May 2, 2013 (Thursday)
(Do not expect an exhaustive exploration of the subjects mentioned in this simple blog. The history of the 16th century is not easily simplified). On this day in history, May 2, 1536, the wife of Henry VIII, Ann Boelyn, was arrested, imprisoned, and seventeen days later, beheaded. The charges were made, and she was found guilty, but the real reason was the king’s desire to have a male heir, which Ann seemed to be unable to produce. Henry VIII had six wives in all, in his quest to have a son to succeed him as king of England.
The Catholic Church was the established church in England. The pope refused to go along with Henry VIII’s divorces, so the king decided to start his own church. Thus began a period of English history when various factions of Catholicism and Protestantism controlled the country. It was a period of turmoil, wars and persecution, as the wildfire of religious awakening spread throughout Europe, having begun earlier in the century. It was the time of the Protestant Reformation, marking a new departure of freedom for the civilized world.
The Protestant Reformation brought immediate turmoil, but eventually produced an enlightened world, enhancing the search for freedom and producing good results for all sides of opposing groups.
In some strange way, bad things slowly but surely brought about good results. There is a verse in the Old Testament that quotes God as saying, “I’m using a borrowed razor” (Isaiah 7:20), meaning he used a wicked nation to discipline his chosen people. Mysterious indeed are the twists and turns of history.
A careful examination of history will reveal that there is always more to a story than appearances would suggest. Beware the politician, religionist, or soap box orator who suggests easy answers to difficult questions. The “good guys” and “bad guys” are figments of our imaginations. If you want proof, just take a look at your own life. You’re neither good all the time nor bad all the time. Neither am I. You are complicated. So am I. So is everyone else.