The Catholic Institution

St. Ecgbert, a 8th century Anglo-Saxon bishop, attempts to explain to his congregation some of the more commonly asked questions that have been posed during his pastoral tenure over the church in York. Many of these questions relate directly to defining the role of the English clergy, and what authority that they possess. This work suggests that their was at least some concern for corruption in his bishopric, as many of his answers relate to the question of corrupt priests and deacons.