Holy God, our greatest treasure, who didst bless Hugh and Robert, Bishops of Lincoln, with wise and cheerful boldness for the proclamation of thy Word to rich and poor alike: Grant that all who minister in thy Name may serve with diligence, discipline and humility, fearing nothing but the loss of thee and drawing all to thee through Jesus Christ our Savior; who liveth and reigneth with thee in the communion of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
It is unfortunate, with all due respect to Bishop Hugh, that he is included in this, because it tends to downgrade Robert Grosseteste’s importance both to the Church of England, English history in general, and various branches of science.
John Wyclif is often referred to as the morning star of the Protestant Reformation, but that title belongs more properly to Grosseteste two centuries before. His insistence on high moral and intellectual standards for clergy, his willingness to challenge the highest authorities (up to and including Popes and Kings) on a point of important principle, and his great rationality of mind, make him one of the towering figures of the Middle Ages.
He is also important as one of the intellectuals who established the stongly Augustinian nature of English theology, and was a powerful and formative influence on those who came after, such as Roger Bacon, Thomas Bradwardine, William of Occam, John Wyclif and John Colet.