celibacy

• celibacy = living without sexual activity

  • devote oneself to God
• Judaism at the time of Jesus = most were expected to marry + have a family
• very early Christians believed the end of the world was coming in the immediate future, so they should prepare for that rather than having children

  • as time passed, the Early Church came to expect life would continue + it was assumed most Christians would marry
• 4th century: growth of monastic tradition

  • devotion to God was a higher calling that family life
• Orthodox Church: priests may be married when they are ordained but cannot marry after

  
  

  Protestant Evangelical: prefer their clergy to be married with family

  • celibate man fails to live up to the biblical requirements for a Church leader
• Roman Catholic: some pressure to end rule of clergy celibacy

  • severe shortage of men offering themselves for ordination + many leave in order to marry
  • Pope Francis upholds this, but views celibacy as a 'discipline' rather than doctrine, suggesting it is a practice that can be changed (unlike core teachings of the Church)
  • Vatican official in 2024: suggested the rule could be revised - priests were allowed to marry in the Early Church + marriage is allowed in the Eastern Catholic Church