28 - 29 October 2026
Ripon College Cuddesdon and The Tyndale Society are pleased to announce a conference. This page will be updated with further conference details following the Call for Papers deadline, on which please see below.
This conference will celebrate the 500th anniversary of the publication in 1526 of William Tyndale’s translation of the New Testament from Greek into English. Dangerous for him to do, Tyndale’s skilful and courageous work proved to be a watershed moment in the history of the Bible in English. Today, we read the Bible in translation in a range of formats and media – including online: a powerful forum for global distribution and impact, much like the printing press of Tyndale’s times. Tyndale’s vision was that anyone should be able to understand the Bible for themselves in their own language. Tyndale’s effective turns of phrase – “let there be light”, “the spirit is willing”, “signs of the times” – made their way into later translations, especially the King James Version, and thereby into common parlance. This conference will also be an occasion to bring together scholars, clergy, and laypeople to learn and reflect critically and imaginatively about the Bible in general. Special attention will be given to the Bible’s translation, distribution, and impact – past, present, and future. The following will be considered:
- William Tyndale’s life, work, and legacy;
- Translation: motivations, theories, histories, challenges, and possibilities;
- Distribution: formats and media, past and present, by which people encounter the Bible.
- Impact: how the Bible is related to the religious, political, and social contexts of its interpreters.
The conference will be generous in scope, with space for any/all of these topics during the last 500 years, and beyond, with reference to Tyndale and other key personalities and activities.
The conference will run from 10.00am to 5.00pm on both Wednesday 28 and Thursday 29 October. There will be an extra Tyndale-themed tour in nearby Oxford on the morning of Friday 30 October. In-person attendees will be welcome to join in daily worship at the college throughout the conference.
The event will be hosted at Ripon College Cuddesdon, a Church of England college founded by Bishop Samuel Wilberforce, son of the abolitionist William Wilberforce MP. Situated 7 miles from Oxford in the beautiful and peaceful Oxfordshire countryside, the college is an ideal venue for study and reflection.
Call for Papers
To respond to this Call for Papers with a proposal of a paper of either 30 minutes or 45 minutes (each to include brief Q&A), please send a title and an abstract (c. 150 words) to [email protected] by 31 July 2026. Include your name, titles, and institutional affiliations. The conference schedule will be shaped by the responses. The organisers will consider the publication of the conference proceedings.
Conference Booking
For all attendees, booking is essential. Conference attendance will be residential, non-residential, or online.
The prices per person are as follows:
| Online | 2 days | £25 | Booking and Payment |
| Non-residential In-person | 2 days | £80 | Booking and Payment |
| Residential: standard room | 1 night (Wed) | £120 | Booking and Payment |
| Residential: ensuite room | 1 night (Wed) | £150 | Booking and Payment |
| Residential: standard room | 2 nights (Tue / Wed) | £195 | Booking and Payment |
| Residential: ensuite room | 2 nights (Tue / Wed) | £225 | Booking and Payment |
| Residential: standard room | 2 nights (Wed/Thurs) | £195 | Booking and Payment |
| Residential: ensuite room | 2 nights (Wed/Thurs) | £225 | Booking and Payment |
| Residential: standard room | 3 nights (Tue / Wed / Thu) | £270 | Booking and Payment |
| Residential: ensuite room | 3 nights (Tue / Wed / Thu) | £300 | Booking and Payment |
| Oxford Tour | Friday morning | £40 | Booking and Payment |
To inquire about the availability of B&B accommodation before and/or after the conference, please email: [email protected]