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Y304: The Church and Medieval Heresy c.1100–1437

Depth study: John Wycliffe and the Lollards to c.1420 — Wycliffe’s views and writings

  • 1 thing to know
  • Unit group 3

Overview

Recall questions on Wycliffe’s views and writings, Wycliffe’s attacks on the Papacy and monasticism, political support for Wycliffe and the reasons for this support.

What you need to know

Answer each one before you reveal it.

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Who and when

Who protected Wycliffe politically, and why?

Questions from this subtopic

Each one with the model answer underneath.

  1. 1

    Who was John Wycliffe, and what was his doctrine of dominion?

    Model answer

    He was an Oxford schoolman and secular priest, the leading philosopher of his generation in the university, who argued that all lawful lordship derives from God and is held on condition of grace, so that clergy in mortal sin forfeit their right to property and jurisdiction, and secular rulers may lawfully take their endowments away.

  2. 2

    Why did Wycliffe's writing appeal so widely?

    Model answer

    Dominion by grace gave a theological justification for taxing or confiscating Church wealth at a moment when the Crown was short of money, while his attacks on papal taxation and ignorant priests matched grievances felt far beyond the schools, and his followers turned his Latin arguments into vigorous English sermons and tracts.

  3. 3

    What was Wycliffe's doctrine of the Church?

    Model answer

    He defined the Church as the whole body of those predestined to salvation, known only to God, which meant that the visible hierarchy of pope, bishops and clergy had no guaranteed claim to be the Church at all.

  4. 4

    What was Wycliffe's view of the papacy?

    Model answer

    He held that the papal office had no scriptural warrant, that obedience was owed only to a pope whose life conformed to Christ, and that an unworthy pope could be Antichrist.

  5. 5

    How did Wycliffe attack monasticism and the friars?

    Model answer

    He condemned the endowed religious orders as private sects unknown to scripture, living off possessions Christ never sanctioned, and turned particularly savagely on the friars for begging while defending the papacy.

  6. 6

    What did Wycliffe teach about the Bible?

    Model answer

    That scripture is the sole and sufficient rule of faith, wholly true in every part, and that it should be available to every Christian, if necessary in their own language.

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