It’s often claimed that translations of the Bible into the vernacular languages of medieval Europe weren’t really opposed within the church because there are a few examples of such translations prior to the Reformation. But those translations that did exist were rare and too little disseminated and known, and there simply was immense pressure against fresh efforts at translation into the vernacular languages. This video chronicles how this played out in 15th century England where the efforts of John Wycliffe and the Lollards were opposed.
For further reading about the Lollards, see: Lollards and Their Influence in Late Medieval England, ed. Fiona Somerset, Jill C. Havens, and Derrick G. Pitard (Rochester, NY: Boydell, 2003).
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