Society Notes

Compiled by Rochelle Givoni

Antwerp

The 4th International Tyndale Conference in Antwerp is now almost upon us. This Conference is the most complex and important the Society has held so far, and is testament to the imagination, determination, good will, and hard work of Dr. Guido Latré, Sylvie Van Dun, Mary Clow, Valerie Offord, and Charlotte Dewhurst. This team is spread across Europe, but has worked closely together to build a programme of tremendous academic and theological significance, as well as fine music and great occasions.

Sir Edward Pickering

The Society sent congratulations and good wishes to Sir Edward Pickering on his 90th birthday. As many members will remember, Sir Edward, Executive Vice-Chairman of Times Newspapers (as he still, actively, is) arranged a letter to The Times in May 1992 signed by Robert Runcie, Ted Hughes, Veronica Wedgewood, Phyllis James, Iris Murdoch and William Golding proposing celebrations of William Tyndale’s quincentenary in 1994, and inviting responses to St. Brides church in London. The responses, which were almost overwhelming in number, were wonderfully handled by Gillian Graham - and out of those celebrations was born the Tyndale Society in January 1995. Sir Edward is indeed the Father of the Society.

Bill Cooper

We congratulate Bill Cooper and the British Library on the publication in June of the most handsome The Wycliffe New Testament 1388 transcribed into modern spelling (ISBN 0-7125-4728-3) UK £20.00. This, a volume matching the very successful edition of Tyndale’s 1526 Worms New Testament, also from Bill Cooper and the British Library, is again ‘Edited for the Tyndale Society’. We are all very greatly indebted to Bill for his monumental work on this significant, and neglected, part of English-speaking Christian history.

Ecumenical Tyndale

It is one of the Society’s great strengths that our membership extends right across the Christian denominational spectrum. Chas Raws, the Society’s Ecumenical Coordinator, is hoping to set in motion Tyndale occasions when distinguished figures from different denominations come together for public discussion of theological issues raised by the life and work of Tyndale, as they apply today. The intention is to host events in the North of England, possibly repeated in London. Watch this space.

Calligraphic Cards

Many members will remember with pleasure the beautiful calligraphic cards of Tyndale’s Bible quotations that were organised by Priscilla Frost. We are delighted that David Green has very kindly remade these for us. There are ten different wordings, and the cards will be available at conferences and lectures.

Obedience of a Christian Man We were delighted to welcome the publication in 2000 by Penguin Classics of William Tyndale’s Obedience of a Christian Man (1526), edited and with an Introduction by David Daniell (ISBN 0-14-043477-1) UK £8.99. We have to report, however, that Pearson, Penguin’s new owners, now intend to discontinue this unique and important publication. Sales of the book may offer a stay of execution for the volume, so ask your local bookshop to order a copy!

Sightings of Tyndale National newspapers, GMTV Sunday, and ‘good bookshops everywhere’ - Tyndale has been appearing in the media thanks to Brian Moynahan’s new book If God Spare My Life. Moynahan’s interesting and enjoyable book is a very welcome contribution to public awareness of Tyndale’s life and works, and to the debate on Tyndale’s relationship with Thomas More. This book is being reviewed for the Journal.

Events

The Gloucester Cathedral Annual Tyndale Service and Lecture will be held this year on Friday 4 October 2002 at 3pm. It will be given by Chas Raws, a senior member of the Society of Friends with strong international concerns, who will speak on Humanity as Victim: From Tyndale to 2002. Choral Evensong in the Cathedral and a supper follow the lecture. We are very grateful to David Green for organising this event once again, and for further details please contact him at 22 Foss Field, Winstone, Glos. GL7 7JY, Tel:+44 (0)1285 821651.

Gerald Hammond, Professor of English in the University of Manchester, will give the Ninth Annual Hertford Tyndale Lecture on Thursday 17 October 2002 at 5pm in the Examination Schools, University of Oxford. Professor Hammond is also a Hebraist, and author of The Making of the English Bible (1982). The confirmed title of the lecture is ‘Tyndale’s Other Hebrew Translations’: he will discuss the Old Testament passages translated by Tyndale for use in services newly in English, printed in the final pages of Tyndale’s 1534 New Testament.

The Eighth Annual Lambeth Tyndale Lecture entitled ‘Ethics and the national interest - is there a contradiction?’ will be given at Lambeth Palace at 6pm on Monday 4 November 2002 by the Rt. Hon. Chris Patten, CH, Commissioner for External Relations, European Commission, Brussels.