History of the Reformation (V)
England
Germans, Celts, Romans, Picts, Angles (Angle Land), Saxons, Jutes, Danes, Normans, Others
Early English church used Latin Bible (Vulgate-translation by Jerome in late 5th C)
st
Pope Gregory I (590-604) ➔ missionaries to England
1 Archbishop of Canterbury 597
Translation parts of scripture into “Old” English
Bede (d. 735)- Ecclesiastical History of the English Nation ----John, Apostles Creed, Lords' Prayer
Alfred (871-901)- King of England ---code of laws, 10 commandments, parts of Psalter & NT
Sothlice ut eode se sawere his saed to sawenne. And tha tha he seow, sumu hie feollon with weg, and fuglas
comon and aeton tha. Sothlice sumu feollon on staenihte, thaer hit naefide micle eorthan, and hraedlice up
sprungon, for thaem the hie naefdon thaere eorthan diepan
1066 Norman Conquest ➝ Change in “Old English” culture
Henry II vs Thomas Becket 1170 Richard I 1189-99 (Crusades)
1337-1453 100 years war with France
1347-1351-Black Death
1215 Magna Charta
John Wycliffe 1330-1384 Oxford
Bible is the rule for faith and practice, anti-clerical, calls for reform, followers called Lollards
English Translation based on Latin Vulgate- “editorial supervision” by Wycliffe
Constitutions of Oxford 1408forbids anyone to translate or read a vernacular version without approval of the bishop
1455-1485-Civil War in England “War of the Roses”
→→ Rise of the House of Tudor (Henry VII→ Henry VIII)
William Tyndale (1494-1536)
Attended Oxford & Cambridge
➝ reformer, importance of scripture in common language
“If God spare my life, ere many years I will cause a boy that driveth the plough shall know more of the
Scripture than though dost” (in response to a cleric)
Unable to get approval in England for translation work ➝ Germany 1524
1526- 1st English translation of NT to be printed (translated from Greek)
Numerous revisions, added marginal notes, references to parallel passages, comments
1528- The Obedience of a Christian Man
Objection more to the translator (especially marginal notes)than the translation
1530-Pentateuch translated from the Hebrew; 1534-Revisions of translations
90% of words used in AV (KJV) from Tyndale
O oure father which arte in heven, halowed be thy name. Let thy kyngdome come. Thy wyll be fufilled, as well in erth, as it ys in
heven. Geve vs this daye oure dayly breede. And forgeve vs oure treaspases, even as we forgeve oure treaspacers. And leade
vs not into temptacion: but delyver vs from evell. For thyne is the knygedome and the power, and the glorye for ever. Amen.
1535 Betrayed, kidnaped in Antwerp, imprisoned, executed as a heretic in 1536 with the full approval
and recommendation of Henry VIII. “Lord open the King of England's eyes”
Henry VIII (King from 1509-1547)
Well educated, becomes king on premature death of his brother Arthur
1509 Marries Catherine of Aragon (Arthur’s wife so requires papal approval)
1520 wrote Defense of the Seven Sacraments (anti-Lutheran)➝ Defender of the Faith
Seeks annulment (divorce) of marriage to Catherine. (6 children only Mary survives)
Instructs Cardinal Wolsey to “find a way”
1531-Convocation- King is “singular protector and the supreme head of the church”
1532-Parliament ends payment of “dues and duties” to Rome
1532-Thomas Cranmer becomes Archbishop of Canterbury
1533 Restraint of Appeals- church in England can decide issues without need for Pope
1534 Act of Supremacy-England splits with Rome
Pope has no authority in England; King becomes head of Church of England
In terra supermum caput Anglicanae ecclesia:: Supreme head on earth of the English church
Henry VIII (with assistance in planning from Thomas Cromwell & Thomas Cranmer)
wanted a catholic church but with the King (himself) in charge and not the Pope
wanted to be free to divorce and marry as he wished
promotes English nationalism, confiscates church lands, closes monasteries ($$)
promotes Bible, services, prayer book in English
dissent punished severely (treason, sedition, promoting heresy, failed the king)
e.g Cardinal Wolsey, Thomas More, Thomas Cromwell, wives Anne Boleyn
Thomas Cranmer -Archbishop of Canterbury- (Architect of the English Reformation)
Writes Book of Common Prayer, Liturgy of Church of England
“Restore the church to the best of the catholic faith it has so long lost”
Miles Coverdale (1488-1569) Worked with Tyndale
1535 Coverdale Bible- 1st complete Bible printed in English; approved by council
translation from Tyndale, Latin Vulgate, new Latin translation of 1528; Luther's
German translation; Luther's version translated into Swiss German
Apocrypha separated from OT and printed as an appendix
Marginal notes contain pro-protestant interpretations
1539 The Great Bible
Coverdale's revision of the Matthew Bible
1538 “An English Bible should be chained to every desk in every parish church in order that
literate parishioners might read and illiterate ones hear the wholesome doctrine and comfort
to their souls.”
