John Wyclif

John Wycliffe (c. 1328–1384) was an English scholastic philosopher, Christian reformer, Catholic priest, and theology professor at the University of Oxford. Traditionally, he is credited with advocating for a vernacular translation of the Vulgate Bible into Middle English, though recent scholarship questions the extent of his direct involvement. Wycliffe is seen as an influential dissident within the Catholic Church and a significant predecessor to Protestantism. His political-theological theory of *dominion* posited that the church should not own property or have ecclesiastic courts, and that individuals in mortal sin were not entitled to exercise authority or own property. This led to his insistence on the radical poverty of all clergy. Wycliffe is often characterized as the "evening star" of scholasticism and the "morning star" of the English Reformation. His followers, derogatorily known as Lollards, adopted many of his beliefs, impacting subsequent religious reform movements, notably influencing Jan Hus in Bohemia. Wycliffe's life involved significant conflicts with the Church and State, leading to his condemnation by the Council of Constance and the posthumous burning of his remains.