In the 14th century, John Wycliffe attacked the corruption of the mother church in England with great courage. A zealous champion for the common people, he lived a century before Martin Luther was credited with ushering in the Protestant Reformation.

Wycliffe criticized the church for hoarding wealth and ignoring the destitute lives of their countrymen. He felt God’s call to translate the Bible into the English language and give the people open access to the Scriptures. The Church regarded the translation of the Bible into the common tongue and its availability to the people as the greatest heresy of all. They viewed the Bible as its own property and believed they, as the leaders of the church, were the only ones capable of understanding the Word of God. Despite the persecution he faced, Wycliffe and several former students completed the translation and defied the church’s edict when they took the Bible to the people of the land.

Wycliffe taught the people that God’s forgiveness could not be bought or sold. He was uncompromising in his belief that the true authority of the land was not the Monarchy nor the Church, but God alone. His life is an example that still speaks boldly of his commitment to God from the pages of history, and his passion for everyone in the kingdom to have the Word of God in the English language inspired every part of his life. This film is a captivating biography of a great and faithful man, and we are pleased to approve it, with the Dove Faith Friendly Seal for ages 12 and up.