Dawn of the Reformation: Sola Scriptura
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John Wycliffe, mid-1320's-1384
History
Called the "Morning Star of the Reformation," John Wycliffe was responsible for the first significant translation of the Scriptures into English. Born in 1330, Wycliffe spent many of his years arguing against the teachings of the Roman Catholic Church which he believed to be contrary to the Bible. Wycliffe was convinced in his day that there was a need to turn to the Scriptures as the primary rule of life. In order to do that, since the Scriptures of the Church of his day were in Latin, those Scriptures had to be translated into the common language of the day, which for him was English. So he and several of his colleagues began the translation work in the 1370's. The first Wycliffe New Testament appeared in 1382. Because Wycliffe lived nearly a century before Gutenberg invented the moveable-type printing press, all of his New Testaments and Bibles were hand-written manuscripts, produced one at a time. His work created a thirst for the Bible in the language of the common man. That thirst led to the insatiable desire for Bible translations that came to being in England in the 16th century, starting with the translation work of William Tyndale and the first printed English New Testament in 1525.
Item Description
This copy is a facsimile reproduction of the very first translation of the Scriptures into the English language. The Wycliffe translations were hand-written manuscript Bibles, pre-dating printing by 70 years [Gutenberg, 1455].
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Erasmus Greek-Latin New Testament, 1522
History
The major contribution of Erasmus to the advancement of the Reformation was his publication in 1516 of a Greek-Latin parallel New Testament which became foundational to much of the translation work of the reformers. His translation and correction of the Latin Vulgate from the Greek was much more accurate and reliable than the version used by the Roman Church. This work of Erasmus focused attention on just how inaccurate the Latin Vulgate Bible had become and how important it was to go back to the original Greek so that the translations of the Scriptures in the languages of the common man could be accurately and faithfully completed. The subsequent versions of Erasmus' Greek New Testament became known as the Textus Receptus.
Item Description
This copy of the Erasmus Greek-Latin New Testament is a photographic reproduction of the third edition printed in 1522. It contains Erasmus' translation of both the Greek and the Latin Vulgate texts in two parallel columns. This edition was used by Tyndale for the translation of the first English New Testament in 1526. It was subsequently used by the translators of the Geneva Bible, first printed in 1560, and the King James Version of the Bible, first printed in 1611.
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Erasmus Colloquies, 1643
History
The major contribution of Erasmus to the advancement of the Reformation was his publication in 1516 of a Greek-Latin parallel New Testament which became foundational to much of the translation work of the reformers. His translation and correction of the Latin Vulgate from the Greek was much more accurate and reliable than the version used by the Roman Church. This work of Erasmus focused attention on just how inaccurate the Latin Vulgate Bible had become and how important it was to go back to the original Greek so that the translations of the Scriptures in the languages of the common man could be accurately and faithfully completed. The subsequent versions of Erasmus' Greek New Testament became known as the Textus Receptus.
Item Description
This copy of Erasmus' Colloguies was printed in Amsterdam in 1642. These 63 dialogues which Erasmus first wrote for his students as examples of discourse were eventually revised into a series of meditations on the significant topics of the day. Some have said that these dialogues were so profound that it is not a stretch to say that they helped to speed the Reformation. This edition was rebound in the 18th century with burgundy morocco leather.
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Luther German New Testament, First Published 1522
History
Martin Luther said: "Here I stand. I can do no other....my conscience is captive to the Word of God." Luther knew, as a reformer, that he could not affect future generations without a common language Bible. So he began his German translation of the Bible and first published the New Testament in 1522. Luther completed the Pentateuch in 1523, and another edition of the New Testament in 1529. In the 1530's he would complete the printing of the entire Bible in German. Luther's work was an inspiration to William Tyndale, who desired to translate the Scriptures into English, which was illegal in England. So Tyndale showed up on Luther's doorstep and completed the first English translation of the New Testament in 1525. In his translation work, Tyndale, who was fluent in 8 languages, compared his work against that of Luther as well as a number of Greek and Latin texts.
