The Great Bible of Henry VIII

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Getting Henry VIII to authorise the publication of a Bible in English was no mean feat; today we’re looking at the one that got his seal of approval in 1539…
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Intro / Outro song: Silent Partner, "Greenery" [ • Greenery - Silent Part... ]
SFX from freesfx.co.uk/Default.aspx
Linked videos and playlists:
What Was Literacy?: Perceptions of Intellect in History: • What Was Literacy?: Pe...
John Foxe's "Acts and Monuments" (a.k.a. "The Book of Martyrs"): • John Foxe's "Acts and ...
Images (from Wikimedia Commons, unless otherwise stated):
Frontispiece from the Great Bible published by Grafton and Whitchurch in 1539.
The beginning of the Gospel of John in a copy of the Wycliffe Bible (late 14th century). Folio 2v of MS Hunter 191 (T.8.21).
A portrait of William Tyndale from The New Testament of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, published in 1526. Reprinted verbatim, with a memoir of his life and writings by George Offor. Together with the proceedings and correspondence of Henry VIII, Sir T. More, and Lord Cromwell, By William Tyndale. Image held in the digital archives of Pitts Theology Library, Candler School of Theology, Emory University, Atlanta, GA.
First page of the Gospel of Saint John, from the 1526 Peter Schöffer printing of William Tyndale's English translation of the Bible. Held by the British Library.
Tyndale, before being strangled and burned at the stake in Vilvoorde, cries out, "Lord, open the King of England's eyes". Woodcut from Foxe's Book of Martyrs (1563).
Frontispiece of the Coverdale Bible (1535). Held by the British Library.
Photograph of the stained glass window showing Miles Coverdale in the West Window at Exeter Cathedral. Taken by Eohsloohcs (2019)
Quoted texts:
Henry Knighton's Chronicle (1337-1396)
David Daniell, ODNB entry on William Tyndale (2011)
Also consulted, were:
Other relevant entries from The Oxford Dictionary of National Biography Online.
#Tudor #Reformation #Bible

[@traceyu6213]

I just read the book “Shakespeare The World as Stage” by Bill Bryson and in it he mentions how convoluted and non-standardized the English language was during Shakespeare’s time. It sounds like one could write a word in any spelling as long as the recipient could understand it’s meaning. It makes me wonder how on earth there could have been an accurate translation of the Bible.

[@rhiahlMT]

There isn't an accurate translation. Including Luther's. As far as spelling goes it wasn't standardized until the 1800s. So, yeah it's hard to read but is phonics so you can get through it.

[@margarethoskins6625]

I appreciate that my bible is in English, that I can question, comment and discuss the content therein. I enjoyed this episode as I do all of yours. Thank you Dr Kat .

[@dawnmason9558]

Loved this lesson I have never seen the front page of Henry VIII Bible but it definitely shows how Henry considered himself more important than his God.

[@oohforf6375]

Love your content! This might be a controversial topic (not trying to inflame culture wars!) but I'd love to see you one day cover Elizabeth I's 1601 expulsion of "Negroes and Blackamoors" and the situations of ethnic minorities in Elizabethan London

[@sarahwatts7152]

I'd be interested too! Black history is not much mentioned in the history of Britain, and as an American, treatment of black people by the English served as something of a precedent for the colonies.

[@bushwickbaby]

OMG!!! I've never even HEARD of this..Please Doctor Kat!! PRETTY PLEASE! LOL!

[@manuellubian5709]

Yes. I would like like to see some of this, too. Esp, since unbeknownst to most of the public the British Museum, system holds many contemporaneous pieces of art, and or literature that has (slowly but surely.... by and large) been 'whitewashed' over the centuries to fit a more white / Caucasian narrative.

[@Scarlett59319]

YES I'd love this too!!

[@manuellubian5709]

......one other thing to tack on to that I, would like to also know what lead to this expulsion in, the 1st place. To go a step further let us not forget Britain did the same thing some 300 years later when the UK expelled (I believe) Jamaican's -- citizen's or not -- whom had faithfully served the country. They were fast-tracked for expulsion. No question's asked.

