Podcast Episode 34
William Tyndale
with Dr. Mark Rankin & host Nick Walters
Episode 34 of This Week in Christian History continues the mission of connecting today’s listeners with the stories, people, and turning points that shaped the global Christian movement. Each episode features an interview with Nick Walters, founder of the Center for Christian History at Mississippi College, followed by a Deep Dive conversation with a subject matter expert, and two historical highlights drawn from this same week in Christian history. The goal is to offer context, continuity, and perspective across centuries of Christian witness and development.
This week’s Deep Dive focuses on one of the most influential figures in the history of English-speaking Christianity: William Tyndale. His translation of the Bible into English—drawn directly from Hebrew and Greek—laid the foundation for nearly all future English Bibles. Much of the phrasing familiar to modern readers traces back to Tyndale’s careful, precise work. His passion for providing Scripture in the language of ordinary people placed him in conflict with both church authorities and the English crown. On October 6, 1536, Tyndale was executed for translating and distributing the English Scriptures, cementing his legacy as one of the great martyrs of the Reformation era.
The Deep Dive guest for Episode 34 is Dr. Mark Rankin, Professor of English at James Madison University and a Fellow of the Royal Historical Society. Dr. Rankin is widely recognized for his scholarship on early English Bible translation, the English Reformation, and Tudor print culture. His research has contributed to a deeper understanding of Tyndale’s world, the rise of vernacular Scripture, and the ways these developments shaped English religious life. His faculty page is available at: https://www.jmu.edu/english/people/rankin-mark.shtml
This episode also brings forward two historical highlights that illuminate different eras of Christian history. The first highlight reaches back to October 8, 451, when the Council of Chalcedon convened near what is now the Haydarpasa district of Istanbul. As Christianity expanded, early church leaders often met in large councils to resolve major doctrinal questions. The Council of Chalcedon confronted the teachings of the Eutychians, who denied that Jesus Christ could be fully God and fully man at the same time. The bishops gathered at Chalcedon affirmed what became known as the doctrine of the two natures of Christ—fully divine and fully human—united in one person. This decision shaped the core beliefs of the Christian Church and remains a foundational element of historic Christian orthodoxy.
The second highlight comes from the early nineteenth century and the spiritual transformation that marked the Second Great Awakening in the United States. On October 10, 1821, Charles Finney experienced his conversion in the woods near his home, a moment that redirected his life and launched one of the most impactful evangelistic ministries in American history. The Second Great Awakening stretched from the 1790s through the 1820s, reshaping American religious life through revivals, new denominations, and a renewed focus on personal faith. Finney would go on to preach to massive crowds, teach at Oberlin College in Ohio, and influence hundreds of thousands of converts. His ministry helped define revivalism in the American context and contributed to the era’s widespread religious renewal.
