Clerical celibacy is the practice of various religious traditions in which clergy, monastics and those in religious orders (female or male) adopt a celibate life, refraining from marriage and sexual relationships, including masturbation and "impure thoughts" (such as sexual visualisation and fantasies). Various Religious symbols, including (first row) Christian, Jewish, Hindu, Bahai, (second row) Islamic, tribal, Taoist, Shinto (third row) Buddhist, Sikh, Hindu, Jain, (fourth row) Ayyavazhi, Triple Goddess, Maltese cross, pre-Christian Slavonic Religion is the adherence to codified beliefs and rituals that generally involve a faith in a spiritual... Clergy is the generic term used to describe the formal religious leadership within a given religion. ... Monasticism (from Greek: monachos—a solitary person) is the religious practice of renouncing all worldly pursuits in order to fully devote ones life to spiritual work. ... Celibacy refers either to being unmarried or to sexual abstinence. ... Matrimony redirects here. ... This article is about the issues and phenomena pertaining to human sexual function and behavior. ...

Background

In some Christian churches, priests and/or bishops must remain unmarried, while in others, married men may be ordained as deacons or priests but may not typically remarry after the death of their wife. In conjunction with Christian views prohibiting sex outside of marriage, this implies a life of sexual abstinence, and, essentially, abstinence from sexual or romantic relationships, including dating. In some cases it also discourages social contact with members of the opposite sex in private or without a chaperon. Christianity is a monotheistic[1] religion centered on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth as presented in the New Testament. ... Roman Catholic priests in clerical clothing. ... Two bishops assist at the Exhumation of Saint Hubert, who was a bishop too, at the église Saint-Pierre in Liège. ... Deacon is a role in the Christian Church which is generally associated with service of some kind, but which varies among theological and denominational traditions. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... Matrimony redirects here. ... Sexual abstinence is the practice of voluntarily refraining from some or all aspects of sexual activity. ... The term date can refer to: A day according to a calendar; see calendar date. ... A chaperon (or chaperone) is an adult who accompanies or supervises one or more young, unmarried men or women during social occasions usually with the specific intent of preventing inappropriate social or sexual interactions. ...

In some Christian churches, a vow of chastity is made by members of religious orders or monastic communities, along with vows of poverty and obedience, in order to imitate the life of Jesus of Nazareth. This vow of chastity is different from clerical celibacy because the promise is made directly to God, while the promise of clerical celibacy is made to the church alone. Celibacy for religious and monastics (brothers/monks and sisters/nuns) and bishops is upheld by both the Roman Catholic Church and Orthodox Christian traditions. In Latin Rite Catholicism, however, all priests remain celibate unless given special permission. In most Orthodox traditions, and in the Catholic Eastern Rites, priests may be ordained if already married, but may not marry a second time, while bishops must be unmarried men. A vow (Lat. ... Allegory of chastity by Hans Memling. ... A religious order may mean any of the following: // In Buddhist societies such as Sri Lanka, Thailand, Korea and Tibet, a religious order is one of the strikingly large number of monastic orders of monks and nuns. ... A boy from an East Cipinang trash dump slum in Jakarta, Indonesia shows his find. ... Look up Obedience in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... This article is about Jesus of Nazareth. ... The Roman Catholic Church or Catholic Church (see terminology below) is the Christian Church in full communion with the Bishop of Rome, currently Pope Benedict XVI. It traces its origins to the original Christian community founded by Jesus Christ and led by the Twelve Apostles, in particular Saint Peter. ... The Eastern Orthodox Church is a Christian body that views itself as the historical continuation of the original Christian community established by Jesus and the Twelve Apostles, preserving the traditions of the early church unchanged, accepting the canonicity of the first seven ecumenical councils held between the 4th and the... Latin Rite, in the singular and accompanied, in English, by the definite article (the Latin Rite), designates the particular Church, within the Catholic Church, which developed in western Europe and northern Africa, when Latin was the language of education and culture, and so also of the liturgy. ... The term Eastern Rites may refer to the liturgical rites used by many ancient Christian Churches of Eastern Europe and the Middle East that, while being part of the Roman Catholic Church, are distinct from the Latin Rite or Western Church. ...

