Wednesday, July 28, 2010

Understanding the Bible

Oxford academic John Wycliffe was enthusiastic that people should not have to rely on priests for a reading of a text but could access it for themselves. Good man.

Thing is, and excuse me if I first throw a brick through the spell-checker, what he actually said was, 'Christ seith that the gospel shold be prechid in al the wrold ... Holi writ is the scripture of pupilis for it is maad that alle pupilis shulden knowe it.' (I quote Karen Armstrong quoting A. Hudson.)

Isn't it amazing, and I refer you all to this post a few days ago about the language of the Skate comp., how English moves on.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

There's a great portrait of Wyckliff (as it was then spelt) in St. James Camberwell.

He's on his death bed and is surrounded by "Priests, Friars and other agents of Rome." come to urge him to recant his beliefs and return to Mother Church.

Wyckliff sees them off.