[@diggerfan1936]

Best thing about Friday! History w/the good doctor ❤️

[@Myke_OBrien]

Fascinating as always! Didn’t Catherine Parr translate parts of the Bible in English? I find myself wanting a cup of tea, a piece of Victoria Sponge, and to just talk about history with you.

[@kimberlyperrotis8962]

I laugh when I see Latin called the language of the angels. If there were such a thing, it would be Hebrew for the Old Testament and Greek (Koine) for the New Testament, the languages of these revelations from God to the people, the original languages in which they were written.

[@foxenandfamily5060]

You would think that as an American Lutheran child growing up in an urban area, I'd have learnt something about the demise of Tyndale, but for me, it was just a name and a little logo of a quill with ink on our Sunday School Bibles. As an adult, I can certainly understand why he was put to death and then roasted just to make sure. One wonders if the crushing authoritarianism coming from the Catholic church of Tyndale's time was entirely of a spiritual nature, or were there financial considerations as well. In any case, this frontispiece with Henry VIII and his enormous ego is absolutely fascinating and I'm glad you were able to find a way to show it to us! I love this video.

[@robertmurphree7210]

Tyndale visited Martin Luther in Wittenberg. Ann Boleyn owned a copy of Tyndale's "The Obedience of a Christian Man" and Henry the VIII like the book as well. Tyndale's translation was meant for every day literate person. His wording persists in a good percentage of the King James bible and other versions.

[@yoclark2723]

This was so interesting! I guess buttering up Henry was the way to go. That frontispiece was quite the propaganda tool. It's such a shame that Tyndale was executed and could not continue his work. But we got there in the end. So glad the bible is in English!

[@susannahfox7188]

Thank you very much for this exploration into the history and development of the English Bible. As a descendant of Mary Boleyn and quite possibly Henry VIII, I have always found this topic to be quite interesting, even before I knew of the possibility of descent from these two individuals. I also had ancestors from this line, that fled to Holland (Lyden - quite a Christian stronghold I am told) in the reign of James I, since there were great persecutions occurring against those who followed the word of God. Those particular ancestors of mine, eventually ended up on the Mayflower, and one, assisted in writing the Mayflower Compact, which was a progenitor of the Constitution of the USA. So, we can see how the events that took place in England in matters of the Bible had a profound influence on another nation that would come into prominence later on. With great power, there is great potential for corruption, and anywhere you attempt to speak the truth (such as, the Bible says there is no mediator necessary, only Jesus Christ, for example) and practice it, the enemy (Satan) will and does intervene in the lives of people to attempt to shut them up and obscure the truth. This world belongs to the Prince of the Air, that is why we are waiting (and it will not be long now) before our great and glorious God, Jesus Christ, our Blessed Hope and Saviour, King and High Priest (Melchisedec) (Titus 2:13) comes to gather those in the air who love his appearing and rapture those that remain in the flesh (in addition to those who have died, and/or are sleeping in Christ) to their true and eternal home. Blessings, and Maranatha.

[@charlight2911]

Maranatha ❤️

[@susannahfox7188]

@@charlight2911 Amen!

[@robertmurphree7210]

Amen.

[@cinemaocd1752]

I like the illustrations of Cromwell in the frontispiece. He looks like the dad from 16 Candles...

[@angelairidescenceartglass6289]

Me: remembering my graduate class on “History of the English Language” aka “Intro to Old English translation” aka “how many words in Old English roughly translate to ‘those sea faring bastards who come steal our stuff,’ um, sorry ‘Vikings’?” and translating Aelfric’s Homily on the Nativity of the Innocents and thinking Henry was late to the game on translation to English. 🤷‍♀️

[@123popup]

I find it fascinating that the Latin version was elevated so much considering this was just a translation of Greek and Hebrew. Amusing.

[@miriamben-yaacov5114]

Dr Kat, I so appreciate your going into this subject. I have been thinking quite a lot about those brave souls who brought the Bible into the vernacular, how this was an incredible expression of a shift in spiritual consciousness. This realization has given me a new appreciation of the thinkers of the Reformation. And this period of Tudor England had so many!!