Neither the Catholic nor the Orthodox tradition has officially considered the rule of celibacy to be among the infallible dogmas of the church. Rather, those rules are considered to be in the power of popes, ecumenical councils, patriarchs, or synods to adjust if they feel it is correct. Rules of celibacy in the Catholic tradition have been modified a number of times. The Eastern Orthodox Church is a Christian body that views itself as the historical continuation of the original Christian community established by Jesus and the Twelve Apostles, preserving the traditions of the early church unchanged, accepting the canonicity of the first seven ecumenical councils held between the 4th and the... Celibacy refers either to being unmarried or to sexual abstinence. ... Infallibility is the ability to be free from error (obtain certainty). ... For the film Dogma, see Dogma (film) Dogma (the plural is either dogmata or dogmas, Greek , plural ) is the established belief or doctrine held by a religion, ideology or any kind of organization, thought to be authoritative and not to be disputed or doubted. ... The current Pope is Benedict XVI (born Joseph Alois Ratzinger), who was elected at the age of 78 on 19 April 2005. ... In Christianity, an Ecumenical Council or general council is a meeting of the bishops of the whole church convened to discuss and settle matters of Church doctrine and practice. ... For other senses, see Patriarch (disambiguation). ... A synod (also known as a council) is a council of a church, usually a Christian church, convened to decide an issue of doctrine, administration or application. ...

In some branches of Buddhism, priests, nuns and monks also are bound to celibacy, although Zen Buddhists, in particular, are not. Buddhism is a dharmic, non-theistic religion, which is also a philosophy and a system of psychology[]. Buddhism is also known as Buddha Dharma or Dhamma, which means the teachings of the Awakened One in Sanskrit and Pali, the languages of ancient Buddhist texts. ... A woodblock print by Yoshitoshi, (Japan, 1887) depicting Bodhidharma the founder of Chinese Zen. ...

Rules

Rules on celibacy differ between different religious traditions and churches:

• In Latin-Rite (Western) Catholic churches, married men may (since the time of the Second Vatican Council in 1965) be ordained deacons, but may not be ordained priests or bishops, nor may one marry after ordination. Since the start of the pontificate of Pope Pius XII (1939-1958), exceptions may be allowed for married Protestant (or Anglican) priests or ministers who convert to Catholicism and wish to become priests in the Catholic Church, provided their wives consent. The Roman Catholic Church considers Protestant and Anglican ordinations invalid, while recognizing Eastern Orthodox and Oriental Orthodox ordinations as valid. In some cases, laicized Catholic priests are allowed to marry by special dispensation. Additionally, dispensations can be granted for deacons whose wives have died to marry a second time. Historically, churchmen who were the last living members of a noble house were permitted to marry so that the house might live on; with noble houses no longer important, this practice is de facto abolished.
• In Eastern Orthodox Churches, and Eastern Rite Catholic Churches (which are in full communion with Rome), married men may be ordained deacons or priests, but may not be ordained bishops, and one may not marry after ordination. The Oriental Orthodox churches and the Assyrian Church of the East follow the same rules that hold in the Eastern Orthodox Church. While some incorrectly believe all Orthodox bishops must be monks, in fact, according to church law, they simply may no longer be living with their wives if they are to be consecrated to the episcopacy. (The canons stipulate that they must also see to their wives' maintenance, for example Canon 12 of the Quinisext Council.) Typically, the wife of such a man will take up the monastic life herself, though this also is not required. There are many Orthodox bishops currently serving who have never been tonsured (formally initiated) to monastic orders. There are also many who are tonsured monastics but have never formally lived the monastic life. Further, a number of bishops are widowers, but because clergy cannot remarry after ordination, such a man must remain celibate after the death of his wife.
• Churches of the Anglican Communion have no restrictions on the marriage of deacons, priests, bishops, or other ministers. Early Anglican Church clergy under Henry VIII were required to be celibate (see 6 Articles), but the requirement was eliminated by Edward VI. Some Anglo-Catholic priestly orders require their members to remain celibate, as do orders of brothers and sisters.
• Other Protestant traditions have no restrictions on the marriage of deacons, priests, bishops, or other clergy or ministers, except that in some circles divorced persons may not serve as pastors, and in practice the majority of pastors are married.
• In The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints or Mormon tradition, all worthy men can become priests. Regardless of whether they become priests, strict abstinence from all sexual behavior is universally applied to all men until they marry a woman. Gay men must always be celibate. Priesthood may be suspended in the event of unsanctioned or unchaste conduct. Generally only married men are called to be bishops.
• Judaism has no history of celibacy for its leaders, rabbis or kohens. Before the destruction of the Jerusalem temple, priests, kohens, and Levites were required to practice continence (abstain from sexual intercourse with their wife) before and during their time of service at the temple. They were permitted to resume marital relations after completing their service. Some community functions are, as a rule, filled only by married men.
• In Islam, lifelong celibacy or "monkery" is forbidden. Marriage is encouraged for everyone.
• The traditions of monasticism within Buddhism require celibacy, however, several cultures have revised this, and now have forms of married lay teachers, who are distinct from the celibate clergy.