Item Description
A complete printing of Luther=s 1529 German New Testament has never been found. The fragment from which this leaf is taken is the only one known to exist. The first complete German Bible was printed in 1530. The text on the two pages is from Colossians chapters 1 and 2.
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Luther, Collected Writings, 1572
History
Martin Luther said: "Here I stand. I can do no other....my conscience is captive to the Word of God." Luther knew, as a reformer, that he could not affect future generations without a common language Bible. So he began his German translation of the Bible and first published the New Testament in 1522. Luther completed the Pentateuch in 1523, and another edition of the New Testament in 1529. In the 1530's he would complete the printing of the entire Bible in German. Luther's work was an inspiration to William Tyndale, who desired to translate the Scriptures into English, which was illegal in England. So Tyndale showed up on Luther's doorstep and completed the first English translation of the New Testament in 1525. In his translation work, Tyndale, who was fluent in 8 languages, compared his work against that of Luther as well as a number of Greek and Latin texts.
Item Description
This book, a A "4th" edition of Luther's collected writings originally published in the early 16th century, is part of a multi-volume set which includes masses, sermons, and letters received and sent from 1522 to 1525. The binding is vellum with metal clasps. The illustrations in the book are hand-colored.
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Philipp Melancthon, 1497-1560
History
Philipp Melancthon, a German professor and theologian, was a significant force in the Protestant Reformation, as well as friend, associate, and often defender of Martin Luther. Melancthon, who lectured all his adult life at the University of Wittenberg in Germany, has often been called the chief systematic theologian of the Reformation, most demonstrated by his publication in 1521 of his Loci Communes, a system of Christian doctrine based primarily on the writings of Paul. He is best known for his work on what would eventually be called the Augsburg Confession, which began in 1530 as a statement of Protestant doctrine presented to the emperor Charles V at Augsburg, thus the title. It is considered to be the most significant published work of the Protestant Reformation. In this work, Melancthon attempted to bring together all Christians in a series of fundamental beliefs. Melancthon's importance for the Reformation lay essentially in the fact that he systematized Luther's teaching, defended them in public, and made them the basis of a religious education.
Item Description
This book, printed in Germany in 1591 in Latin, is a compilation of materials beginning with the Augsburg Confession, followed by Philipp Melancthon's Apology [defense] of the Augsburg Confession and other commentaries on the Confession, most prominently that of Johannes Pappus, a Lutheran theologian (1549-1610).
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Tyndale New Testament, 1536
History
William Tyndale holds the distinction of being the first man to print the New Testament in the English Language. Early in the 16th century, Tyndale was forced to flee England because of the prohibition of printing the Bible in the common language of the people. The Catholic Church and the Church of England wanted to control access to the Scriptures and its interpretation. While in exile in Europe, Tyndale printed the first English language New Testament in 1525. Thousands were smuggled back into England, made more possible because of the small octavo format. Many of the copies were confiscated and burned, and those who possessed them risked death by burning at the stake. Tyndale was eventually captured in Belgium, and in 1536 was strangled and burned at the stake. His translation work and printing of Bibles opened the floodgates of new versions, and most of the English translation work in the remainder of the 16th and early 17th centuries was based largely on Tyndale's work. Today, there are only two known copies left of Tyndale's 1525 first edition. Any copies printed prior to 1570 are extremely rare.
Item Description
This page from a Tyndale New Testament is from a printing done in 1535 or 1536, probably in Antwerp, Belgium, under the supervision of Myles Coverdale, a close friend of Tyndale. During this time, Tyndale was in prison and would be martyred in 1536. The small size of this printing is indicative of those copies that could be more easily smuggled back into England. The text from the Bible on these two pages is from Romans 10:12 to 11:13.
