My research focuses on medieval Bible translation, hermeneutics, and commentary culture in the context of the Wycliffite Bible (the first complete translation of the Bible into English, completed in the fourteenth century). My work investigates why, how, and by whom the Bible was first translated from Latin into English, and how this translation influenced literary works of the Middle English period. I am the founder and organiser of the Oxford Medieval Commentary Network, an interdisciplinary collaboration between scholars working on medieval biblical exegesis and commentary.
My textual-critical work has produced two scholarly editions of previously unknown texts – amongst these is the first complete edition of the Wycliffite Old Testament Lectionary (OUP, 2021), a collection of liturgical texts translated from Latin into Middle English, and a two-volume edition of A Late-Medieval History of the Ancient and Biblical World (Winter, 2022). I continue to research the role of the liturgy in medieval English culture and literature, particularly in works by poets such as Chaucer and Langland.
Informed by my research on medieval liturgical texts, I have recently written a trade book, Light on Darkness: The Untold Story of the Liturgy. This book introduces students and general readers to important liturgical texts and their influence on literature, art, and music, revealing some surprising discoveries along the way.
