John Wycliffe (c. 1329-1384) was known as the first among the great Reformation figures. He was born in Yorkshire, England and studied at Oxford, an institution he remained connected to throughout his life as a teacher and writer. When his opposition to papal abuses became known to the Vatican he was summoned before a tribunal where his ideas were condemned. His popularity was such that the pope’s decree did little to subdue the desire among the general population of England to learn more about his convictions. These included the belief that the Bible is the final authority in all matters of religion, not the pope; that the pope is not infallible; that the Scriptures should be made available to all people, not just the clergy; and that the clergy should serve rather than rule the people. Despite public enthusiasm for his work, the Archbishop of London succeeded in having him suppressed and he was officially prohibited from preaching. He spent the remainder of his life writing and preparing an English translation of the Bible. At the Council of Constance in 1415 all of his surviving books that could be found were ordered burned. He ignited the spark that would blaze forth a century and a half later on October 31, 1517 when Martin Luther posted his ninety-five Theses on the church door at Wittenberg and the Protestant Reformation began in earnest.
