When the head of state makes a mistake

Henry II became King of England on 25 October 1154 at the age of 21. Theobald of Bec (age 64) had been Archbishop of Canterbury for 15 year already, and he did not have good relationships with Henry II concerning royal rights over the Church. Theobald died on 18 April 1161.

Henry II was now age 28 and he appointed the 41 year old Thomas Becket to be the new archbishop. Becket was Henry's Chancellor and Henry felt that with Becket as the new archbishop royal supremacy over the English Church would be reasserted and royal rights over the Church.

Shortly after Becket's consecration, on 3 June 1162, the new archbishop resigned the chancellorship, and changed his entire lifestyle. Previously, Becket had lived ostentatiously, but he now lived like an ascetic. Like Supreme Court justices who don't perform as their appointing POTUS expected, Becket took the church's autonomy seriously.

After 8 years, Henry is said to have uttered the famous question "Will no one rid me of the turbulent priest". This inspired four knights to set off from the king's court in Normandy to Canterbury, where on 29 December 1170, they murdered Becket. It is often said that Henry was uttering his comments out of frustration and not out of any real desire to see his old friend murdered.



The king performed a public act of penance on 12 July 1174 at Canterbury, when he publicly confessed his sins, and then allowed each bishop present to give him five blows from a rod, then each of the 80 monks of Canterbury Cathedral gave the king three blows. The king then offered gifts to Becket's shrine and spent a vigil at Becket's tomb.

TODAY WE HAVE:

Tony Perkins, the president of the conservative Family Research Council, contended Tuesday that the evangelical community has given President Donald Trump a "mulligan" when it comes to his personal behavior.

Quote: Pacomartin

After 8 years, Henry is said to have uttered the famous question "Will no one rid me of the turbulent priest". This inspired four knights to set off from the king's court in Normandy to Canterbury, where on 29 December 1170, they murdered Becket. It is often said that Henry was uttering his comments out of frustration and not out of any real desire to see his old friend murdered.
The king performed a public act of penance on 12 July 1174 at Canterbury, when he publicly confessed his sins, and then allowed each bishop present to give him five blows from a rod, then each of the 80 monks of Canterbury Cathedral gave the king three blows. The king then offered gifts to Becket's shrine and spent a vigil at Becket's tomb.

I highly recommend the book Pillars of the Earth by Ken Follett
Really fun read
Historical fiction where the above incident plays a big part in the ending of the book

Quote: terapined

I highly recommend the book Pillars of the Earth by Ken Follett
Really fun read
Historical fiction where the above incident plays a big part in the ending of the book

It's actually a trilogy
Pillars of the Earth (1989), followed by World Without End (2007) set 150 years later, and A Column of Fire (2017) set in Elizabethan England.

Do you recommend the sequels as well?

12 quotes from "Murder in the Cathedral", in case Shakespeare is not enough. The first one is kind of pithy.

“Human kind cannot bear very much reality.”
― T.S. Eliot, Murder in the Cathedral

“The last act is the greatest treason. To do the right deed for the wrong reason.”
― T.S. Eliot, Murder in the Cathedral

“Unreal friendship may turn to real
But real friendship, once ended, cannot be mended”
― T.S. Eliot, Murder in the Cathedral

“This is one moment, / But know that another / Shall pierce you with a sudden painful joy.”
― T.S. Eliot, Murder in the Cathedral

“The last temptation is the greatest treason: To do the right deed for the wrong reason.”
― T.S. Eliot, Murder in the Cathedral

“A christian martyrdom is never an accident, for Saints are not made by accident.”
― T.S. Eliot, Murder in the Cathedral

“We acknowledge our trespass, our weakness, our fault; we acknowledge That the sin of the world is upon our heads; that the blood of the martyrs and the agony of the saints Is upon our heads. Lord, have mercy upon us. Christ, have mercy upon us. Lord, have mercy upon us. Blessed Thomas, pray for us.”
― T.S. Eliot, Murder in the Cathedral

“A martyrdom is always the design of God, for His love of men, to warn them and to lead them, to bring them back to His ways. It is never the design of man; for the true martyr is he who has become the instrument of God, who has lost his will in the will of God, and who no longer desires anything for himself, not even the glory of being a martyr.”
― T.S. Eliot, Murder in the Cathedral

“What day is the day that we know that we hope for or fear for? Every day is the day we should fear from or hope from. One moment Weighs like another. Only in retrospection, selection, We say, that was the day. The critical moment That is always now, and here.”
― T.S. Eliot, Murder in the Cathedral

“They know and do not know, that acting is suffering
And suffering is action. Neither does the actor suffer
Nor the patient act. But both are fixed
To an eternal action, an eternal patience
To which all must consent that it may be willed
And which all must suffer that they may will it,
That the pattern may subsist, for the pattern is the action
And the suffering, that the wheel may turn and still
Be forever still.”
― T.S. Eliot, Murder in the Cathedral

“It is the just man who Like a bold lion, should be without fear.”
― T.S. Eliot, Murder in the Cathedral

“We have only to conquer
Now, by suffering. This is the easier victory.
Now is the triumph of the cross.”
― T.S. Eliot, Murder in the Cathedral

Quote: Pacomartin

It's actually a trilogy
Pillars of the Earth (1989), followed by World Without End (2007) set 150 years later, and A Column of Fire (2017) set in Elizabethan England.

Do you recommend the sequels as well?

I only read the 1st book
Its really good
I heard about the 2nd book but have not read it.
Had no idea he made it a trilogy.

Quote: terapined

Had no idea he made it a trilogy.

Well it was released less than 6 months ago.

Always wondered what a mulligan was, never bothered to look it up.

Personal short comings? Best ignored.
The press never published FDR as a cripple and always described him as merely being 'steadied' by a military escort due to a prior episode of polio.

I doubt people really care if a politician is faithful to his wife.

Now if the people elect a buffoon they must accept a non-professional relationship with the press.

Quote: Fleastiff

Now if the people elect a buffoon

Like Obama, you mean? I saw him on some
talk show last week wanted to start dry
heaving just thinking this clueless Libtard
buffoon was president for 8 years. I must
have almost totally blocked him out for
most of those 8 years, because seeing
him talk makes embarrassed for our country.

Maybe some people feel the same thing about Trump.