Mike Farris:
Tyndale made an extensive argument for translating the Scripture into the mother tongue of his people in his book, Obedience of a Christian Man.

Tyndale’s argument goes to the heart of the principle of freedom of conscience—every man has the right to look into the Word of God and decide for himself whether what is being taught is true.

Tyndale advances several other principles that we recognize as parallel to the provisions within the American Bill of Rights. Judges should not, he says, “break into the consciences of men . . . and [force] them to [testify against] themselves.” He also argues for equal protection and due process for all.

Using Scripture alone, he reached the conclusion that God demands religious equality before the law.

Tyndale’s concept of law by the consent of the governed, religious equality before the law, due process, fair trials, the freedom to speak, publish, and decide for one’s self the truth about God were prescient and profound. He advanced these concepts into the English system at a time when, at least in practice, they were utterly foreign. His conclusions were the necessary outgrowth of his belief that men should have the Scripture in their own language so that they could come to God directly as individuals by their own choice, rather than according to the dictates of either the government or the official church.

I’m Mike Farris.