[@pattischult9401]

This video and the one on John Wycliffe have been fascinating to me. I have personal friends who are part of Wycliffe Bible Translators and have been translating a remote tribe in Africa's language, which was only spoken until they arrived in the 1980's and created a written form of the language for the people. They've completely translated the New Testament and ate currently working on the Old.

[@robertmurphree7210]

bible translations are supportive of native cultures, which are often under pressure from western commercial influences.

[@janebaker966]

Nice to hear more about John Rogers and learn the significance of what he did. He sometimes gets a mention in the KZbin films of his (but not related) namesake John Rogers who does wonderful walks all over London really bringing the past to life.

[@gertsgarden]

Just missed the live, but the lawn mowing can wait just a few more minutes! Thank you Dr. Kat!

[@rycoli]

Another awesome video Dr. Kat thank you!

[@conemadam]

Wonderful, again!!!!

[@martinmaynard141]

I do like a good frontispiece a much neglected form of the visual arts. For many people in the 16/17 Century that was the only bit they could understand and gave them a "preview" of what was going to be read to them.

[@GreatGreebo]

Wow! Your channel is getting absolutely MASSIVE! Congratulations 🎊🎈🎉 I’m very happy for you. Thank you for another well done video.

[@juliegibson-2020]

Thank you for this video!! Love your channel - I've always had an insatiable curiosity for different periods in history. ❤️

[@michael8596]

Hi 👋 Julie how is the weather over there?

[@alannalovesbooks]

Love your channel so much Dr Kat! Happy weekend! ❤️

[@janellinger4492]

I always learn when I listen to you. Thank you

[@TudorMickeyMouse]

Great video, I love it!

[@nyckolaus]

Fascinating!

[@williamarmagost]

I always enjoy your KZbin! Such great research! I have facsimiles of most these texts. Wonderful work!

[@Scraggledust]

Thank you!! Pleasure watching your videos as I know, I’ll always learn something new!

[@kimberlyperrotis8962]

Congregation is a better translation of the Greek Ecclesia than Church. Even better is assembly.

[@ReadingthePast]

I agree!

[@janebaker966]

Kind of subtle difference isn't there. Church can mean a building but Congregation definitely means People. I see how that could be a highly political and significant difference.

[@theaxe6198]

Wonderful stuff. Dr. Kat, you are a treasure.

[@IntrepidFraidyCat]

Darn it! I missed the live. 🤪 Crazy day. Great video though!

[@emmapadgett1181]

Got here a bit late but thank you a great video x

[@SebastianGrimthwayte]

Thanks for going over the frontispiece in such detail! Lazy me, I’ve seen it and noticed “big” Henry, but never tried to understand it’s details. Fascinating!

[@dnister_nymph]

Thanks for another interesting video 💛

[@debcarroll8192]

This was a fascinating look at the frontispiece!

[@titzalinabumscrew2511]

Thomas Cranmer is my 13th great uncle through his sister Agnes Cranmer . He was extremely instrumental to the reformation and burned at the stake by Mary 1st . While I recognise she had other more personal vendettas against Thomas Cranmer than simple heresy , I admire his strength and conviction to his faith right up to his last breath .

[@nichola607]

Interesting - Thanks :)

[@dianewalker9154]

It seems to me there were many Catholics who didn’t agree with Henry and his new Church of England.nor did they praise Henry as the new head of the Church. They remained with the Pope being head of their church.

[@cennethadameveson3715]

Ive seen this fronrpiece many times never had it explained properly. What was Elizabeth's reason for a Welsh bible to be commissioned, considering her father's laws on incorporating Wales into England? Was this a nod to her Welsh roots( Elizabeth, standing on Yr Wyddfa looking across to Anglsey, like an episode of WDYTYA) or a fear that the Welsh might still be a little more adherent to Rome than to Henry's reformation?

[@robertmurphree7210]

translation preserved the Welsh language

[@jimthorne304]

very interesting, I'm especially grateful for your account of the confusion over the meaning of the Greek word 'ecclesia'.

[@dianespears6057]

very interesting. Thank you.

