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Thomas Bradwardineing?" But Peter did not find it convenient to hear him, and continuedto sleep; and. in consequence, the Pelagian heresy, in itsgrossest and most injurious forms. prevailed generally over thewhole church in the beginning of the sixteenth century.35Even so, it is worth exploring the possibility that God usedBradwardine in a different way, namely, to assist others later inhistory when God determined to reform His church. The firstinstance of such possible influence is on John WycHf. Wyclif(c.1329-1384) was a theologian and scholar ofOxford, in MertonCollege, as Bradwardine had been. Many church historians pointtothe influence ofBradwardine on this laterpre-reformer. Topladyis representative, writing that Bradwardine "was in some sense,Dr. Wicliffs spiritual father: for it was the perusal ofBradwardine'swriting, which next to the Holy Scriptures, opened the protoreformer'seyes to discover the genuine doctrine of faith andjustification."36Oberman is more cautious. While noting that Wyclifhimselfreveals that he had a high regard for Bradwardine when he refers35 Cunningham, William. Historical Theologv (Edinburgh: TheBanner of Truth Trust. 1979) vol. 1, pp. 467-477.36 Toplady. Works, p. 106. Lewis Sergent. in his work. John Wyclif:Last of/he Schoo/men andfirst ofthe English Reformers (New York: G.P. Putnam's Sons, 1892), p. 69, writes that Bradwardine's "teachingcommended itselfnot a little to the men ofhis day, and Wyclifwas deeplyimbued with it.~· He goes so far as to say that "There is clearly a sensein which Bradwardine was a forerunner ofthe Calvinists. or ratheroftheearly English predestinarians.II K. B. McFarlane, John Wycliffe and theBeginnings of English Nonconformity (New York: The MacmillanCompany, 1953) maintains that the two precursors to whom Wyclif"wasmost indebted [were] Bradwardine and FitzRalph" (p.12). He avers that"Wyclifwas indebted to the 'Profound Doctor' Thomas Bradwardine forhis predestinarianism, ... though ... he gave his borrowings a characteristictwist of his own" (p. 30). Later he says that Wyclif "was anuncompromising predestinarian. He derived his grisly creed from ThomasBradwardine ... and-with important differences-from their commonmaster, Augustine" (po 92).November, 200 I 25
to Bradwardine as oneof"two pre-eminent doctors ofourorder,"37Oberman warns that the question of"influence" is a most difficultone, well nigh impossible to substantiate unless the individualpersonally describes the influence in his writings. Thus, whilealmost all agree that Wyclif was influenced by Bradwardine,opinions differ as to the extent and nature.One major problem in identifying possible influence ofoneman on a later is the fact that a theologian's writings are greatlyaffected by the issues of the day. Oberman notes what whileWyclif was only one generation younger than Bradwardine, "inthat very period new problems were raised and new developmentstook place, which were ofsuch great significance for the history ofChristian thought, that in reality the distance between Bradwardineand Wiclifis considerably greaterthan that between Wiclifand theReformation."3R The issues ofWyclif's day involved the doctrinesofthe church, Scripture, and the Lord's Supper, ofwhich little ornothing is found in Bradwardine's The Cause ofGod.While that is admittedly true, it is also a fact that Wyclif'sdoctrine ofthe church was greatly determined by the doctrine ofpredestination, which in turn ledhim to differwith the hierarchicalview ofthe church maintained by medieval theologians. This is acrucial point, because Wyclif, and later Hus, would define thechurch in terms ofthe elect members rather than the magisterium- the clergy. The doctrine of sovereign predestination is thefoundation of that position. In addition, Wyclif shared the profoundreverence for the Scriptures possessed by Bradwardine. Nodoubt also, Wyclif's high regard for Augustine was fostered byBradwardine. All this would lead one to conclude that God did useBradwardine to teachWyclif.Oberman's skepticism on the question of Bradwardine'sinfluence on the Reformation is justified. Still, he notes thesimilarities in that, for example, Bradwardine, Wyclif, and Luther37. De Domino donino, (ed. R. L. Poole, 1890), I, p. 115, quoted byOberman, Archbishop Bradwardine, p. 198. The other doctor referred tois Richard FitzRalph, Archbishop of Armagh.38. Oberman, Archbishop Bradwardine, p. 202.26 PRTJ
Page 1 and 2: ProtestantReformedTheologicalJourna
Page 3 and 4: EDITOR'S NOTESProf. Russell J. Dyks
Page 5 and 6: For there are many, even l unruly,
Page 7 and 8: happen to hold unwittingly to some
Page 9 and 10: tion oftheir false teachings. II Pe
Page 11 and 12: est, they are very weak, at worst,
Page 13 and 14: truth~' (see I Tim. 4: 1 - 4). Ever
Page 15 and 16: Thomas Bradwardine:Forgotten Mediev
Page 17 and 18: ated grace and uncreated grace. Unc
Page 19 and 20: Bradwardine faces the question ofth
Page 21 and 22: the age, namely, that having set fo
Page 23 and 24: did not identify Thomas Bradwardine
Page 25: The first is that Bradwardine was a
Page 29 and 30: Gospels, Acts, and Revelation. Sir
Page 31 and 32: power of the papacy in Bradwardine'
Page 33 and 34: The Serious Callof the Gospel -Is t
Page 35 and 36: elieve th~s proclamation with uprig
Page 37 and 38: to bring good news with their "fig
Page 39 and 40: nation, we read of Melchisedek, the
Page 41 and 42: official activity ofa monarch's her
Page 43 and 44: 8): "Calling is ofthose elect and r
Page 45 and 46: ut all his posterity unable to obey
Page 47 and 48: alone, and He saves whom He will. E
Page 49 and 50: have moved away from the notion oft
Page 51 and 52: every member ofthe visible, institu
Page 53 and 54: fulfilling this calling is their pa
Page 55 and 56: contingent. Further, Calvin did not
Page 57 and 58: ofacceptance in terms of merit, ins
Page 59 and 60: covenant ofgrace and works, or it i
Page 61 and 62: Spiritual, Suffers Them to DefileTh
Page 63 and 64: the gospel is preached" (p. 212).In
Page 65 and 66: "They do not hold that JesusChrist
Page 67 and 68: II Corinthians 3:6 that "the letter
Page 69 and 70: is to oppose and to repulsethat sec
Page 71 and 72: Rightly Divided: Readings inBiblica
Page 73 and 74: is necessary speaks volumesabout th
Page 75 and 76: Guilt, Grace and Gratitude,Lectures
Page 77 and 78:
76ted under the new? If it wererigh
Page 79 and 80:
er to keep himself holy; forthe Sab
Page 81 and 82:
there is room for both positionsin
Page 83 and 84:
Dr. Gannett's eschatologyalso effec
Page 85 and 86:
that, but man has a corrupt nature(
Page 87 and 88:
the love of God is "universal"(p. 5
Page 89 and 90:
ever, throughout the book thereis n
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