Wednesday, March 4, 2015

Book Review: The Daring Mission of William Tyndale

The Daring Mission of William Tyndale (A Long Line of Godly Men Profiles). Steven J. Lawson. 2015. Reformation Trust. 184 pages. [Source: Bought]
This volume focuses upon the man regarded as the father of the English Bible, William Tyndale. In the sixteenth century, Tyndale forsook his native land of England and traveled to Europe in order to translate the Bible into the language of his countrymen. In an hour marked with great spiritual darkness, and at the cost of his own life, Tyndale courageously gave the English-speaking world a Bible they could read and understand. Perhaps no other Englishman has ever been used to affect the spiritual lives of so many people for so many centuries. William Tyndale stands as a towering figure, eminently worthy to be profiled in this series. Never have so many owed so much to so singular an effort.
In February, I read (and reviewed) Tyndale's New Testament. I love reading the Bible. I love reading the Bible in different translations. I love that there is a modern spelling edition that makes the Tyndale New Testament more accessible to contemporary readers. (I highly recommend it!)

I was so excited to find The Daring Mission of William Tyndale on sale! It seemed like a perfect book for me, a way for me to learn more about William Tyndale himself, and about his translation work.

This wasn't the first biography I've attempted, but it was the first biography that I completed. Did I like it? Did I love it? I LOVED, LOVED, LOVED it.

Tyndale was the first to translate the New Testament into English from the Greek. He also started translating the Old Testament into English from the Hebrew. He was unable to complete all of the Old Testament, however, because he was betrayed and executed for his 'crimes.'

The opening chapters provide readers with context and an overview. One chapter, I believe, gives a great overview of his life and work and why he's so significant. Another chapter gives an overview of Tyndale's theology, illustrating that Tyndale believed in the doctrines of grace.

Most of the book, however, focuses on Tyndale's time in Europe when he was studying languages, translating the Bible, and having it printed and published. Plenty of detail on the whole process. If the history of the Bible fascinates you, then this is truly a must read!
A complete analysis of the King James shows that Tyndale’s words account for eighty-four percent of the New Testament and more than seventy-five percent of the Old Testament. Many of the great modern English versions stand in the King James tradition and thus also draw inspiration from Tyndale, including the Revised Standard Version, the New American Standard Bible, and the English Standard Version.
 Read The Daring Mission of William Tyndale

  • If you are interested in learning more about William Tyndale and the times in which he lived
  • If you are interested in learning more about the English Reformation 
  • If you are interested in the translation process, the printing process, the history of how we got the Bible in English
  • If you are interested in Tyndale's theology
  • If you are interested in Tyndale's contributions and legacies 
© Becky Laney of Operation Actually Read Bible

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