Wycliffe: Precursor to Reformation

               

     John Wycliffe was known as the “morning star of the reformation”, preparing the way for later reformers like Martin Luther. Wycliffe’s Sixth Sunday After Easter sermon I think is particularly unique in the way that he is able to tie in his bashing of the pope while discussing scriptures and other doctrinal topics that apply to a more general audience.

     Wycliffe uses multiple quotes from Christ as the basis of the “proof” for his argument. After explaining and expounding on Jesus’s words he is able to compare and contrast both how this could apply to the general population as a whole and how it is evidence that the pope and other priests are corrupt. This rhetorical approach is unique and leaves the main idea of his sermon up for “debate”… I use the quotations to infer that at the time Wycliffe’s approach might have been able to detour some of his detractors away from the real purpose of his sermon, but for us today it is clear that his message is primarily focused on the corruption of the Catholic Church and its leaders.

Smeagol: A dual personality character from Lord of the Rings

     Tone, which in this sermon is two-fold, also plays an important rhetorical role throughout. It’s as if he is almost a Sméagol like character, calmly explaining his doctrinal views of the Holy Ghost and the devils trickery, then going into an accusatory rage, pointing out the pope and other leader’s flaws and even stating that they have “killed Christ” from the church’s purpose. Wycliffe’s tone in this sermon is a good blend of the tones which Erasmus and Martin Luther used in their respective speeches on free will, which makes sense given Wycliffe’s position and time in history: both wanting to push his ideas of reform, but not incriminate himself to the point where he would no longer have the ability to give such sermons.