The Second Ecumenical Council of the Vatican, or Vatican II, was an Ecumenical Council of the Roman Catholic Church opened under Pope John XXIII in 1962 and closed under Pope Paul VI in 1965. ... Catholic deacon candidates prostrate before the altar of the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels in Los Angeles during a 2004 diaconate ordination liturgy Holy Orders in the Roman Catholic, Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox, Anglican, Assyrian, Old Catholic, and Independent Catholic churches includes three orders: bishop, priest, and deacon. ... Pope Pius XII (Latin: ), born Eugenio Maria Giuseppe Giovanni Pacelli (March 2, 1876 – October 9, 1958), reigned as the 260th pope, the head of the Roman Catholic Church, and sovereign of Vatican City State from March 2, 1939 until his death. ... 1939 (MCMXXXIX) was a common year starting on Sunday (link will take you to calendar). ... Year 1958 (MCMLVIII) was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... The Pastoral Provision is a liturgical program of the Roman Catholic Church in the United States that allows dioceses to establish Anglican Use Catholic parishes led by former ministers of the Episcopal Church in the United States of America. ... Protestantism is one of three main groups within Christianity, whose beliefs are centered on Jesus. ... The term Anglican describes those people and churches following the religious traditions of the Church of England, especially following the Reformation. ... Apostolicae Curae is the title of a papal bull issued in 1896 by Pope Leo XIII, declaring all Anglican holy orders null and void. ... Eastern Orthodoxy (also called Greek Orthodoxy and Russian Orthodoxy) is a Christian tradition which represents the majority of Eastern Christianity. ... The term Oriental Orthodoxy refers to the communion of Eastern Christian Churches that recognize only the first three ecumenical councils — the First Council of Nicaea, the First Council of Constantinople and the Council of Ephesus — and reject the dogmatic definitions of the Council of Chalcedon. ... To defrock a priest is to deprive him of the right to exercise the functions of the priestly office. ... The Eastern Orthodox Church is a Christian body that views itself as the historical continuation of the original Christian community established by Jesus and the Twelve Apostles, preserving the traditions of the early church unchanged, accepting the canonicity of the first seven ecumenical councils held between the 4th and the... The Eastern Catholic Churches are autonomous particular Churches in full communion with the Pope in Rome. ... Full communion is completeness of that relationship between Christian individuals and groups which is known as communion. ... The term Oriental Orthodoxy refers to the churches of Eastern Christian traditions that keeps the faith of only the first three ecumenical councils of the undivided Church - the councils of Nicea, Constantinople and Ephesus. ... The Holy Apostolic Catholic Ancient Assyrian Church of the East under His Holiness Mar Dinkha IV is a Christian church that traces its origins to the See of Seleucia-Ctesiphon, said to be founded by Saint Thomas the Apostle as well as Saint Mari and Addai as evidenced in the... Munichs city symbol celebrates its founding by Benedictine monks—and the origin of its name A monk is a person who practices religious asceticism, the conditioning of mind and body in favor of the spirit. ... Canon law is the term used for the internal ecclesiastical law which governs various churches, most notably the Roman Catholic Church, the Eastern Orthodox Churches and the Anglican Communion of churches. ... Both the Fifth Ecumenical Council and the Sixth Ecumenical Council failed to produce disciplinary norms, for which reason the emperor Justinian II convoked an assembly in 692 to meet in Constantinople in the same domed hall where the Sixth Council had been held, called in Trullo (= under the dome). ... Nun in cloister, 1930; photograph by Doris Ulmann A nun is a woman who has taken special vows committing her to a religious life. ... Tonsure is the practice of some Christian churches of cutting the hair from the scalp of clerics as a symbol of their renunciation of worldly fashion and esteem. ... Alternate uses: see widow (typesetting). ... The term Anglican describes those people and churches following the religious traditions of the Church of England, especially following the Reformation. ... Silver groat of Henry VIII, minted ca. ... The Six Articles of 1539 was an Act of Parliament which reaffirmed Henry VIIIs general Catholicism. ... Edward VI (12 October 1537 – 6 July 1553) became King of England, King of France (in practice only the town and surrounding district of Calais) and Ireland on 28 January 1547, and coronated on 20 February, at just nine years of age. ... The terms Anglo-Catholic and Anglo-Catholicism describe people, groups, ideas, customs and practices within Anglicanism that emphasise continuity with Catholic tradition. ... Protestantism is a general grouping of denominations within Christianity. ... The Salt Lake Temple of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is the largest attraction in the citys Temple Square. ... Matrimony redirects here. ... Homosexuality refers to sexual and romantic attraction between two individuals of the same sex. ... Judaism is the religion of the Jewish people. ... Rabbi, in Judaism, means teacher, or more literally great one. The word Rabbi is derived from the Hebrew root word רַב, rav, which in biblical Hebrew means great or distinguished (in knowledge). Sephardic and Yemenite Jews pronounce this word רִבִּי ribbÄ«; the modern Israeli pronunciation רַבִּי rabbÄ« is derived from a recent (18th... It has been suggested that Aaronites be merged into this article or section. ... It has been suggested that Aaronites be merged into this article or section. ... Islam (Arabic:  ) is a monotheistic religion based upon the teachings of Muhammad, a 7th century Arab religious and political figure. ... Buddhism is a dharmic, non-theistic religion, which is also a philosophy and a system of psychology[]. Buddhism is also known as Buddha Dharma or Dhamma, which means the teachings of the Awakened One in Sanskrit and Pali, the languages of ancient Buddhist texts. ...