[@sallyminshew2184]

A relative who asked me “ did I know what the oldest bible in the world was ?” I said no, did not, and he said it was the Ethiopian bible, but doing research came across your channel ( so glad I did ) brings new information, so why did the Ethiopian Bible come up as oldest ? Could you please explain, thank you 🙏 😊

[@patriciajrs46]

Dr. Kat, thank you for your tesearch into such interesting subjects. I just wish the translations were more accurate about the ancient Hebrews. I always wondered if I was related to John Rogers.

[@heathersmith8549]

Interesting video!

[@thereseduane3609]

Thanks!

[@ReadingthePast]

Thank you so much 🥰

[@kimberlyperrotis8962]

The convention for orally citing verses in the Bible is, for example: First Timothy, Second Timothy, not One Timothy, Two Timothy, just FYI🙂

[@ReadingthePast]

I think there might be a difference between the US and the U.K. on this one because I was always taught that it was “one” rather than “first”, unless you also using “letter to”.

[@pat412pear]

If you want good recap of the translation of the King James Bible, you can watch "When God Spoke English" on youtube. It discusses by whom & how it was written (hint: by committee) and a bit of why J1 needed a better bible.

[@dianewalker9154]

The new You Tube plaque is looking good!

[@spews1973]

Vivat Dr. Kat!

[@morriganwitch]

Thank you so much for the history of the development of the Bible during these times . It’s great hearing/ seeing intelligent videos with sources . Xxx

[@rosevale3218]

I find it ironic that Henry had himself depicted larger than God and that the sentiment of the whole piece is that Henry felt almost superior to God even though he was supposedly doing God's work. He had a massive ego. Perhaps that's why he had to be so portly as he aged. A large vessel to contain his ego.

[@theresalaux5655]

Amen! You said it 🥰 perfectly!

[@SebastianGrimthwayte]

The parallels of Henry’s behavior to the current use of religion by political reactionaries in the US to gain control and inflict cruelty are striking.

[@bostonblackie9503]

It is now under consideration that the jousting accident he had as a young men, were he fell off his horse and was trapped under the animal, causing him to be unconscious for two hours, led to Henry's change in personality. From a well like person he became a tyrant.

[@johnguglielmini6658]

i think Henry remained a lot more Catholic than people think a lot of protestantism came from Anne Boleyn and Catherine Paar Elizabeth the 1st was the real anti Catholic in the family

[@mittenista]

It seems like Henry was Catholic except where inconvenient. Basically Catholic lite. If they had let him divorce and remarry as he pleased, I don't think he'd have broken with Rome. The break was more about politics than religious conviction, I feel. It's his kids who had the the real convictions, one way or another.

[@susannahfox7188]

Being the narcissist that he was, he was constantly looking how to "spin" situations to his advantage. Sacking the monasteries definitely helped his treasury.

[@neilbuckley1613]

No, Edward VI was the real anti-catholic. Elizabeth was far more tolerant of things like candles, crucifixes than her protestant ministers like Cecil approved of and in the early part of her reign really made an effort to include Catholics.

[@twiley3530]

@@neilbuckley1613 👍 agreed

[@janebaker966]

Elizabeth did not want to "make windows into men's souls" ie she really wanted people to outwardly conform just enough,pay church dues and believe what they wanted in secret or at least discreetly,but of course there are always people who see such tact and discretion as dishonest and cowardly. Lucy Worsley has done a fabulous tv show on Anglican Evensong. It was due to both Henry VIIIs and his daughter Elizabeth's love of music that our Anglican(I'm not anglican) traditional of beautiful sung liturgy evolved. There were deaths and executions under Elizabeth due to faith but mainly due to the dangerous politics of the time. Elizabeth really wanted people to live how they wanted under an acceptable veil of discretion which can be seen as wise or dishonest according to your nature. Personally I'm in the "wise" camp. No one needs to know.

[@kultus]

Love your work. Little joke for you: We got the King James version because many thought of the Bishops' as The Not-so-Great Bible.

