Saint Francis inadvertently created a wealthy, corrupt order that facilitated persecution

Evidence

The net result of St Francis’s life was to create yet one more wealthy and corrupt order, to strengthen the hierarchy, and to facilitate the persecution of all who excelled in moral earnestness or freedom of thought. In view of his own aims and character, it is impossible to imagine any more bitterly ironical outcome. — Bertrand Russell, History of Western Philosophy, 1700

Categorization

• SEED: SEED exploring the irony of religious foundationalism
• corroborated: 2 independent passages support this claim — Bertrand Russell, History of Western Philosophy, 1700