Celibacy in the Roman Catholic Church

See main article: Clerical celibacy (Catholic Church)

Theologically, the Church desires to imitate the life of Jesus with regard to chastity and the sacrifice of married life for the "sake of the Kingdom" (Luke 18:28-30, Matthew 19:27-30; Mark 10:20-21), and to follow the example of Jesus Christ in being "married" to the Church, viewed by Catholicism and many Christian traditions as the "Bride of Christ". Also of import are the teachings of St. Paul that chastity is the superior state of life, and his desire expressed in I Corinthians 7:7-8, "I would that all men were even as myself [celibate] — but every one has his proper gift from God; one after this manner, and another after that. But I say to the unmarried and the widows. It is good for them if they so continue, even as I." In the Latin Church of the Catholic Church, only celibate men, as a rule, are ordained as priests, while the Eastern Rite Catholic Churches also ordain married men. ... The Gospel of Luke is the third and longest of the four canonical Gospels of the New Testament, which tell the story of Jesus life, death, and resurrection. ... The Gospel of Matthew (literally, according to Matthew; Greek, Κατά Μαθθαίον or Κατά Ματθαίον) is one of the four Gospel accounts of the New Testament. ... The Gospel of Mark, ascribed to Mark the Evangelist, is traditionally the second Gospel of the New Testament. ... Paul of Tarsus (b. ... The First Epistle to the Corinthians is a book of the Bible in the New Testament. ...

