Catholic Church Dominant in Cyberpunk Setting

It would probably be Henry the 2nd, who had frequent conflicts with a Bishop going by the name of Beckett over precisely how independent the crown was from the Church's yoke. Some of his knights, overhearing him shout in frustration, "Will no one rid me of this accursed bishop!? (or something along those lines)" His knights took this for an order and went out to kill Beckett. In this time line, they accidentally alert those loyal to Beckett. Beckett deals with them, and for all he knows, they really did get that order. Henry is in the end tried for crimes against the Church and hanged. In our time line the seperation of church and crown that developed in England laid the ground for our separation of Church and State. By cutting this off then, it gives the Catholic Church far more power in England, as it had in France and Spain. As for how an Information Revolution could develop in such a theocratic state, I have this to say: A religious cold war between them and another country, such as Japan would result in the Catholic-controlled countries constantly having to develop their technology to compete. The American Revolution would be easier quashed if all of Europe is united against it, so that is the next question. What role does America play?

Beckett was archbishop of Canterbury..... and rose through the ranks of the church from clerk. How does he hold off three knights trained for war?

And even if he does, how is Henry II tried for the crime - in whose courts? It can't be the church, as their courts can't pronounce death sentances (which was what the spat between Henry and Thomas was about). The anointed, crowned Angevain would not allow himself to be tried in this way - he allowed his lands to suffer under an interdict until he carried out penance for the death - ITTL, there would be no greater punishment than in OTL.

And if he is killed, his shy, retiring peaceful heir would surely take it like a lamb... wait a minute - that's Richard I - unlikely to be the calmest of people, and such a execution almost certainly wrecks his Crusade.

I'm not sure that the death of Beckett really began the seperation of Church and State in England - mainly as it doesn't exist, they remain bound in the person of the monarch today. I think Henry VIII remaining with the Roman Church, and a proactive crushing of the Reformation - probably with a much earlier Counter Reformation - is more likely to produce a cyber papacy
 
It's just in German, and also very short. As said: Jesus marries the daughter of an influential rabbi, many more Jews (even influential ones) convert; later, the Romans don't just crucify Jesus, but his whole family; but this just helps Christianity, in 70 AD almost everyone in Israel is Christian; the following uprising is defeated, but the Christians spread over the whole Roman empire now. The Christians keep their religion alive, similar as the Jews did with the Talmud in OTL. So the new Christianity can't use the Jews as a scapegoat (Judaism has become a neglectable sect), and also values books and discussions more, like OTL Jews. So the church has to use its knowledge to improve life of the people, and also is more interested in taking back Jerusalem. At first, the whole Mediterranean incl. Arabia and Persia is conquered, and later the rest of the world. Some knowledge is deemed too dangerous (about abortion, theory of evolution), but in general, science proceeds faster than IOTL. So at the end, there's a worldwide state under the pope, with a cyberspace... the cyberpapacy, as said.
This I might use for an RPG I'll be posting the updated time line soon.
 
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