1494 – 1536 was a protestant reformer, who made the first complete translation of the Bible into English. He was later burnt at the stake for his heresy. Tyndale was born in 1494 in a village in Gloucestershire. He studied at Oxford University (Magdalen Hall) and after gaining his Bachelor of Arts became a priest. He was shocked that although studying theology, this did not include studying the scriptures. He formed local Bible study groups to meet and discuss the bible.
Around 1521, he began work on translating the Bible into English. He felt that it was God's will to make the Bible available to the common people. He hoped to enlist the support of leading clergy, but most were suspicious of his desire and theology. Therefore, he left England and worked in Hamburg finishing off the translation of the new testament. Modern printing presses made publication of the Bible a practical reality and copies soon started appearing in Scotland and England.
Cardinal Wolsey responded by banning the book and demanding the arrest of Tyndale.
In 1530, Tyndale opposed the divorce of Henry VIII and so he gained the displeasure of the King. Henry VIII demanded the German authorities hand over Tyndale and in 1535, his hiding place was betrayed and Tyndale was moved to England for trial, where he was charged with heresy.
Despite Thomas Cromwell's support, Tyndale was tied to a stake, strangled and then his body burnt.
A large part of Tyndale's translation found its way into the King James version of the Holy Bible, published in 1611 by the Church of England, 75 years after his death.
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