Practically speaking, the reasons for celibacy are given by the Apostle Paul in I Corinthians 7:7-8;32-35: "But I would have you to be without solicitude. He that is without a wife is solicitous for the things that belong to the Lord, how he may please God. But he that is with a wife, is solicitous for the things of the world, how he may please his wife: and he is divided. And the unmarried woman and the virgin thinketh on the things of the Lord, that she may be holy both in body and spirit. But she that is married thinketh on the things of this world how she may please her husband. And this I speak for your profit, not to cast a snare upon you, but for that which is decent and which may give you power to attend upon the Lord without impediment." Priests who had descendants had heirs. Heirs were problematic because the sanctuary and other possessions of the local church would go to them. By eliminating heirs, the church no longer had a problem holding onto property.

Celibacy for priests is a discipline in the Roman Catholic Church, not a doctrine: in other words, a church regulation, but not an integral part of Church teaching. It is based upon the life of Christ and his apparent celibate way of life. However the first pope, St. Peter, as well as many subsequent popes, bishops, and priests during the church's first 270 years were in fact married men, and often fathers. The practice of clerical continence along with a prohibition of marriage to men once ordained a deacon, priest or bishop by the Council of Elvira and it was This law was reinforced in the West at the Council of Carthage in 390.. It remains law today for Latin Rite Catholics, but not for those Catholics of the Eastern Rites. Until recently, the Eastern Catholic bishops of North America would generally ordain only unmarried men, for fear that married priests would create scandal. Since Vatican II's call for the restoration of Eastern Catholic traditions, a number of bishops have returned to the traditional practice of ordaining married men to the presbyterate. Bishops are still celibate and normally chosen from the ranks of monks. According to tradition, Peter was crucified upside-down, as shown in this painting by Caravaggio. ... Synod of Elvira, an ecclesiastical synod held in Spain, the date of which cannot be determined with exactness. ... The Second Vatican Council, or Vatican II, was an Ecumenical Council of the Roman Catholic Church opened under Pope John XXIII in 1962 and closed under Pope Paul VI in 1965. ...

Exceptions are sometimes made (including in Latin-Rite Catholicism), granted by authority of the Pope, when married Protestant clergy become Catholic. Because the rule of celibacy is a law and not a doctrine, it can, in principle, be changed at any time by the Pope. Doctrines, on the other hand, cannot be changed. Nonetheless, both the present Pope, Benedict XVI, and his predecessor, spoke clearly of their understanding that the traditional practice was not likely to change. (For a detailed history of celibacy in the Catholic Church, see the Catholic Encyclopedia's article on "Celibacy of the Clergy" at http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/03481a.htm.) Papal Arms of Pope Benedict XVI. The papal tiara was replaced with a bishops mitre, and pallium of the Pope was added beneath the coat of arms. ...

Among the early Church statements on the topic of sexual continence and celibacy are "Decreta" and "Cum in unum" of Pope Siricius (c. 385), which claimed that clerical sexual abstinence was an apostolic practice that must be followed by ministers of the church. Two Canons from the following councils also help us understand the Roman Catholic position regarding continence and celibacy of the early church's priests: St. ... Events February 11 - Oldest Pope elected: Siricius, bishop of Tarragona. ...

• Council of Elvira (300-306)

(Canon 33): It is decided that marriage be altogether prohibited to bishops, priests, and deacons, or to all clerics placed in the ministry, and that they keep away from their wives and not beget children; whoever does this, shall be deprived of the honor of the clerical office.

• Council of Carthage (390)

(Canon 3): It is fitting that the holy bishops and priests of God as well as the Levites, i.e. those who are in the service of the divine sacraments, observe perfect continence, so that they may obtain in all simplicity what they are asking from God; what the Apostles taught and what antiquity itself observed, let us also endeavour to keep... It pleases us all that bishop, priest and deacon, guardians of purity, abstain from conjugal intercourse with their wives, so that those who serve at the altar may keep a perfect chastity.

