It is an extreme honor to be able to write these names, though it makes me sad to think about the others, so influential, that I could also write about. My best friend's son sent me an e-mail today with an attached article concerning the rise of Calvinism in churches. But there is also an attendant hatred of its very mention. YouTube had an entry that asked, "Is Calvin in Hell?"
My friend's son was astounded that in the article some were quoted as asking "Who was Calvin?" He is to be forgiven for his astonishment. He is young and has not yet plumbed the depth of ignorance in churches.
When I was younger I was so naive as to think that if you proved a fact in the Bible, we would all agree. But as I aged I found this is not so. No matter how plain a scriptural doctrine is, you discover that you are not disagreeing over evidence. You are struggling with human nature that will resist truth until death.
Those who are familiar with this, speak of upbringing, psychology, and Satanic influence as causative factors. Catholics call it "invincible ignorance". But all agree that it is there. The Bible is periferal in such encounters. And so we have all kinds of theology and churches, supposedly based on the same book.
Bible translators are not exempt from these snares. You can see why it is good to search our Greek texts to eliminate errors.
What difference does it make? Ask any cook if correct ingredients matter in preparing food.
Back in the hippy era there was a lot of long hair worn by young me. A mother objected to her son's very long hair. He asked, "What's the big deal about hair any way? Why is it so important to everybody?" The wise mother approached him with her scissors. "Then let me cut some of it off." He covered his head with his hands as he screamed, "No, no."
Those who say that Bible doctrine does not matter, are the first to resist the truth that would change it. In the time of Wycliffe, Hus, and Zwingli, men were willing to die to correct error. Now we fight to retain it.
To find out more about Wycliffe, Hus, and Zwingli, watch the following videos.
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