330 A BRIEF SURVEY OF HUMAN HISTORY

its omnipotence. But now a new enlightenment was spread-
ing, which, drawing its inspiration from classical paganism,
threatened to undermine the very foundations of the Chris-
tian Church. Out of this turmoil and conflict, between the
Old and the New, was to be born a new Europe,—the maker
of the modern world.

The Church had grown so rich and become so unwieldy
that some of the weaknesses which had brought the great
Roman Empire into the dust also began to manifest them-
selves in its life. Unrestrained authority, though exercised
in the name of God, inevitably led to corruption, and this
could not stand the light of the new day that was dawning
over Europe since the thirteenth century A.D. Just as the
Roman Empire had first split up into two divisions and then
into several kingdoms, the Universal Church was also to be
divided into, not only the Eastern and the Western Churches,
but into innumerable heretical sects as well. Some of the
earlier heresies were born out of theological differences, but
during the age under review they arose out of the corrupt
practices and vices of Church dignitaries. Hence, we find
that many of the new attacks against the Church were led
by some of the most learned and well-meaning among
Churchmen themselves, who were anxious to reform the exist-,
ing Church rather than found new churches. We shall illus-
trate this movement by reference to'some of its outstanding,
leaders without entering into controversial theological dis-
cussions.

The first of these was John Wycliffe, a teacher at Oxford.
Born about 1320, he came into prominence after 1366. Pope
Urban V demanded that -England should pay the tribute
promised by King John (of Magna Carta fame) during his
submission and humiliation. Wycliffe led the agitation
against this demand and tried to establish that John's agree-