These canons are purely local to Latin Catholics, as the prohibitions do not apply to Eastern Catholics in communion with Rome. Synod of Elvira, an ecclesiastical synod held in Spain, the date of which cannot be determined with exactness. ... Events Romano-Celtic temple-mausoleum complex is constructed in Lullingstone, and also in Anderida (approximate date). ... Events July 25 - Constantine I proclaimed Roman Emperor by his troops. ... Synods of Carthage During the 3rd, 4th, and 5th centuries the town of Carthage in Africa served as the meeting-place of a large number of church synods, of which, however, only the most important can be treated here. ... Events In response to the murder of his general Butheric, Theodosius I orders a massacre of the inhabitants of Thessalonica. ... The domes of an Ukrainian Catholic parish in Simpson, Pennsylvania This article refers to Eastern Churches in full communion with the See of Rome. ...

Opposition to clerical celibacy during the Reformation

Celibacy as a requirement for priests was an important point of disagreement during the Protestant Reformation, with the Reformers arguing that requiring an oath of celibacy from a priest was contrary to biblical teaching in 1Ti 4: 1-5[1], Heb 13: 4[2] and 1Co 9: 5[3], implied a degradation of marriage, and was one reason for the "many abominations"^[1] and widespread sexual misconduct within the clergy at the time of the Reformation (e.g., discussed by Calvin in his Institutes of the Christian Religion IV,12,23-28: [4]). The doctrinal consensus of the reformers in this point was reflected in the marriages of Zwingli in 1522, Luther in 1525, and Calvin in 1539; in England, the married Thomas Cranmer was made Archbishop of Canterbury in 1533. Reformation redirects here. ... The name Calvin origionated from the word scritonious, or ass-like. ... Institutes of the Christian Religion is John Calvins seminal work on Protestant theology. ... An oil painting of Thomas Cranmer by Gerlach Flicke (1545) - National Portrait Gallery, London Thomas Cranmer (July 2, 1489 – March 21, 1556) was the Archbishop of Canterbury during the reigns of the English kings Henry VIII and Edward VI. He is credited with writing and compiling the first two Books...

Celibacy in the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America

In the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA), pastors, or "ordained ministers," must live in either opposite-sex marriage or not have sex. This therefore precludes same-sex unions and opposite-sex cohabitation. According to the ELCA's guidelines for pastors (called "Vision and Expectations" [5]): The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) is a mainline Protestant denomination headquartered in Chicago, Illinois. ... A pastor is a minister or priest of a Christian church. ... A civil union is a legally recognized union similar to marriage. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ...

"Ordained ministers who are homosexual in their self-understanding are expected to abstain from homosexual sexual relationships."

Therefore, gay and lesbian, and bisexual pastors are required to make a promise of sexual abstinence (or, in the case of bisexuals, to marry only opposite-sex partners). This policy's future is currently being debated. For other articles with similar names, see Gay (disambiguation). ... A lesbian is a female emotionally and/or sexually attracted only to other females. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ...

Notes

1. ^ See letter of Pope Adrian VI to Francesco Chieregati Nov. 25, 1522, where the Pope frankly admits that even "in this Holy See there have been many abominations these many years--abuses in spiritual things, excessive decrees, and everything perverted." Luther's Correspondence and Other Contemporary Letters, vol.2 p.146 by Preserved Smith. Cf. Catholic historian Ludwig von Pastor's The history of the popes, from the close of the Middle Ages, (1891), vol. V, Corruption of the Italian Clergy of all Ranks,169ff., and Fra Girolama Savonarola 181ff.,

The house where Adrian VI was born Adrian VI (also known as Hadrian VI or Adriano VI), born Adrian dEdel (March 2, 1459 - September 14, 1523), pope from 1522 to 1523, was born in Utrecht, the Netherlands, and studied under the Brethren of the Common Life either at Zwolle... Ludwig Pastor, created Freiherr von Campersfelden, (January 31, 1854, Aachen – September 30, 1928, Innsbruck), was the great Catholic historian of the Papacy, who published his Geschichte der Päpste seit dem Ausgang des Mittelalters in sixteen volumes that appeared from 1886 to a last posthumous volume in 1933. ...

