Compiled by Rochelle Givoni

Patrons

The Chairman wrote to the incoming Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr Rowan Williams, with the Society’s congratulations and asked whether he would honour us by becoming a Patron. We are delighted and, indeed, honoured that Dr Williams writes that it would give him great pleasure to act as a Patron. He hopes “of course that the lectures will continue at Lambeth”, and sends his good wishes to all.

The Chairman also wrote to Archbishop George Carey on his retirement on 31 October 2002, to send him the Society’s best wishes and thanks, and asked whether he would consider continuing as a Patron. Archbishop Carey sent his warm greetings to the Society, and is overjoyed to continue as a Patron of the Society, sending also his “expectations that through the support of us all the Tyndale Society will go on from strength to strength”.

Vice-Chairman

As many members will know, through pressure of work Barry Ryan, though still our American Trustee, had to resign as Vice-Chairman of the Society. The Trustees are extremely pleased to announce that Mary Clow has accepted their invitation to be the new Vice-Chairman, alongside Sir Rowland Whitehead. Mary has already brought to the Society her distinctive wisdom and inspired enthusiasm, and we are honoured by her acceptance.

Christmas Celebrations

Celebrate Christmas with Tyndale and the Society this year. The Society’s Annual Carol Service, with readings from Tyndale, will be held at St. Mary’s Abchurch, Abchurch Lane, London, EC4, on 18 December 2002, at 12.30pm. And, from 6.30pm on 18 December, Society members and their guests are invited to attend a Tyndale Society Christmas Party to be hosted by Mary Clow with a guest speaker and a buffet supper.

Norwich 2003

A chance to explore Norwich has been arranged for Saturday, 29 March 2003. This Tyndale Society day event will include a tour of the city guided by Society member, Michael Hammond. Dr Liz Evenden of the British Academy John Foxe Project will give a lecture on Norwich Printers of the 16th Century; and we will also have the opportunity to attend Evensong in Norwich Cathedral.(See Dates for Your Diary)

Antwerp

Events around the Tyndale Conference in Antwerp attracted the notice of the media.

On 7 September 2002 The Times reported on the service held in Antwerp Cathedral that was part of the opening ceremony for Guido Latré’s Tyndale’s Testament exhibition: “A Roman Catholic bishop has apologised for the execution of the Protestant martyr William Tyndale. In a significant ecumenical gesture, Bishop Paul Van den Berghe also invited the Anglican Bishop of Gibraltar in Europe, the Right Rev Geoffrey Rowell, to occupy his throne in Antwerp’s Catholic cathedral during an Anglican service held there last week. The Catholic bishop said that Tyndale, who was strangled and burnt at the stake in Antwerp in 1536, was killed unjustly. ‘We ask you and the Lord forgiveness for this crime and we hope that one day our still divided churches will acknowledge the martyrs of other churches’, he told Dr Rowell. Tyndale had fled to Belgium to escape persecution after translating the Bible into English.”

Guido Latré’s very successful Tyndale’s Testament exhibition at the Plantin- Moretus Museum has received unprecedented publicity, including the weekly Bulletin (a guide for Britons living in that part of Northern Europe), which devoted two full pages to a most favourable review.

Sightings of Tyndale

On BBC2 television on Monday 30th September 2002, Adam Hart-Davies, continuing his four-part series What the Tudors Did For Us with an account of the effects of the new printing, gave prominence to William Tyndale and his New Testament, especially as revolutionary and ‘heretical’.

Repeated on BBC2 television on Sunday 6 October 2002, appropriately for Tyndale’s Day, Simon Schama’s episode of A History of Britain, entitled ‘Burning Convictions’, gave good attention to Tyndale and his works.

Following ITV television’s similar exercise in the summer, BBC2 television broadcast a series through the autumn devoted to Great Britons, which called for viewers to vote. William Tyndale appeared in the top 100 in both series.

The British Library has included both the 1526 Tyndale New Testament in old spelling, and the 1388 Wycliffe New Testament in modern spelling in the Museum Selection Christmas catalogue. Both books are, of course, available direct from the Society.