his old life, along with his friends, by moving to Germany so that he

could continually follow his mission and translate the Bible Settling in Wittenburg (the city of

Martin Luther) Tyndale translated the new testament. After a short time Tyndale moved to the

city Cologne. At Cologne, Tyndale finished translating the new testament and began printing the

first copies of his Bible.

Tyndale printed copies of his Bible throughout the lands. After the copies of Tyndale's

Bible began to sky rocket the church started to worry about the power that Tyndale had gathered.

During this time the Tyndale translation became ever more popular the church went to great

lengths to discredit and destroy Tyndale's Bible. The church claimed that the Bible was full of

errors and the book should be burned. Churches went as far as buying copies of the book in order

to take the Bibles out of the common wealth's hands. Tyndale himself sold Bibles to the church at

one time so that he could print twice as many Bibles with the money he received.

During Tyndale's time he printed many copies and the church placed the charge or heresy

on Tyndale. So that the church could validate their claim they placed Tyndale on trial, had him

strangled, and burned at the stake. Tyndale became one of God's martyrs in his early 40's. To

insure that Tyndale would not preach to the people he was first strangled to death before being

burned for his illegitimate crime.

Tyndale's translation gave a pathway for all the future translations to follow. The King

James version came from Tyndale's Translation. Tyndale's translation survived other translations

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such as the Coverdale Bible and the Great Bible. Tyndale holds credit to about ninety percent of

the Bible we use today.

Through Tyndale's great accomplishments during his time every English speaking country

now could have a Bible in their home. Tyndale was a great man who throughout his life face

struggles and always turned toward God's book for answers to his life. Tyndale would use the

Bible to denounce the Pope and every Church official who would try to discredit him. Tyndale

was put to test after test by each person he encountered in his life. Without support from the

Bishop of England and a few followers Tyndale translated the entire Bible into modern times

English.

Tyndale listened to what God was calling him to do and by this he translated successfully

the Bible for the English speaking nations. Through their cries he answered them in English from

God's word. In doing this feat Tyndale managed to make the possibility for all Englishman to read

the word of God at home and away from the church.

Tyndale changed countless lives during his short life span but even though Tyndale was

killed by the church they later repented and accepted Tyndale's work using it for the translation of

the King James version of the Bible. Tyndale set himself up as a great man but remained humble

under the power of God. Tyndale did not boast of his translation but merely he wanted every

English man, woman, and child to have one of his Bibles so that they may be able to read it in

their own tongue. William Tyndale died a martyr but lives as a hero today.

Without the men like Tyndale every nation would be at the mercy of the church. Tyndale

did not want only a select few to be able to pass the word of God out to the people. During

Tyndale's time the people had to attend church in order to hear the word of God. Less people

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could read Latin (the main translation of the Bible during those times). While even less people

could read and understand Greek and Hebrew. Tyndale accomplish both feats and translated the

Greek and Hebrew into English. With Tyndale's power of the spirit he made it possible for each

person after him to read the Bible in away that was easy for them, in their own native tongue,

English.

































Word Count: 1477

Knauss 6

Geisler, Normal L., and Nix, William E., A General Introduction to the Bible, Revised

and Expanded, (Chicago, IL: Moody Press) 1986.

http://units.ox.ac.uk/colleges/hertford/alumni/tyndale.htm

http://www.encyclopedia.com/articles/13170.html

http://www.opengroup.com/babooks/030/0300061323.shtml

Paul S. Karleen, The Handbook to Bible Study, (New York: Oxford University Press) 1987.