Miloslav Kaňák as Church Historian, Husitologian and Expert on the Life and Works of the English Reformer John Wycliffe

In this paper I propose to deal with two questions: (1) the history of the contest between the regulars and seculars for the possession of Canterbury Hall, Oxford, and (2) the identity of the secular Warden. It is better, it is certainly quite easy, for purposes of treatment, to keep these two questions distinct; it is better also to take them in the order just given.

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Superior Spirituality Versus Popular Piety in Late-Medieval England

Studies in Church History ◽

10.1017/s0424208400003867 ◽

2006 ◽

Vol 42 ◽

pp. 89-98 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

A. K. McHardy

Keyword(s):

Fourteenth Century ◽

Reform Movement ◽

Medieval England ◽

Late Medieval ◽

Popular Piety ◽

John Wycliffe ◽

Church Life ◽

The Reformation ◽

Late Medieval England

When K. B. McFarlane wrote his biography of John Wycliffe he was surprised to find that the hero who emerged was not Wycliffe himself but his implacable opponent, William Courtenay, the archbishop of Canterbury from 1381 to 1396. ‘Justice has never been done to Courtenay’s high qualities, above all to the skill and magnanimity with which he led his order through the crisis that now threatened it’, he wrote admiringly, adding by way of explanation that, ‘Since the reformation his has been the unpopular side.’ The impression McFarlane gave is that there were two ecclesiastical camps in late fourteenth-century England: heretical and orthodox. The fabric of English church life was fractured then, for ever, by the beliefs and work of Wycliffe and his adherents; was not McFarlane’s biography entitled John Wycliffe and the Beginnings of English Nonconformity? Yet McFarlane’s assessment of heresy was that this was far from being a monolithic movement; indeed, in a private letter he wrote, ‘Wycliffe was merely an extremist in a widespread reform movement.’

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So-called “Lollardsʼs Catechism”. The translation of part from middle English to Russian with commentary and introduction article

Russian Journal of Church History ◽

10.15829/2686-973x-2020-2-23 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 1 (2) ◽

pp. 77-89

Author(s):

Sergey A. Zakharov

Keyword(s):

20Th Century ◽

Middle English ◽

Russian Translation ◽

Point Of View ◽

Early 20Th Century ◽

14Th Century ◽

John Wycliffe

Publication of the Russian translation of part of so-called “Lollardsʼs Catechism”, which was written by anonymous author in 14th century England. The title “Lollardsʼs Catechism” was given by first editors in the early 20th century, because the text wasnʼt originally entitled. The text is an expanded version of official Catechism, written by ordered archbishop of York John de Thoresby (died 1373). In comparison with the original, anonymous author focused on the ethos of clergy. For some time, researchers believed that the author of the text was John Wycliffe (1320-1384), but now this point of view isn’t shared by scientists. The rhetoric presented in the text gives the reasons to believe that the text was written by one of the wandering preachers, who may have belonged to the Lollards, who were especially active in England in the second half of the 14th century.

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