Friday 9th October
09:00 - 18:30
A major symposium at Wells Cathedral to celebrate the 500th anniversary of William Tyndale’s New Testament (1526), featuring seven internationally respected scholars of Bible translation, textual criticism, Reformation history and theology.
9:00am - 5:00pm with the invitation to Evensong at 5:15pm - 6:30pm with Tyndale theme.
Not just commemorating Tyndale. Continuing the conversation he began.
Five hundred years after William Tyndale transformed England by placing Scripture into the language of ordinary people, Opening the Word: Tyndale, Translation, and Transformation at Wells Cathedral looks beyond commemoration to explore the enduring power of biblical translation.
Rather than simply reflecting on the past, this unique symposium brings together an exceptional panel of internationally distinguished biblical scholars, historians, translators, and church leaders to ask a timely question: how does the work of translating Scripture continue to shape faith, scholarship, culture, and public life today?
This rare gathering features some of the foremost voices in Reformation history, biblical translation, textual scholarship, and theology. Speakers include Andrew Hope, one of Britain's leading authorities on William Tyndale and the English Reformation; Professor Hugh Houghton, internationally renowned for his pioneering work in New Testament textual scholarship and the history of the Latin Bible; Revd Professor John Barton, acclaimed biblical scholar and author of A History of the Bible; Revd Dr John Goldingay, celebrated translator of The First Testament; Fr Nicholas King SJ, whose complete translation of the Bible from the Greek offers a distinctive perspective on the Scriptures of the early Church; Dr Iona Hine, whose research explores the history of biblical translation and the ways in which theological, social, and political contexts have shaped the Bible in English, alongside her leadership in contemporary interfaith engagement and public policy; and Revd Dr Sharon Moughtin, biblical scholar, Anglican priest, and founder of Sowing Seeds, whose work combines rigorous biblical scholarship with pioneering approaches to children's spirituality, worship, and faith formation.
Together, these leading scholars will explore questions that remain as relevant today as they were in Tyndale's lifetime:
- How did forbidden texts become the Bible of ordinary people?
- What is gained—and what is lost—in every act of translation?
- How do ancient manuscripts and languages continue to shape the Bibles we read today?
- Why does the language of Scripture still matter for worship, mission, education, and public life?
Designed for scholars, clergy, students, and all who are curious about the Bible's journey into English, the symposium offers world-class scholarship presented in an accessible and engaging setting within one of England's most beautiful cathedrals.
Join us at Wells Cathedral for a rare opportunity to hear leading experts in conversation as they explore Tyndale's legacy, not simply as a chapter in history, but as an invitation to continue opening the Word for our own generation.
Image credit Foxe's Book of Martyrs / Wikimedia Creative Commons