Thomas Bilney

Thomas Bilney (* around 1495 in Norfolk ; † August 19, 1531 in Norwich ) was a pioneer of the Reformation in England and an Anglican martyr .

Life

Bilney studied at Cambridge and was ordained a priest in 1519 . In 1520 he joined the Trinity Hall Quorum as a Fellow . Under the impression of the Latin translation of the Bible by Erasmus, Bilney devoted himself to Bible study, which opened up a new understanding of the Christian faith for him. 1 Tim 1.15  EU freed him from the fear for his soul's salvation, whereby he was probably already familiar with Lutheran ideas.

From then on, Bilney endeavored to lead a life faithful to the Bible, advocating the Lutheran doctrine of justification of sola fide against indulgence and preaching against the veneration of saints and images . At Cambridge he joined a group interested in the teachings of the Reformation. Bilney was able to win Hugh Latimer for the ideas of the Reformation in 1524. In 1527 he was arrested on charges of heresy , brought to London and had to answer there before Thomas Wolsey and Cuthbert Tunstall . Bilney let himself be persuaded and swore off. After his return to Cambridge in 1529, however, serious conflicts of conscience drove him, contrary to an imposed prohibition, to preach his convictions again . Bilney was arrested again and sentenced to death at the stake by the Bishop of Norwich, Richard Nykke (1447–1535) .

Individual evidence

1. ^ Marie-Luise Ehrenschwendter: Bilney, Thomas . In: Hans Dieter Betz u. a. (Ed.): Religion in the past and present . Concise dictionary for theology and religious studies. 4th edition. tape 8 , no. 1 . UTB, Stuttgart 2008, ISBN 978-3-8252-8401-5 , Sp. 1598 .