On this day in 1697, Scottish medical student Thomas Aikenhead, age 20, was hanged to death for blasphemy in Britain’s last execution for blasphemy. The Edinburgh student was found guilty of cursing and railing against God, denying the incarnation and the holy trinity and scoffing at the scriptures. He was convicted on the testimony of five “friends” to whom he had confided his strong religious doubts. Evidence against him were “atheistic” books in his possession. The Church of Scotland urged his “vigorous execution.”