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Tyndale New Testament, 1534
History
William Tyndale holds the distinction of being the first man to print the New Testament in the English Language. Early in the 16th century, Tyndale was forced to flee England because of the prohibition of printing the Bible in the common language of the people. The Catholic Church and the Church of England wanted to control access to the Scriptures and its interpretation. While in exile in Europe, Tyndale printed the first English language New Testament in 1525. Thousands were smuggled back into England, made more possible because of the small octavo format. Many of the copies were confiscated and burned, and those who possessed them risked death by burning at the stake. Tyndale was eventually captured in Belgium, and in 1536 was strangled and burned at the stake. His translation work and printing of Bibles opened the floodgates of new versions, and most of the English translation work in the remainder of the 16th and early 17th centuries was based largely on Tyndale's work. Today, there are only two known copies left of Tyndale's 1525 first edition. Any copies printed prior to 1570 are extremely rare.
Item Description
Published in 1939 in Cambridge, England, by the Royal Society of Literature to commemorate the 400th anniversary of the martyrdom of William Tyndale, this New Testament is an accurate reprint of the 1534 Tyndale New Testament from a copy loaned by the British and Foreign Bible Society. Although a few adjustments were made in the text to provide for more easy reading, this was at the time of its printing the first complete edition of this rare New Testament printed since its original publication in 1534.
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Tyndale New Testament, 1536
History
William Tyndale holds the distinction of being the first man to print the New Testament in the English Language. Early in the 16th century, Tyndale was forced to flee England because of the prohibition of printing the Bible in the common language of the people. The Catholic Church and the Church of England wanted to control access to the Scriptures and its interpretation. While in exile in Europe, Tyndale printed the first English language New Testament in 1525. Thousands were smuggled back into England, made more possible because of the small octavo format. Many of the copies were confiscated and burned, and those who possessed them risked death by burning at the stake. Tyndale was eventually captured in Belgium, and in 1536 was strangled and burned at the stake. His translation work and printing of Bibles opened the floodgates of new versions, and most of the English translation work in the remainder of the 16th and early 17th centuries was based largely on Tyndale's work. Today, there are only two known copies left of Tyndale's 1525 first edition. Any copies printed prior to 1570 are extremely rare.
Item Description
The 1536 Tyndale New Testament was the last and most elaborate edition done prior to Tyndale's death in October of that year. It includes exceptional woodcut illustrations and calligraphy-like Gothic blackletter typeface. This exact facsimile reproduction has been photographically enlarged to approximately 125% of the size of the original for easier reading. Rare original Tyndale New Testaments from the 1500's like this facsimile sell today for nearly $100,000.
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Geneva Bible, 1608
History
The first edition of the Geneva Bible was published in 1560 in Europe, after many of the English reformationists fled to Geneva, Switzerland, because public reading of the Bible had been prohibited in England. John Calvin was a primary mover behind the translation and publication of this important protestant Bible. Although never officially adopted in England, for three generations the Geneva Bible was the most popular of all English versions, 140 editions being published between 1560 and 1640. This version was read by Shakespeare and John Bunyan and was of cardinal importance for its influence on English language, literature, and thought. The Geneva Bible was also the Bible of the Puritans and the Pilgrims, who fled to the religious freedom of the New World.
Item Description
The Centennial Library copy of the Geneva Bible is a small quarto edition published by Robert Barker in London in 1608. This copy, with an attractive 19th century binding, also has bound within it two concordances, a 1609 Psalter, and a 1608 Common Book of Prayer.
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John Calvin, In Librum Psalmorum, 1564
History
John Calvin, along with Martin Luther, is considered to be among the most significant forces in the Protestant Reformation. Working out of France and Switzerland, he is the author of the most famous theological book ever published, the Institutes of Christian Religion. No theology book has ever been more loved or hated. His doctrines of the sovereignty of God in predestinating the fate of all believers, commonly referred to as Calvinism, are among the most hotly debated in the history of Christianity. Do we choose God or does He choose us? The correct answer is absolutely essential to a proper understanding of the nature of God and His relationship with all humanity. John Calvin's Institutes, first published in Latin in 1536, is the definitive reference work on the subject. Calvin also authored many other books, including volumes of commentaries on most of the books of the Bible, all of which are still in print today. He was also the primary person behind the publication of the famous protestant English Bible, the Geneva Bible, first published in 1560 in Switzerland.
