I have several heroes from church history. Most are men, some are women; some accomplished great things for the kingdom of God while others were martyred for their faith. All were faithful. These men and women are “heroes” in the sense that their faithfulness and sacrifice inspire me to gaze more closely at Christ to find the same kind of spiritual fortitude in them so as to walk in their footsteps—living faithfully before God and his people.
One such hero is William Tyndale. I’ve written about him in the past on this blog. I would encourage you to check out that post for more information. If you don’t remember, the short of it is this: Tyndale embraced the theological truths of the reformation in England. And in doing so, he saw the need for everyday Christians of his country to have the Bible in their native language—English. But the Catholic Church would not allow it, for they feared people would not be able to understand it! Undeterred, Tyndale left England for continental Europe (where it wasn’t illegal to print a Bible in English) and labored for the first time to go from the original biblical languages of Hebrew and Greek to vernacular English. Much of what you have even in your modern ESV is owed to Tyndale’s original labors.
I return to Tyndale this week because today—October 6—is the day he was put to death for this work in Bible translation. More importantly, this year marks the five hundredth anniversary of the publication of his New Testament in 1526. In this article, I want to give you an annotated list of resources to learn more about Tyndale and his work. My hope is that you will be motivated to cherish the English Bible that is so easily accessible to us today.
“Always Singing One Note—A Vernacular Bible (Why William Tyndale Lived and Died)” by John Piper
This is probably my favorite single talk on Tyndale’s life. Piper does a wonderful job summarizing the excellent biography by David Daniell. Here, we learn of Tyndale’s life of faith and commitment to discipling God’s people with the Word of God, proclaiming the gospel of God. I listen to or watch Piper’s talk at least once every few years. I always come away loving my Bible more. Watch it here.
Tyndale at 500 (Tyndale House, Cambridge)
Tyndale House is a place for people to stay and do scholarly research on the Bible. Located in Cambridge, England, scholars from around the world make use of its world-class libraries and on site accommodations. It’s a wonderful ministry named after the reformer who labored in study over God’s Word. They have put together a website full of resources from short videos on his life and ministry, to an interactive timeline. You can look over their resources here.
William Tyndale: A Biography by David Daniell
If you like reading biographies, this is the essential work on Tyndale. Daniell gives you a lively story of his life as well as incites to his translation process. We see his triumphs, setbacks, and skillful handling of the Scriptures. Get it here.
God’s Outlaw: The Story Of William Tyndale by Vision Video
If you’re interested din Tyndale but reading isn’t your thing, I recommended this dramatic film about his life, labors, and martyrdom. Though not a Hollywood-level production, I think this film holds up well for the age and budget. There actor for Tyndale, Roger Rees, is excellent in the role. You can grab an inexpensive dvd or stream it here.
The Enduring Word by Crossway
Dropping in a few weeks, Crossway Books is releasing a “short film celebrating God’s providence throughout the history of English Bible translation—from William Tyndale’s 1526 New Testament to the English Standard Version Bible.” The preview is short but gives you a sense of the quality of the work. While you wait, you can read this article which shares some of the same information.
“William Tyndale’s Death is NOT What You’ve Been Told” by Gavin Ortlund
Some modern Catholic apologists want to distance their Church from Tyndale’s execution over an English Bible. In this video, Ortlund address two counter-arguments: 1) That secular authorities put hum to death, and 2) his translation was heretical. Both arguments are debunked in this video.
The New Testament by William Tyndale
After debating a catholic priest who said it was better for the people to have the Pope’s law than God’s law (in a vernacular Bible), Tyndale famously replied that he would work to make sure a “ploughboy in the field” knew the Bible better than that priest. What he produced was a beautiful English rendition that helped shape the English language itself and proved to be the backbone for other English Bible translations like the Geneva, King James, and even the English Standard Version today. Maybe you’d like to read what he wrote? I’m committing to read Tyndale’s NT this Fall. You can join me by grabbing a paperback copy from Amazon here. Or, you can get one of the historically faithful edition Crossway has produced for the anniversary. Both version use modern English spelling for ease of reading.
