Lecture Notes on Thomas More

Introduction

• Thomas More: Complex and contrasting personality in history.
• Defied Henry VIII over the king's divorce from Catherine of Aragon.
• Executed for refusing to support the king's oath.
• Died for Christendom, the Catholic faith, and mental reservation on conscience.
• Important figure of the European Renaissance.

Early Life and Education

• Born around 1477-78, son of a London lawyer and judge.
• Followed in father's footsteps; studied law at Lincoln's Inn.
• Influenced by the Italian Renaissance through figures like Thomas Lineker.
• Pursued philosophy, literature, theology, and humanities alongside law.

Political Beliefs and Utopia

• Advocated for a third way in society: Pious, honest religious layman engaged in the world.
• Believed in improving society through politics rather than retreating to a monastery.
• Wrote Utopia (1516): Described an ideal society, but warned society breaks down without religious faith.
• Explored the conflict between humanist and religious beliefs.

Henry VIII and Thomas More

• Henry VIII sought annulment from Catherine of Aragon to marry Anne Boleyn (1527).
• More's orthodox Catholic view: The marriage was valid; annulment was not justified.
• Henry believed he needed a male heir, complicating matters further.
• More served as Lord Chancellor but found himself in conflict with the King.
• Resigned as Lord Chancellor when the church submitted to Henry's demands (1531).

Opposition to the Act of Succession

• Refused to swear to the Act of Succession recognizing Henry's title.
• Imprisoned in the Tower of London after his refusal.
• Continued writing while imprisoned, producing significant works.
• Wrote a Socratic dialogue on suffering, reflecting his thoughts during imprisonment.

Trial and Execution

• Charged with high treason, refused to acknowledge the king's supremacy over the church.
• Argued that the king's acts were repugnant to the law of God and tradition.
• Emphasized that temporal authority should not govern spiritual matters.
• Famous quote: "I die his majesty's good servant, but God's first."
• Executed in 1535; later canonized as a saint by the Catholic Church.

Legacy

• Advocated for mental reservation based on conscience.
• Transcended British history; recognized internationally for his principles.
• His writings and moral stances remain influential.