This article examines A Chronology of the English Bible in the 16th Century from 1500-1540 and Lists the Events in the History of the English Versions of Scripture.
1500. Birth of John Rogers.
1504. Birth of Matthew Parker.
1505. Birth of Richard Taverner. • Birth of John Knox. • Luther enters the Augustinian Order.
1506. New Cathedral of St. Peter begun in Rome (completed in 1590).
1509. Henry VIII becomes king of England. • Birth of John Calvin. • Erasmus professor of Greek at Cambridge University.
1510. William Tyndale at Cambridge.
1514. Coverdale ordained.
1515. Luther begins lectures on Romans at Wittenberg University. • Tyndale gets M.A. degree at Oxford.
1516. Erasmus’ first Greek New Testament (First printed Greek New Testament).
1517. Pope Leo X decrees preaching and sale of indulgences for the benefit of St. Peter’s Cathedral in Rome. • Luther nails his 95 Theses to the church door at Wittenberg on October 31. Reformation era begins.
1518. Septuagint printed by Aldus in Italy. • Zwingli begins Reformation in Switzerland.
1519. Erasmus’ 2nd Greek New Testament • Birth of Theodore Beza.
1520. Luther excommunicated. • Tyndale goes home to Gloucester, begins translating.
1522. First edition of Luther’s German New Testament • Parker at Cambridge. • Complutensian Polyglot (including Septuagint, Vulgate, Hebrew Old Testament) published. • Erasmus’ 3rd Greek New Testament • Tyndale goes to London in search of financial help.
1524. Tyndale leaves England for Germany. • Peasants revolt in Germany. • William Whittingham born.
1525. Tyndale’s English New Testament (first printed English text) published in Germany. • Rogers gets B.A. degree at Cambridge.
1526. Copies of Tyndale’s New Testament enter England, many burned.
1527. Erasmus’ 4th Greek New Testament
1528. Coverdale preaches against the mass, is compelled to leave England.
1529. Tyndale and Coverdale work together at Hamburg. • Luther’s Small Catechism. • Cranmer commissioned by king Henry to write a treatise justifying his divorce from Catherine.
1530. Augsburg Confession.
1531. Tyndale’s Pentateuch is published. • Zwingli killed in battle.
1533. Cranmer made Archbishop of Canterbury, approves Henry’s divorce.
1534. Tyndale’s New Testament and Pentateuch revised. • Henry VIII excommunicated by the Pope, severs English churches from Rome, becomes head of the Church of England without any intention of reforming it. • Cranmer petitions Henry for creation of an authorized English version. • Luther’s first complete German Bible. • Anabaptists establish short-lived socialist community at Münster. • Geneva becomes independent Protestant commonwealth.
1535. Tyndale’s last revised New Testament • Tyndale betrayed to Roman Catholic authorities, charged with heresy and imprisoned. He continues to translate the historical books of the Old Testament • Coverdale’s Bible published in England. (first printed English Bible). • Erasmus’ 5th edition of the Greek.
1536. Tyndale’s New Testament reprinted in England. • Tyndale condemned. He commits his manuscript to his friend John Rogers, and is burned at the stake. • Calvin publishes his Institutes of the Christian Religion.
1537. “Matthew’s Bible” published by John Rogers in Germany, giving Tyndale’s translation of the New Testament, Pentateuch, and historical books of the Old Testament • John Calvin preaches in Geneva. • Matthew’s and Coverdale’s Bibles licensed for unhindered sale in England.
1538. Coverdale in Paris editing Great Bible. • English bishops instructed to display largest English Bible in parish churches.
1539. Coverdale returns to England. • Great Bible (dedicated to Henry VIII) published and authorized in England. • Taverner’s Bible (a revision of Matthew’s Bible) published. • English parliament adopts the Act of Six Articles, reaffirming various Roman Catholic teachings. “Lutherans” subjected to persecution.
1540. 2nd edition of Great Bible with preface of Cranmer, called Cranmer’s Bible. • Coverdale, under pressure as a “Lutheran,” leaves England again. A Chronology of the English Bible in the 16th Century from 1500-1540 as explained in this article shows the events that took place during the period in chronological order.