1539 proclamation forbids reading English Bible aloud during divine service
1543-Parliament➝ For the Advancement of True Religionban on Tyndale and Coverdale versions, illegal for unlicensed person to read the
Bible to others, lower classes may not read Bible at all
Edward VI (1547-1553) (Son of Henry VIII and Jane Seymour)-Raised “protestant”
English Bible in all churches (Great Bible reprinted 1549 & 1553)
Publication of Booke of the Common Prayer and Administracion of the Sacrements (1549)
Church services in English, including communion service
Mary I (1553-1558) (Daughter of Henry VIII and Catherine of Aragon)
➝ reforming policy of Edward VI reversed, restore Catholic Church,
➝ marries Phillip II of Spain (unpopular union with England’s arch-enemy)
➝ some reformers escape to Europe (Geneva); persecution of reformers
➝ execution of Cranmer, Latimer, Ridley & ≈ 300 others
“Bloody Mary”
In Geneva “exiles” work on a better English translation of the Bible ➝ Geneva Bible
In Geneva-John Calvin, Theodore Beza, French reformers in “exile” ➝ French translation
Elizabeth I (1558-1603)
(daughter of Henry VIII and Anne Boleyn)
“The Glorious Era” “The Virgin Queen”
Restored Protestantism
Catholic counter-reformation in England –
Recusants-RC supporters within England
Pope authorized opposition to Elizabeth’s reign
Jesuit missionaries to England (persecuted-exiled or executed)
Assassination attempts (authorized by RCC plus “normal” court intrigues)
Mary Queen of Scots
Opposition from catholic Spain-Spain plans to invade England
English defeat Phillip II & Spanish Armada 1588
Elizabethan Settlement 1559
(via media)
Act of Supremacy-Pope without authority in England
Act of Uniformity-uniformity of Church of England
1560 Geneva Bible (dedicated to Queen Elizabeth)
-becomes household Bible of English speaking Protestants (esp. Scotland)
-annotations and marginal notes Calvinistic
Therefore never officially approved for use in Church(s) of England
Catholics under reign of Queen Elizabeth
Catholic “exiles” ➝ Douai (Northern France) then Rheims;
Exiles in France train missionaries for England
Catholic Bible: Literal translation of Latin vulgate
Gregory Martin- Douai-Rheims translation 1582 NT & 1609 OT Bible of English RCs
Puritans
(Groups seeking more reform-but many variations)
Rid the Church of England of all Roman Catholic influence (separatists & non-separatists)
Purify the Church, enforce Sabbath, emphasis on conversion experience
Authority of scripture, unified society (government and church),
Covenantal theology, pietistic, religious freedom (esp. their own)
Some become militant, some emigrate, some form “closed” communities, MANY VARIATIONS
James I (1603-1625) (son of Mary Queen of Scots and Lord Darnley)
Was also James VI of Scotland;
Catholic mother but raised protestant
Anti-parliament, believed in divine right of Kings, increases taxation
Colonization: Jamestown 1607;
Mayflower & Pilgrims 1620
1604 approved translation of whole Bible, based on the Bishops Bible, using Hebrew & Greek
texts as needed, no marginal notes, to be used in all the churches of England
Translators working in 6 groups (3 OT, 2 NT, 1 Apocrypha );
2 from each group review final version; work done at Westminster, Oxford, Cambridge
1611 Authorized Version (King James Version)
Significant impact on English language; Multiple printings
Major revisions to AV in 1629, 1638, 1762, 1769
correct textual errors, correct printing errors, adopt changes in language usage
Charles I (1625-1649)
claims absolute power, closes Parliament
➝ Civil War 1642-1653 (religious and political “causes”)
Royalists (Cavilers) vs Parliamentarians (Roundheads) (Puritans)
Later Puritans led by Oliver Cromwell
Charles I loses, trial, then executed but civil wars continue  “protestant wasteland”
Commonwealth under Cromwell
“Lord Protectorate” 1649-1658
Rebellion in Scotland and Ireland (Massacre of Drogheda, Wexford 1649)
Monarchy restored in 1660
Charles II➝ James II (attempt to restore RCC)
William of Orange (William III of Netherlands-Protestant ) “invited” to invade England
Glorious Revolution 1688
William and Mary (daughter of James II) 1689-1694
English Bill of Rights (No Roman Catholic can be King), Rights of Parliament
End of Roman Catholicism as the “official” religion of England
1707 Act of Union-Kingdom of England & Wales + Scotland ➝ Great Britain
Ireland - nationalistic, remains Catholic, rejects Church of England, allies with RCC leaders
long memory of Drogheda; influx of Protestants ➝ Catholic vs Protestant conflicts
English Religious Groups in 17th and 18th centuries
Church of England (Anglican but numerous variations)
conformists  non-conformists; Dissenters
Roman Catholic
Puritans (numerous variations), Separatists
Seekers (and many other groups) (Quakers)
Baptists, Particular Baptists, Anabaptists, Reformed Baptists, General Baptists (Arminians)
Methodist- John & Charles Wesley 1730’s
Presbyterian (numerous variations)- Scotland
Evangelicals
Jews (tolerance varies) forced to leave England in 13th C; some return
Mennonites
Pietists-influence on other religious groups; Moravians
Mystics
Deism, Unitarianism, Atheists, ?????
