Words which changed the world
Words which changed the world
James Roberts explores the life and legacy of William Tyndale.
1. William Tyndale's New Testament
500 years ago, a Priest named William Tyndale published an English translation of the New Testament. This project may seem unremarkable to us in 2026 when we are so accustomed to reading Scripture in our own native language. But to publish a portion of the Bible for mass consumption in 1526 was a revolutionary act; one which changed not only the course of Christianity in England, but the culture of the nation, and even the English language itself.
St Paul’s Cathedral is home to a first edition of Tyndale’s New Testament, one of only three remaining in the world. It is unassuming in appearance. Yet, unearthing the story behind this little book reveals the ground-breaking nature of Tyndale’s work and theology.
In Tyndale’s time, the Bible was read in Latin. As many people could not read or understand Latin, their engagement with Scripture needed to be mediated – a Priest would interpret the text for a congregation, according to the authorised teaching of the Church.
William Tyndale, in contrast, passionately believed that all people should have direct access to the Bible in their native language and the freedom to interpret its meaning for themselves. Therefore, he embarked on a project to translate the Bible into English.
Tyndale's work was condemned, however, by the Bishop of London and he was forbidden from proceeding. Inspired to push ahead with the translation and get the Bible into the hands of the people, Tyndale had to travel to Germany – the centre of the Protestant Reformation – to start printing. He was betrayed and had to continue his secret work in Worms. It was from here that he smuggled his translations back into England.
However, the authorities eventually caught up with Tyndale, and he was executed near Brussels, Belgium, in 1536.
The story behind Tyndale’s New Testament is one of conflict, of reform, and a radical new vision for how people engage with Scripture. This anniversary year gives us the opportunity to reflect on the dangerous history which is wrapped up with the task of translating the Bible, challenging the familiarity of the Bible in English for us in 2026, and highlighting the extraordinary life and legacy of William Tyndale who lost his life for his convictions.
2. Grounded in the Word
This year at St Paul’s Cathedral we are exploring the life and legacy of the remarkable figure, William Tyndale, who published his English translation of the New Testament 500 years ago in 1526 (one of which is housed in our library).
In order to publish his New Testament, Tyndale defied the orders not only of his Bishop, but also of the Church, and even the King. It is hard to imagine the scale of the risk involved with pursuing this project. Yet Tyndale did continue, resulting in being branded as the ‘most dangerous man in England’ and eventually in his execution. So, why was Tyndale so passionate about translating the Bible into English, and what gave him the motivation and strength to face such daunting and dangerous opposition?
The answer to this question lies in Tyndale’s theology.
For Tyndale, the Bible forms the basis of everything we know about God. A person’s understanding about who God is doesn’t come from our own minds or creativity, but through God’s revelation. Tyndale writes that, ‘God is not man’s imagination, but that only which he saith of himself…God is but his word: as Christ saith’. For Tyndale, this means that everything we know and understand about who God is can only be found through listening to what God tells us about Himself in Scripture.
But a problem arises here for Christianity in Tyndale’s age. If our understanding of God is rooted in Scripture, then how can people learn about God if they can’t understand the language in which Scripture is written? Translating the Bible into everyday English means that people can have first-hand access to understanding who God is, and this forms the foundation of their personal faith.
This introduces a radical equality into Tyndale’s theology. He believed that each individual person has the capacity to navigate their relationship with God for themselves, without any mediation from the hierarchies of the Church. The prayer of the cobbler, he writes, is just as good as the prayer of a cardinal, and ‘…a blessing of a baker that knoweth the truth, is as good as the blessing of our most holy father the Pope.’
Tyndale’s theology is rooted in a belief that everything is grounded in the words of Scripture. And all people, whatever their background, whoever they are, should have access to understanding who God is for them. It was for this belief that he risked everything and lost his life.
