Condemnation, Confrontation and Commendation Reflection on John Wycliffe’s Attempts to Reformation
Condemnation The urges of reformation rises up with the faith and bold steps of the early reformers like John Wycliffe. It is really interesting how the church authority violently reacts to these attempts.
Here, regarding the reformative effort of John Wycliffe, the Pope and entire authority of the Roman Church is challenged and they decide to have immediate action to make. Their serious crack is to correct him, bring him at the point of repentance and if not to condemn his teaching and him. It seems that the church authority insist to impose power, and of every types of human endeavor, so they charge Wycliffe, a learned university graduate and knowledgeable person that he has forsaken true orthodoxy of the Roman Church’s doctrines and traditions. They condemn him that he has fallen, and has gone crazy mental disorders. They intolerance is that he is fallen in heresy. It seems that the pope has power to charge anything they could, so they would not only want to compel John for withdrawing from his faith and stand and threaten him that they hold absolute power to decide seal him to hell – unless and otherwise, they would remove his awards and degrees and excommunicate eventually.
Confrontation But John Wyicffe denies the Pope’s summons and the charges that he is dogmatic, he cannot accept this at any base, not on the Scriptures nor contemporary political power would excommunicate him. Rather he simply anticipates if they understand his sole urges for the restoration of the Body of Christ, the Church, and tries to reply explaining what was actually happening. At this pint, he is firm and would never accept the charges that he was doing mistakes but his shot is to boldly say that he is right and tell more things that if the Pope declares arrogantly against him then the Pope is committing mistake by putting himself in the position of Antichrist.
The Commendation In this scenario, it obvious that the commotion between the two uncompromising party grows badly. The opposing reaction from the “so called” authority takes extreme side that they would not accept Wycliffe’s any urge as Scriptural, rather yearn bad they could to him and those all who take side to his teaching. But, on the other hand, Wycliffe gains supports increasingly – many would listen the outcry of the honest passion of correction to be made. And it is seen multitudes come to follow with rising voice of reformation urge with and after the man of faith and passion, John Wycliffe.
Republished in new layout 6/11/2013
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