we have just passed reformation day last month, and this year is the 400th anniversary of the KJV.
KJV borrows heavily from Tyndale’s translation; who famously said “If God spare my life, before many years I will cause a boy that drives the plough to know more of Scripture than you do.”: a liberation of Scripture from its exclusive clergy use to the masses, or laity. So the reformation brought both liberty and responsibility of interpretation to all belivers, not just clergy.
Yes, learning is needed to read the scriptures deeper, but especially in this era, that does not even constitute as a valid excuse to leave all responsibilities to the pastoral seat, neglecting to participate in continuous scripture interpretation.
And, deeming laity engagement of theological tenets as “scary”, or “trying to diminish pastoral calling” is, at best, an irresponsible remark. scripture interpretation by laity does not indicate independence, or rebellion to the church and clergy, but instead; it presents another dimension, another vantage point, in which will enrich the whole body of believers.
Tyndale was executed when he translated the bible, which was only avaliable in Latin, the clergy language, to english, the language of the masses. His was a spark of reformation as bright as Luther and Calvin. If ever, the church of reformation acts like the laity should not have anything to do with scripture maturity; leaving it all for the clergy to feed them: let this be far from us, instead let us forever remember to press on the spirit of reformation.