AMERICAS
Spanish missions & clerics in Mexico, southern frontier, California RCC
New France 1608 Canada (Quebec) 1673 French exploration of upper Mississippi RCC
Colonial America- European “Christianity” + “renewal” ± non-traditional beliefs + ???
1607 Jamestown (charter from King James I)
secular motives (return on investments) but Anglican beliefs present;
1619 Trade in tobacco & slaves
1620 England (Puritan separatists) → Holland → North America
Pilgrims sailed for Virginia but landed in Plymouth.
Subsequent Puritan colonies in Massachusetts & New England
Catholic- Maryland 1634
George Calvert (aka Lord Baltimore) for service to Charles I was given land
Calvert’s goal-provide haven for Catholics (tolerated Protestants) & make money
Baptists- several “types” of Baptists (general, particular, freewill, of England, of Holland)
Pennsylvania, R.I., Southern colonies
1639 Newport Rhode Island 1st Baptist Church in America Roger Williams 1603-1683
Anglicans- Virginia, Carolinas, Georgia, NYC
Presbyterian (from Scotland & Ireland- Scot-Irish) Calvinist + variations
Maryland (1st Presbyterian Church 1684)
Quakers-1656 to Massachusetts (conflict with Puritans) → PA & RI William Penn 1644-1718
Reformed (Calvinistic) - Dutch & Germans
Lutheran-Germans, Scandinavians
NY, Pennsylvania, Maryland
New York (1624), New Amsterdam, Pennsylvania
Psalm 23 (examples of English translation)
Early Middle English 13th Century
Lauerd me steres, noght wante sal me: In stede of fode þare me louked he.
He fed me ouer watre ofe fode, Mi saule he tornes in to gode.
He led me ouer sties of rightwisenes, For his name, swa hali es.
For, and ife .I. ga in mid schadw ofe dede,For þou wiþ me erte iuel sal .i. noght drede;
Þi yherde, and þi stafe ofe mighte, Þai ere me roned dai and nighte.
Þou graiþed in mi sighte borde to be, Ogaines þas þat droued me;
Þou fatted in oli me heued yhite; And mi drinke dronkenand while schire es ite!
And filigh me sal þi mercy Alle daies ofe mi life for-þi;
And þat .I. wone in hous ofe lauerd isse In lengþe of daies al wiþ blisse.
Wycliffe Translation 1395
The Lord gouerneth me, and no thing schal faile to me; in the place of pasture there he hath set me. He
nurschide me on the watir of refreischyng; he conuertide my soule. He ledde me forth on the pathis of
ri3tfulnesse; for his na me. For whi thou3 Y schal go in the myddis of schadewe of deeth; Y schal not drede
yuels, for thou art with me. Thi 3erde and thi staf; tho han coumfortid me. Thou hast maad redi a boord in my
si3t; a3ens hem that troblen me. Thou hast maad fat myn heed with oyle; and my cuppe, fillinge greetli, is ful
cleer. And thi mercy schal sue me; in alle the daies of my lijf. And that Y dwelle in the hows of the Lord; in t o the
lengthe of daies.
1611 Authorized Version King James Version
1
[A Psalme of Dauid.] The Lord is my shepheard, I shall not want. 2 He maketh me to lie downe in
3
greene pastures: he leadeth mee beside the still waters. He restoreth my soule: he leadeth me in
4
the pathes of righteousnes, for his names sake. Yea though I walke through the valley of the
shadowe of death, I will feare no euill: for thou art with me, thy rod and thy staffe, they comfort me. 5
Thou preparest a table before me, in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with
oyle, my cuppe runneth ouer. 6 Surely goodnes and mercie shall followe me all the daies of my life:
and I will dwell in the house of the Lord for euer.
Example of original 1611 printing of Psalm 23
Above text has been converted from the long form descending “s” in
the original printing to a more modern “s”