The third and final act of the opera 'Winfrith' opens with Lull in despair, doubting the ethics of his friend Winfrith's sincere but intolerant Christian mission. Tensions develop among Winfrith's followers, but Winfrith causes more tension by putting a bishop on trial for heresy. He takes his leave of his beloved cousin Leoba, knowing he is likely to die soon. Then he is murdered by the pagans whose sanctuary he has destroyed. Winfrith's followers are torn between rejoicing that he has become a martyr and grief that he is dead. The opera as a whole is an impassioned reflection on religious fundamentalism and the destructive effects it has on human relationships.