For one, if you could read in the 1500s you could read Latin. It was the language of science and education in Europe until the 1800s. England was still making coins with Latin on them until well into the 1950s, maybe even later. The claim that only the rich knew Latin is a fallacy (although literacy rates in general weren't good at the time because of how rare books were). Latin is not that hard to understand, and pre-Vatican II your average Catholic understood exactly what was going on at Mass.
Secondly, there was no point in taking the time to do expensive translations in many languages when it took a year or longer to copy a single Bible by hand. The printing press rolled around circa 1490 and changed that.
Henry VIII was also a monster so anyone who suggests like he was some kind of an underdog hero and not a bloodthirsty and lustful tyrant is good for a laugh.
Luther translated the New Testament into German in a matter of weeks while in exile. With the advent of the printing press the century before, the timing was perfect to get scripture into people's hands.
And yes, Latin was much more common than today, though some of us are doing all we can to educate the youth on Latin's beauty.
Fun fact the Augsburger Bible and the Wenceslas Bible were two of several German Bible translations that predate Luther by over 100 years. The printing press did more to get scripture into people's hands than any of the protestant reformers. The first book Gutenberg ever printed was a Latin Bible
Faith without works is dead is not a command by James to do good works; it is a description of dead faith.
I don't do good works because I wish to maintain my faith; I do good works because I find my identity in Christ.
This is a misconception.
For one, if you could read in the 1500s you could read Latin. It was the language of science and education in Europe until the 1800s. England was still making coins with Latin on them until well into the 1950s, maybe even later. The claim that only the rich knew Latin is a fallacy (although literacy rates in general weren't good at the time because of how rare books were). Latin is not that hard to understand, and pre-Vatican II your average Catholic understood exactly what was going on at Mass.
Secondly, there was no point in taking the time to do expensive translations in many languages when it took a year or longer to copy a single Bible by hand. The printing press rolled around circa 1490 and changed that.
Henry VIII was also a monster so anyone who suggests like he was some kind of an underdog hero and not a bloodthirsty and lustful tyrant is good for a laugh.
Luther translated the New Testament into German in a matter of weeks while in exile. With the advent of the printing press the century before, the timing was perfect to get scripture into people's hands.
And yes, Latin was much more common than today, though some of us are doing all we can to educate the youth on Latin's beauty.
Fun fact the Augsburger Bible and the Wenceslas Bible were two of several German Bible translations that predate Luther by over 100 years. The printing press did more to get scripture into people's hands than any of the protestant reformers. The first book Gutenberg ever printed was a Latin Bible