On the Truth of Holy Scripture

by Wyclif John

Wyclif sought the restoration of an idealized past even if that meant taking revolutionary steps in the present to recover what had been lost. His 1377-78 On the Truth of Holy Scripture represents such an effort in the recognition of the inherent perfection and veracity of the Sacred Page which serves as the model for daily conduct, discourse, and worship, thereby forming the foundation upon which Christendom itself is to be ordered.

Genres: Theology

378 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2001

Reviews

[James Horgan · Rating 2 out of 5]

Definitely a tough read. How Wyclif rambles around. Who knows what he got up to in the bits omitted in this translation?

Certainly the book shows his gaze moving to the Scriptures as the fount of all authority, marking a path for other reformers to follow. He did not get all the way there but was a trailblazer beyond whom others progressed.

His writing is deeply scholastic. Indeed, he is regarded as the most scholastic of schoolmen. No doubt a grounding in mediaeval philosophy (which I don't have) would make reading this easier.

It is a pity the many extent Wycliffite sermons are only available in Middle English. They would likely be a more fun read!

[Frederick · Rating 3 out of 5]

Reasonably interesting if you can follow the great man's arguments. Some of the more interesting phrases are, when talking about reading the Bible, he says, "Holy Scripture is a nest for Christ's faithful chicks." (p. 111) Also, his refusal to accept, "any science or conclusion to which Scripture does not bear witness," is part of a very insightful section. (p. 129) He also allows that Scripture is a hindrance to heresy if the Scriptures are ready properly. There are many other things that are hard to understand or disagreeable but he was still a faithful Catholic, no matter his views on the Bible or his refusal to worship the Pope. I think this is an important read.