‘Lord, open the King of England’s eyes”
Tyndale was reported to have said before he was strangled at the stake and burned for his forbidden translation of scripture into clear English.
Blackburn Cathedral is hosting an exhibition marking 500 years since William Tyndale’s English New Testament was first printed as part of the cathedral’s centenary celebrations.
Displaying an original edition of the first Bible to be printed in English, on loan from the British Library, this exhibition focuses on translation and Tyndale’s use of technology and invites visitors to learn more about the man whose translation had such an impact.
First printed in 1526, it was a decisive moment in the story of English Christianity, public worship, and the English language itself.
Visitors are encouraged to learn about Tyndale, the challenge he faced, why it mattered, and how his translation of Scripture from original biblical languages into clear, living English had such a global impact, still felt today.
The exhibition, titled “His legacy lives on” tells visitors that Tyndale died a criminal, yet within a few years his forbidden translation had become the foundation of every English Bible, read aloud in every parish church.
And it has shaped the faith and speech of English speakers ever since.
Tyndale was executed in 1536 in what is now Belgium. His reported last words were a prayer for Henry VIII, who had prohibited English Bibles and required Scripture to be read in Latin. “Lord, open the King of England’s eyes,” Tyndale said before he was strangled at the stake and burned.
The cathedral said,
“Tyndale’s dying prayer was answered almost at once. In 1539, less than three years after his execution, Henry VIII authorised an English Bible, the Great Bible, and ordered a copy for every parish church in the land.
“Much of it was Tyndale’s own work, quietly carried into the new edition. When the King James Version appeared in 1611, it kept Tyndale’s words as well: about eight words in every ten of its New Testament are Tyndale’s.”
The exhibition supports a rich programme of educational visits by schoolchildren from across the diocese and this week (October 15) the cathedral will host a conference for primary teachers, RE leads and those who plan collective worship.
The exhibition of the Tyndale Bible included a non-stop reading of the whole Bible titled “Cover to Cover” which heard hundreds of voices from across the diocese read a 15-minute Bible passage during this event, held last week.
Blackburn is one of several Church of England cathedrals commemorating the English Bible translator and Christian martyr. St Paul’s Cathedral in London and Chester Cathedral are also hosting anniversary exhibitions.
Blackburn Cathedral’s exhibition runs until November 18 and is free to enter. Donations recommended.