[@michellecornum5856]

I believe these men did very important and brave work -- regardless of the cover page. As a Protestant, I firmly believe that the word of God is meant for each individual, and each individual must form a personal relationship with God. Not to say that the Catholics didn't do a great job keeping the gospels alive and safe for centuries, , no small feat for illiterate people who suddenly found themselves having to remember how to do church once Christ was crucified and all the Apostles were scattered. It was time, though, and I can totally see why the Catholic Church needed and wanted to keep control of the situation. But the jig was up, too many people were able to read, and you can't keep what is written down a secret forever. Someone is going to blab. I LOVED this video. I had no idea that Henry VIII had translations of the Bible done in his time. I just kind of assumed he had Latin texts and enough "fallen" clergy who could read it. Very informative! Thank you!

[@user-dt9qc5uv2m]

Also wasn't there a fear because in Deuteronomy stated you could not add or take away anything written " Ye shall not add unto the word which I command you, neither shall ye diminish ought from it, that ye may keep the commandments of the LORD your God which I command you."

[@kidmohair8151]

right off the top. Congratulations on having reached the 100k sub plateau...I can now feel a little less guilty about using the skip button. It is interesting isn't it, that the latin, greek, hebrew and arabic bibles, were originally written in a language with which the general populace at the time of their writing would have been at least familiar enough with to get the gist of, languages that in the succeeding centuries, became increasingly the purview of only the educated few. And that those educated few resented their loss of control over the increasingly arcane interpretations they had managed to foist on the masses of ordinary supplicants, by having it translated into another language, translations which those supplicants could then use to poke holes in the arcana. That hasn't really done a lot to alter the ways that the bible has been used to maintain power structures through obfuscation in the time since the appearance of vulgate bibles. It is still at best a book of mythology, no different in essence from the Iliad or the Aeneid, or the Egyptian book of the dead, and at worst, a tool of repression, something it always has been. Monotheism has been a burden on human happiness since its invention; the word of the sole god needing almost from the start, interpolation, usually for a weekly fee (tithes etc) to maintain those few in the elite who could "read" it . Polytheists were at least free to interpret what the many goddesses and gods were saying to them, only consulting oracles, also for a fee, when their own powers of divination failed them.

[@robertmurphree7210]

Part of the goals of the reformation reformers (wycliff, tyndale) was to preserve the meaning of the Gospels from centuries of encrustation with tradition. The story of the history of the jews and christian bible unlike the egyptians or aeneid is told in successively books each in historical order, before psalms and both tie the main characters and events to external historical events, herod the great, etc.

[@ameryek.9607]

Oh, keep the bible in Latin (and of course ancient Greek) It's too softened up when translated into modern languages. If people really knew what was written originally, they would have a harder time believing in it.

[@j.t.lennon177]

Something I would like to hear about is the Tudor's tendency for burning people. It bugs me that all of them did this in some sort for religious reasons but because of record keeping and reputations, only Mary I gets the blame for it. Please let me know if I am mistaken. Thank you!

[@lauriejones4507]

🧡

[@Boxchamp42]

Can this Bible be purchased? If so , where?

[@georgeshepherd3381]

There once was a king named Henry viii Half his wives were named "Kate" He weighed in the zone Of 28 stone Shoulda' called him "Henry the Ate"

[@gwynwellliver4489]

I just finished "The Mirror in the Light" I wonder how Henry Rex viewed his frontspiece differently after her had Cromwell executed and later regretted the execution?

[@ReadingthePast]

They removed Cromwell’s achievement of arms from copies printed after his fall, so there was an attempt to erase him.

[@sixeses]

Oddly, here in the US, the bible has become a religion in itself, separate from Christianity or Judaism. People pick whatever verses they like and ignore the rest. There are also altered translations where people pretend the bible contains things that it never did before.

[@ReadingthePast]

Henry and Leviticus springs to mind…

[@sixeses]

@@ReadingthePast No one told Henry about the 613 commandments (mitzvot) either I guess.

[@Itcouldbebunnies]

Like the Conservative Bible Project from Andy Schlafly (son of anti-women's rights activist Phyllis)? It's typical American whackadoodlery, the kind of stuff that would be hilarious if it wasn't so frightening.

[@debbralehrman5957]

Thank you for the root that the Bible took to get to the English translation.

