Thomas Becket: Defender of the Church

by Father John S Hogan

Overview

Who was Thomas Becket? The answer is as complex as he was. Deacon; priest; archbishop; sometime royal chancellor; friend of the king; troublemaker; penitent; exile; turbulent enemy of the king; unyielding, ungrateful wretch; shepherd; martyr; saint; enigma. Thomas Becket: Defender of the Church introduces, or reintroduces, this enigmatic saint and invites us to consider his background, his influences, his progress in ambition and office, and his personal struggle for holiness. In this insightful new biography, Fr. John S. Hogan also reveals how relevant Thomas's life and struggle are to our own day. As secularism seeks to destroy faith, Catholics can turn to Saint Thomas for help in the struggle. His is the story of every Christian; though the time and circumstances may differ, the struggle remains the same. Nine hundred years after his death, Thomas Becket remains a man and a saint for our times.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781681925820
Publisher:	Our Sunday Visitor, Publishing Division
Publication date:	07/27/2020
Pages:	472
Product dimensions:	5.90(w) x 9.10(h) x 1.00(d)

Table of Contents

Introduction 9

Prologue 19

Part I Ambition's Servant

1 The Ship 27

2 A Boy from London 33

3 Our Friend Richer 41

4 The Anarchy 47

5 Paris 55

6 Return of the Wastrel 63

7 Theobald 67

8 Archiepiscopal Servant 75

9 Peace 87

10 Archdeacon 99

Part II The King's Servant

11 Henry 107

12 Royal Chancellor 115

13 The Trappings of Power 125

14 Master and Servant 133

15 Thomas the Warrior 141

16 Thomas of Canterbury 149

Part III The Church's Servant

17 Of Scepters and Croziers 163

18 Anselm 171

19 Father 179

20 Zeal 189

21 Alexander 197

22 Woodstock 203

23 The Council at Westminster 211

24 A Very Public Quarrel 221

25 The Clarendon Affair 229

26 The Darkest Hour 241

27 Crisis at Northampton 251

28 The Archbishop Goes to War 259

29 Exile 267

Part IV Servant of Christ

30 Pontigny 281

31 Vézelay 293

32 The Legates 303

33 The Two Kings 313

34 Ad Honorem Dei 321

35 Patience and Impatience 329

36 Montmartre 339

37 The Crown Affair 345

38 Return 353

39 Christmas 363

40 Alfege 373

41 Vespers 381

42 The Saint and the Penitent 393

43 A Solitary End 403

Epilogue 411

Area Sancti Thomae 419

Acknowledgments 421

Notes 425

Select Bibliography 465