Daily Curiosity

Middle Ages · Question

Which 14th-century English thinker is associated with ideas later linked to Lollardy and critique of church wealth?

Answer

John Wycliffe

The story behind the answer

An Oxford theologian of the late 1300s argued that Scripture, not papal authority, was the supreme guide for Christians. He sharply criticized the wealth and temporal power of the clergy and promoted making the Bible available in the vernacular—ideas that inspired a movement of lay preachers known as Lollards. Their emphasis on personal Bible reading and moral reform directly echoed his teachings.

His critiques prefigured the later Protestant Reformation and influenced figures like Jan Hus in Bohemia. Though protected for a time by powerful patrons, his views were condemned after his death; the Council of Constance even ordered his remains exhumed and burned (1428). Despite suppression, his call for a poorer, more scriptural Church proved enduring.

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