Fire in the Bones: William Tyndale--Martyr, Father of the English Bible [Hardcover]

S. Michael Wilcox (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: July 2004

The leading personalities of his century would draw upon all their resources to stop him, from the brilliant Sir Thomas Moore to King Henry VIII; from Charles V, ruler of half of Europe, to the Pope. Both church and state hunted him relentlessly-at a time when the church held power over both soul and body and could condemn the heretic to execution by fire. His crime? Translating the words of the Bible into the "vulgar" English tongue.

He was William Tyndale, and the story of his life, told in Fire in the Bones, reads like a novel, as exciting in its facts as any fiction could be. He knew the smugglers' secret marks and their intense, fraternal loyalty. He tasted the salt of shipwreck and knew the despair of lost manuscripts buried under the waves of the North Sea. Intrigue, safe houses, bribes, spies, covert conversations, last-minute flight, aliases, imprisonment, loneliness, all wove their spell into the riddles of his hidden world. He died at last as a martyr, but not before he had bequeathed to the world some of the most beloved and sacred phrases and terms in Holy Writ, including Atonement, still small voice, and Let there be Light. Readers everywhere will be captivated by his story.

Editorial Reviews

Review

Great read, September 10, 2008
By Customer

You won't look at the Bible the same after reading this book. I never realized how much sacrifice went into translating the Bible into English so that we can read it today and so that it was available to Joseph Smith.

Fascinating history!, October 04, 2007
By Cherilyn

Wilcox combines biography, history, linguistics, and doctrine beautifully in this gratifying read. The reader develops a greater appreciation for the opportunity to read the scriptures and for the energy found in their pages. Our Church would not be the same today were it not for Tyndale's work and sacrifice, and Wilcox has shown this in fascinating detail.

Everyone should take the time to read this book, October 09, 2008
By SM

Biography on William Tyndale - translator of the Bible. He keeps it interesting inspite of it being history. Every church member should read this book to gain a better appreciation of having the freedom to hold a bible in their hands.

--This text refers to the Kindle Edition edition.

About the Author

S. Michael Wilcox is an instructor at the institute of religion at the University of Utah. He received his Ph.D. at the University of Colorado, where he directed the institute of religion. He has taught seminary and institute in Arizona, Colorado, and Alberta, Canada. He is the author of several books and audio CDs, including King Noah Blindness and the Vision of Seers, The Fourth Watch, Don’t Leap with the Sheep: And Other Scriptural Strategies, and House of Glory: Finding Personal Meaning in the Temple. He and his wife, Laura, have five children and live in Draper, Utah.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 255 pages
• Publisher: Deseret Book Company (July 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1590382978
• ISBN-13: 978-1590382974
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 6.1 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (13 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #251,892 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

16 of 18 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Amazing story of a little appreciated man., November 2, 2004

By 

CMBohn "cmb" (Orem, UT USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Fire in the Bones: William Tyndale--Martyr, Father of the English Bible (Hardcover)

William Tyndale is widely regarded as the "Father of the English Bible." Before his time, the Bible was only available in Latin. Common folk were not expected to understand the word of God. They were expected to get all their scriptural knowledge directly from the Church, who would them tell them what it meant. Seeking to know for themselves was heresy. Tyndale thought such practices were contrary to the will of God. He sought to make the Bible available to the common man in his own tongue--English.

It's hard to believe today, with the number of translations of the Bible out there, that at one time having a copy of the Bible in English would mean your death. The book opens with several people being burned at the stake for having a few verses in English. Sadly, it ends more or less with the death of Tyndale. But he had begun something that couldn't be stopped. Just a few years after his death, The Great Bible was in every parish in England--and it was in English. He was a man that filled a unique mission on earth.

This book will really make you appreciate how fortunate we are to be able to have the word of God.

9 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars I'm so glad I read it!, July 5, 2007

By 

D. Phelps (Denver, CO USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Fire in the Bones: William Tyndale--Martyr, Father of the English Bible (Hardcover)

"Fire in the Bones" was so gripping, I had trouble putting it down, and could think of nothing else as I read it. It is the true story of William Tyndale, father of the English Bible.

In 1523 Tyndale told a critic high in the Catholic church, "If God spare my life, ere many years I will cause a boy that driveth the plough shall know more of the scripture than thou dost." Three centuries later, a fourteen-year-old plowboy in New York knelt in prayer after reflecting on the testimony of James -a testimony translated from Greek to English by William Tyndale.

During the Protestant Reformation, while Martin Luther was pushing for reform in Germany, Tyndale was translating the Bible from Greek and Hebrew into English --for which he was ultimately burned at the stake. To translate and print the Bible in English, Tyndale left his home in England, and went into self-imposed exile in Antwerp, Belgium where there was more religious freedom and he was less likely to be burned as a heretic. His first translation of the New Testament was smuggled into England in 1526. Those who were brave enough to buy it and read it were often burned alive, along with the book.

The Catholic church wanted to maintain control of the populace and continue to receive the money it extracted from the worshippers as penance for their sins. As people gained access to the scriptures in a language they could understand, they became aware that the New Testament taught that faith in Jesus Christ saved men, rather than sums paid to the priests ("sale of indulgences" etc). This undermined Catholic authority, and ultimately led to the Protestant Reformation and greater light and knowledge spreading throughout England.

"Fire in the Bones" chronicles how Tyndale accomplished the amazing feat of making the Bible available to the common Englishman in spite of powerful forces against him, including King Henry VIII, Sir Thomas More, and many others who prided themselves on burning "heretics" like him. His story is told by an LDS author who likens Tyndale to Joseph Smith. God had a work for him to do, and he was determined to do it regardless of the personal cost. His understanding of the gospel was sweet and pure, much like Joseph's. They are indeed kindred spirits.

I cannot recommend this book highly enough! I am dismayed that I was unaware of this hero of the faith until now.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An excellent read!, October 19, 2007

By 

R. C. Torgerson - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Fire in the Bones: William Tyndale--Martyr, Father of the English Bible (Hardcover)

Michael Wilcox provides a stunning introduction to the life and sacrifices made by Tyndale (and others) in order to bring the Bible to the people. I enjoyed how Wilcox looks at history through the lens of faith and found it refreshing to find a historian who was not afraid to place Tyndale and his efforts in the context of his own belief. This book should be read by any who desire to better understand the miraculous history and impact of the Bible, as well as build bridges of understanding between Christian faiths both reformed and restored.