Tom, a second-generation immigrant, was murdered in church on 29 December. His death shook a lot of people then and continues to represent an ongoing sociopolitical problem as well as a painful lesson in reality for so many.
Tom’s mum and dad emigrated from Normandy to England. Matilda gave birth to Tom about 1120 in Cheapside, London. King Henry II recognised his talent and appointed Tom to be the Chancellor of England. Later, Henry saw an opportunity to place his friend in a key position of church leadership as Archbishop of Canterbury, which would give Henry significant influence in two major spheres affecting the lives of all those in England––church and state would be united. However, Tom resigned as Chancellor, which caused much more trouble than he likely anticipated.
Escape
Long story short, Tom left for France, appealed to the Pope for help, which resulted in a deal. Tom could return to his position as Archbishop of Canterbury. The return happened 1 December 1170.
Grim Tale
Edward Grim reported what happened. Knights came to arrest Thomas Becket at his residence. He fled to the Cathedral, but to no avail as the Knights entered and when he clung to a pillar, he was attacked by swords. Thomas Becket was murdered.
Martyrdom
The news of the horror spread. People came and reported miraculous healings. More and more came for centuries from all over Europe. Thomas Becket’s shrine was a place for pilgrims.
Government Attempt to Change History
Henry VIII called Thomas a traitor and destroyed the shrine. But today, you can visit a new memorial in the Cathedral where Thomas is recognised as a saint.
If you are interested, you can see my photos at this link:
Comments
Whatever his true thoughts were, Thomas choice to separate the governance of a nation from the governance of a nation’s religion was a wise choice. Unchecked power over people’s lives is never a good thing as we’ve seen through the centuries where national leaders have ordered the killing of church leaders who criticized them. Today, church leaders continue to exert considerable influence over politicians when they can influence how their members vote.
And today, religious and government leaders still vie for influence over the lives of ordinary people in the laws that affect our lives. In the US, churches have a special status as tax exempt along with powerful tax breaks for clergy.
Tragically, just as those from close to 1,000 years ago, people continue to find that the church is not a safe place. Some have been burned to death. Some have been shot. And we’ve heard many reports of sexual abuse by clergy––mostly men of the church. So far, there aren’t enough transformed lives to ensure our safety. So, you’ll see police officers at some churches and locked doors. No doubt we’ll learn about more tragedies. Perhaps at some point in history, people will rise up against violence and make churches safe again.
Note
Thomas Becket was born 21 December 1118 and murdered 29 December 1170
References:
Canterbury Cathedral England (including the Becket Memorial)
A helpful summary of the Thomas Becket story is available from the British Museum blog: https://www.britishmuseum.org/blog/thomas-becket-murder-shook-middle-ages
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Male Clergy Sex with Women https://dividedchristians.blogspot.com/2018/08/male-clergy-sex-with-women-paths-to.html
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