Item Description
The Library copy of Calvin's Commentary on the Psalms is written in Latin and was published during Calvin's life time. This second edition has the original binding and silk ties and was once owned by Davis Giddy in the early 19th century, a member of the British Parliament, President of the Royal Society, and an acquaintance of William Wilberforce.
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John Calvin, Commentary on Genesis, 1578
History
John Calvin, along with Martin Luther, is considered to be among the most significant forces in the Protestant Reformation. Working out of France and Switzerland, he is the author of the most famous theological book ever published, the Institutes of Christian Religion. No theology book has ever been more loved or hated. His doctrines of the sovereignty of God in predestinating the fate of all believers, commonly referred to as Calvinism, are among the most hotly debated in the history of Christianity. Do we choose God or does He choose us? The correct answer is absolutely essential to a proper understanding of the nature of God and His relationship with all humanity. John Calvin's Institutes, first published in Latin in 1536, is the definitive reference work on the subject. Calvin also authored many other books, including volumes of commentaries on most of the books of the Bible, all of which are still in print today. He was also the primary person behind the publication of the famous protestant English Bible, the Geneva Bible, first published in 1560 in Switzerland.
Item Description
The Library copy of John Calvin's Commentary on Genesis, with its original leather covers, is an English translation from the Latin, published after Calvin's death in 1564. This copy has almost 130 pages of hand written text filling in missing pages of the printed text. Someone valued Calvin's work highly enough to make sure he had a complete copy of this book.
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John Calvin, Institutes of Christian Religion, 1585
History
John Calvin, along with Martin Luther, is considered to be among the most significant forces in the Protestant Reformation. Working out of France and Switzerland, he is the author of the most famous theological book ever published, the Institutes of Christian Religion. No theology book has ever been more loved or hated. His doctrines of the sovereignty of God in predestinating the fate of all believers, commonly referred to as Calvinism, are among the most hotly debated in the history of Christianity. Do we choose God or does He choose us? The correct answer is absolutely essential to a proper understanding of the nature of God and His relationship with all humanity. John Calvin's Institutes, first published in Latin in 1536, is the definitive reference work on the subject. Calvin also authored many other books, including volumes of commentaries on most of the books of the Bible, all of which are still in print today. He was also the primary person behind the publication of the famous protestant English Bible, the Geneva Bible, first published in 1560 in Switzerland.
Item Description
The Library copy of Calvin's Institutes is a facsimile reproduction of the first English edition, prepared in 1999 from an original copy, and enlarged to more than twice the size for easier reading. The 1585 English edition is a one-volume abridgement of the original multi-volume publication, first printed in Latin in 1536 and then in French in 1541.
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John Foxe, 1516-1587
History
John Foxe, born in England in 1516, is most famous for his Foxe's Book of Martyrs, an exhaustive reference work on the persecution and martyrdom of Christians and Protestants from the time of the original Apostles through the mid-16th century Reformation. Foxe was in exile from England in Germany and Switzerland on several occasions because of the persecution of Protestants in England; during that time he completed the Latin edition of his extensive book and it was published in 1559. Shortly afterward it was safe for him to return to England. Foxe based his accounts of persecution partly on reliable documents and reports of the trials, as well as on statements from the friends of those who suffered. The first English edition of the Foxes' Book of Martyrs was printed in 1563. Outside of the Bible itself, Foxe's work is considered to be one of three most important and influential books ever published in the history of Christendom, the other two being John Bunyan's Pilgrims Progress and John Calvin's Institute of the Christian Religion. The Book of Martyrs is probably most famous for its many woodcut illustrations showing the terrible methods used to torture and execute many who gave their lives for the truth of God's Word and for its availability to the masses in their languages.
Item Description
This copy of the Book of Martyrs, a revised, updated, and expanded version published by Paul Wright in the late 18th century, was printed in New York in 1794. The work includes the addition of details about 18th-century Catholic persecution of Protestants. Wright claimed that "next to your Bible this book will be the most valuable legacy you can leave your children."
