Roots of William Tyndale's Theology

William Tyndale is one of the most important of the early reformers, and particularly through his translation of the New Testament, has had a formative influence on the development of the English language and religious thought. The sources of his theology are, however, not immediately clear, and historians have often seen him as being influenced chiefly by continental, and in particular Lutheran, ideas. In his important new book, Ralph Werrell shows that the most important influences were to be found closer to home, and that the home-grown Wycliffite tradition was of far greater importance. In doing so, Werrell shows that the apparent differences between Tyndale's writings from the period before 1530 and his later writings, in the period leading up to his arrest and martyrdom in 1526, are spurious, and that a simpler explanation is that his ideas were formed as a result of an upbringing in a household in which Wycliffite ideas were accepted. Werrell explores the impact of humanist writers, and above all Erasmus, on the development of Tyndale's thought. He also shows how far Tyndale's theology, fully developed by 1525, was from that of the continental reformers.He then examines in detail some of the main strands of Tyndale's thought - and in particular, doctrines such as the Fall, Salvation, the Sacraments and the Blood of Christ - showing how different they are from Luther and most other contemporary reformers. While Tyndale, in his early writings, used some of Luther's writings, he made theological changes and additions to Luther's text. The influences of John Trevisa, Wyclif and the later Wycliffite writers were far more important. Werrell shows that without accepting the huge influence of the Wycliffite ideas, Tyndale's significance as a theologian, and the development of the English Reformation cannot be fully understood.

'This is a scholarly work, dealing with deep theological issues, but it is not a difficult read and its thesis is an exciting one [...]. In all this is an excellent book, and we are indebted to its author.' Dr. S. Westcott, British Church Newspaper, No. 269, 15 November 2013 "What Werrell has given us is a Tyndale firm in his own doctrine but aware of contemporary opinion and a man seeking the best way to express his own views... I think that any scholar interested in the English Reformation (or with Tyndale in particular) will benefit from reading this book." Andrew Chibi, Sixteenth Century Journal, Volume XLV, Issue 2, 2014 "Werrell's agenda appears to be establishing an independent English theological tradition from Wyclif through Tyndale to the Church of England's Thirty-Nine Articles." Tim Gessner, The Expository Times, vol 126, 2014 "Mr. Werrell's...overall argument is a convincing one." Archive for Reformation, 2014 Tyndale is seen as moving toward a Reformed theology, but seeking to ground everything he believed on his interpretation of Scripture ... Scholars will continue to debate the foundations of Tyndale's theology. Werrell's work with its distinctive voice will be part of these discussions. Donald K McKim, Theological Book Review, volume 26, no 1, 2014 Werrel's work is fascinating and erudite. He makes a compelling case for Tyndale's theory being an indigenous one having been formed by previous English Wyclifite influences with none exerted by Luther.[...] Werrel's work provides an interpretation of tyndale's theology that scholars in the field of the English Reformation asa well as others interested in the work of tyndale need to consider seriously. It is an invaluable achievement. Andre A.Gazal ,Detroit Baptist seminary Journal vol. 19, 2014

Ralph Werrell is an Anglican priest. He participated in the foundation of the Tyndale Society in 1995. In 2006 his work 'The Theology of William Tyndale' was published by James Clarke & Co. This book is the product of his time as an Honorary Research Fellow at the University of Birmingham. He is married and has a grown-up daughter.