John Wycliffe

=== Anti-Wycliffe synod ===

In the summer of 1381 Wycliffe formulated his doctrine of the Lord's Supper in twelve short sentences, and made it a duty to advocate it everywhere. Then the English hierarchy proceeded against him. The chancellor of the University of Oxford had some of the declarations pronounced heretical. When this was announced to Wycliffe, he declared that no one could change his convictions. He then appealed – not to the pope nor to the ecclesiastical authorities of the land, but to the king. He published his great confession upon the subject and also a second writing in English intended for the common people.<ref>{{ cite web |title=John Wycliffe |url=http://www.greatsite.com/timeline-english-bible-history/john-wycliffe.html |access-date=26 October 2019 |website=www.greatsite.com }}</ref>

As long as Wycliffe limited his attacks to abuses and the wealth of the Church, he could rely on the support of part of the clergy and aristocracy, but once he dismissed the traditional doctrine of [[transubstantiation]], his theses could not be defended any more.<ref name=Conti/> This view cost him the support of [[John of Gaunt]] and many others.<ref name=Kiefer/>

In the midst of this came the [[English peasants' revolt of 1381|Peasants' Revolt of 1381]]. The revolt was sparked in part by Wycliffe's preaching carried throughout the realm by "poor priests" appointed by Wycliffe (mostly laymen). The preachers didn't limit their criticism of the accumulation of wealth and property to that of the monasteries, but rather included secular properties belonging to the nobility as well.<ref>{{ cite web |title=John Wycliffe – Michael Davies |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bJ0QoLj5PgM | archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211211/bJ0QoLj5PgM| archive-date=11 December 2021 | url-status=live|access-date=26 October 2019 |via=www.youtube.com }}{{cbignore}}</ref> Although Wycliffe disapproved of the revolt, some of his disciples justified the killing of [[Simon Sudbury]], Archbishop of Canterbury. In 1382 Wycliffe's old enemy [[William Courtenay]], now Archbishop of Canterbury, called an ecclesiastical assembly of notables at London. During the consultations on 21 May [[1382 Dover Straits earthquake|an earthquake]] occurred; the participants were terrified and wished to break up the assembly, but Courtenay declared the earthquake a favourable sign which meant the purification of the earth from erroneous doctrine, and the result of the "[[Earthquake Synod]]" was assured.<ref>"Earthquake Synod." Cross, F. L. and E. A. Livingstone, eds. ''The Oxford Dictionary of the Christian Church.'' London: Oxford UP, 1974. p. 437.</ref>

Of the 24 propositions attributed to Wycliffe without mentioning his name, ten were declared heretical and fourteen erroneous. The former had reference to the transformation in the sacrament, the latter to matters of church order and institutions. It was forbidden from that time to hold these opinions or to advance them in sermons or in academic discussions. All persons disregarding this order were to be subject to prosecution. To accomplish this the help of the State was necessary; but the Commons rejected the bill. The king, however, had a decree issued which permitted the arrest of those in error.

The citadel of the reformatory movement was Oxford, where Wycliffe's most active helpers were; these were laid under the ban and summoned to recant, and Nicholas of Hereford went to Rome to appeal.<ref>{{ cite web |title=§12. Nicholas Hereford and John Purvey. II. Religious Movements in the Fourteenth Century. Vol. 2. The End of the Middle Ages. The Cambridge History of English and American Literature: An Encyclopedia in Eighteen Volumes. 1907–21 |url=https://www.bartleby.com/212/0212.html |access-date=26 October 2019 |website=www.bartleby.com }}</ref>

On 17 November 1382, Wycliffe was summoned before a synod at Oxford. He still commanded the favour of the court and of Parliament, to which he addressed a memorial. He was neither excommunicated then, nor deprived of his living.

Wycliffe aimed to do away with the existing hierarchy and replace it with the "poor priests" who lived in poverty, were bound by no vows, had received no formal [[consecration]], and preached the [[Gospel]] to the people. Itinerant preachers spread the teachings of Wycliffe. The bull of Gregory XI impressed upon them the name of [[Lollards]], intended as an opprobrious epithet, but it became, to them, a name of honour. Even in Wycliffe's time the "Lollards" had reached wide circles in England and preached "God's law, without which no one could be justified."<ref>{{cite web |date=18 January 2018 |title=John Wycliffe (1324–1384) |url=http://www.webtruth.org/christian-history/john-wycliffe-1324-1384-morning-star-reformation/ |access-date=13 November 2019 |website=WebTruth.org |archive-date=27 September 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200927042320/https://www.webtruth.org/christian-history/john-wycliffe-1324-1384-morning-star-reformation/ |url-status=dead }}</ref>