FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Nov. 8, 2006
Contact: Joshua Hollis
(662) 329-7119
Burger to present paper at conference
COLUMBUS, Miss. – Dr. Michael Burger, professor of
history at MUW, is scheduled to present a paper on
“Frustrated Patrons in Thirteenth-Century England”
at the Southern Conference on British Studies. The
conference will meet in Birmingham, Ala., Nov. 16
through 18.
He will discuss how medieval patrons had the power
to elect clergy to church offices, but, because of
developments in church law, could not fire them once
the men took office. Those dissatisfied with the men
they nominated then tried to manipulate the law, but
without success. The clergy were given much
protection from the law once they attained office.
Burger said, “The system winds up looking rather
like today’s academic tenure. So if one wants to
know why medieval clergy kept doing their jobs once
appointed to office, it can help to ask why modern
professors keep working hard once they get tenure.”