[@michael8596]

Hi 👋 Debra how is the weather over there?

[@greekre]

gnocchi in pumpkin soup today dr. delicious

[@AmaraJordanMusic]

I was indeed mysteriously unsubscribed! Fixed that!

[@kevinc809]

In hindsight I think it would have been better to keep it in Latin only for at least another hundred years or so. And Henry only liked it because it gave him more power and control. Probably regretted it in the end.

[@kaloarepo288]

I can understand exactly why the Catholic church and the powers that be were very wary of letting the masses have access to the Bible -it is a highly subversive book be it of the worldly powers or of establishments of every kind.All you need is read the words of the virgin Mary after she has heard she will be the mother of Jesus '"He has torn down the mighty from their seats(The Magnificat prayer) and the words of Jesus on the sermon on the mount -the meek shall inherit the earth etc.It's all highly subversive if it gets into certain hands -and indeed the catch phrase of the great Peasant's revolt in the reign of king Richard II was "When Adam delved and Eve span -WHO WAS THEN THE GENTLEMAN?"And then there is the book of Revelation which spawned so many anti establishment movements especially in the Oliver Cromwell era -the Fifth Monarchy men and movements like that!It's all a bit like the counter culture movement of the 60's -look at the lilies of the field,they weave not neither do they spin."

[@pat412pear]

I spy with my little eye...

[@Rachel-art-and-design]

I am so grateful to have God’s word in English. The scriptures you quoted from their time was misapplied but it was not surprising. It was meant to be understood by every human being.

[@robertmurphree7210]

The new testament was originally written in Greek in order to spread the Gospel as quickly as possible.

[@psandbergnz]

You didn't make clear from what language the Bible was translated, Was it from Latin (the Vulgate) or the Greek, or from the Hebrew (Old Testament)?

[@ReadingthePast]

I did say that the New Testament and the first half of the OT in the Great Bible were versions of Tyndale’s translation and he worked from the Greek and Hebrew. Coverdale used the Vulgate and selected German translations when working on the second part of the OT. So the GB is sourced from multiple language versions.

[@psandbergnz]

@@ReadingthePast , so Tyndale understood Hebrew (he would then have been self-taught)? There was a Vulgate (Latin) form of the Bible, which many translators relied upon (including, I believe, Luther). But translating from the original Hebrew could produce a more accurate version.

[@ReadingthePast]

Tyndale’s skill with languages was remarked upon at the time - in addition to Greek, Latin and Hebrew, he was said to have mastered German, Spanish and French (in addition to English of course). His clear natural skill was coupled with the opportunity provided by attending Oxford, travelling to the Continent and communicating with fellow scholars. He would have been familiar with the Vulgate too, so I would imagine that it would have played a part in his translation choices.

[@psandbergnz]

@@ReadingthePast Very interesting, thank you.

[@robertmurphree7210]

The old testament was written in hebrew, the native language of the hebrews, when returning from captivity some was in aramaic, language of the court of persians. The new testament was written mainly in Greek, and some words are written in aramaic. Jews in 250 BC who spoke greek had a translation of the (now in 2000-old testament) from hebrew into Greek, the septuagint, which christians in the first century read. The jews in the first century mostly spoke aramaic, and except for synagogue and priests, had lost hebrew. Jesus us spoke aramaic, some hebrew and possibly greek. The Gospels and rest of new testament were originally written in Greek, with some fragments of Jesus in aramaic, to send gospel to eastern roman empire. Common knowledge of greek in the western Roman empire declines along with the empire itself. Jerome translated it from original greek into western empire speech in the late 4th century, so that western romans could read in their own language and understand it.

[@sophiegeek1]

Standard Henry VIII showing himself bigger (and I assume better) than God 😂Think he should have done some more Bible study on the whole love your neighbour thing.

[@grannyg4916]

Biblical illiteracy is so common today

[@margo3367]

Anne Boleyn was the impetus for the new Church of England and all that followed. She did for her own ambition, but she did it.

[@Neddoest]

Henry VIII is endlessly fascinating to me. 👑 🪓 🍗 Sounds like you’re feeling a bit better than last month! Hope so, anyways! 🙂