Seeds of the Reformation

The Holy Spirit began awakening men like John Wycliffe and John Hus, who served as early reformers. Wycliffe challenged the papal hierarchy, criticized indulgences, and translated the Bible into English so ordinary people could read the scriptures for themselves.

His writings reached Bohemia, influenced John Hus, who condemned corruption within the clergy, rejected indulgences, and promoted the idea of preaching in the local language. The Council of Constance revealed the power struggle within the papacy and the violent intolerance of Roman Catholicism.

Hus’s execution for heresy and Wycliffe’s posthumous condemnation revealed the hatred of Romanism. The Gospel was not preached for 1,100 years as one generation after another participated in useless liturgies and perished in their sins. It was the ever-growing heresy that led to the Reformation and the revelation that salvation comes by faith and faith alone.