WILLIAM LAUD (Jan 10th),
is possibly the most controversial person on the Church's calendar. Born in
1573, he became Archbishop of Canterbury in 1633 just as the reign of King
Charles I was becoming embroiled by violent opposition to the Church of England
from the Puritans. They abhorred Archbishop Laud himself; not only because of
his harsh sentencing of Puritan leaders who defied civil and church law, but
just as much for his High Church theology and practices. He emphasized the
priesthood and the sacraments (particularly the Eucharist) at a time when such
aspects of ecclesiastical tradition were under much suspicion as being "Romish"
and thus a threat to the Reformation and a Protestant state.
With a weak and unpopular
King, the English Parliament grew in unchecked power, and Laud rightly perceived
that the Parliament was moving to abolish the Church of England and the
Episcopacy. Thus, he worked to make me Church independent of Parliament's
regulation. For this, and for his loyalty to the King, he was impeached for
treason and beheaded on Jan. 10, 1645. Whether seen as an heroic martyr or
toppled tyrant, Archbishop Laud was an honest man whose leadership was shaped by
sincere convictions. He tirelessly defended the rights of common people against
aristocratic landowners. Personally, he was very deeply devout. As Archbishop,
he worked both to reform and to protect the Church. On the scaffold, he prayed:
"bless this kingdom with peace and charity, mat there may not be this effusion
of Christian blood amongst them." |
