Guibert’s book on saints and their relics illuminates the overwhelming power that relics had in the lives of Christians. Their power was believed to be so great, that people would bring stillborn babies to the relics of saints claiming they had the power to bring them to life, long enough to baptize them so they could go to heaven. Due to this belief, church leaders would go to great lengths to obtain a relic, even lie. Guibert describes a story where a church official was asked to deliver remains of a certain saint for a substantial amount of money. The official produced the remains of an average person who bore the same name, and claimed it was the Saint desired.

This corruption was something Guibert had a problem with. The problem was that often two or more locations would claim to have the same relic, for instance, the head of John the Baptist. Clearly only one could truly have the relic, so which was accurate? This problem had become a major abuse in the church, generating a cult of relics. People would pay a fortune for a scrap of clothing or a tooth of a popular saint in the hopes of being healed of specific ailments. Not only was there a frenzy for relics, but they were then preserved in elaborate shrines that were fit for royalty. This presented a theological problem for many, due to the question of whether or not it was an actual relic and also if the saint actually holds the power. Another issue was that the bible asserts that man was made from dust and would therefore return to dust, which made the shrines the relics were in cased in a theological problem.

Guibert proposes that to curb these abuses or saints and their relics, the church and its congregation should leave saints where they rest, and apply the biblical ideal of dust to dust. By doing this, the church could continue to honor the saint and avoid corruption. It is noted that Guibert’s proposal was not widely distributed, however, the church probably had a problem with Guibert’s proposal, due to officials becoming accustomed with the extra income and fame from the relics and pilgrimages.