See also

• Roman Catholic Church sex abuse allegations
• Saint Paul-Reformation Lutheran Church
• Adamites 2nd century heretical sect which strove to abolish marriage.

In the late 20th century, and especially at the turn of the 21st, the Catholic Church in several countries was confronted with a series of allegations concerning sexual abuse of children under the legal age of consent ¹ by Catholic clergy, the overwhelming majority of whom are priests. ... Saint Paul-Reformation Lutheran Church (SPR) is a congregation of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) located in St Paul, Minnesota. ... Adamites being persecuted Adamites, or Adamians, were adherents of an early Christian sect (considered heresy by the Roman Catholic church) that flourished in North Africa in the 2nd, 3rd and 4th century. ...

External links

• On Clerical Celibacy in the Catholic Church, Part I
• On Clerical Celibacy in the Catholic Church, Part II
• Web Site for Children of Catholic Priests and their families
• The biblical foundation of priestly celibacy from the Vatican
• Recent videotaped interview with Archbishop Emmanuel Milingo (high-speed connection required) October 2006.
• Recent online interview with Catholic Priest about the need to end Obligatory Celibacy.
• Catholic Apologetics of America: a large, informative blog faithful to Sacred Scripture and Sacred Oral Tradition from the Catholic perspective. Some information available on celibacy. Many links to Catholic websites with articles on priestly celibacy are also available.
• Parsha, Ki Tisa:[6] Why Moses Remained Celibate: from the Oral Torah @ JewishGates.com
• Recent online interview with Archbishop George Stallings, Jr., former Roman Catholic Priest, about "Married Priests Now!" movement.
• Paradosis (Tradition): The Handing On of Divine Revelation Strong's no.3862[7] cf.Katecheo (Catechism)[8]
• Calvin on monasticism excerpts from his commentary on Jeremiah 5:30-31[9] and his Institutes; book 4, chapter 13, sections 10, 14, 15.
• Reflections on Clerical Family Life; from the History of the Christian Church, vol, vii by Philip Schaff cf. Polygamy
• Petition of certain preachers of Switzerland to the Most Reverend Lord Hugo, Bishop of Constance, that he will not...endure longer the scandal of harlotry, but allow the priests to marry wives or at least wink at their marriages - JULY 2, 1522 - Huldrych Zwingli

To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... In Jewish services, a Parsha or Parshah or Parashah, פרשה, meaning Portion in Hebrew, is the weekly Torah reading text selection. ... When Moses received all of the laws that would define the Jewish tradition, he also received the explanation of these laws. ... Strongs Concordance is a concordance of the King James Bible (KJV) that was constructed under the direction of Dr. James Strong (1822-1894). ... Philip Schaff (January 1, 1819-1893), was a Swiss-born, German-educated theologian and a historian of the Christian church, who, after his education, lived and taught in the United States. ... The term polygamy (many marriages in late Greek) is used in related ways in social anthropology and sociobiology and sociology. ... Huldrych (or Ulrich) Zwingli (January 1, 1484 – October 11, 1531) was the leader of the Protestant Reformation in Switzerland, and founder of the Swiss Reformed Churches. ...

Bibliography

• Cochini, Christian, The Apostolic Origins of Priestly Celibacy, Ignatius Pr. (October 1990). ISBN 0-89870-951-2 ISBN 0-89870-280-1
• Rose, Michael S., Goodbye, Good Men : How Liberals Brought Corruption Into the Catholic Church, Regnery Publishing, Inc. (June 25, 2002). ISBN 0-89526-144-8 Reviewed here [10]
• Grisar, Hartmann, Luther, 6 vols., London, K. Paul, Trench, Trübner & co., ltd, (1913-17). Online from The Internet Archive. See vol. 3, ch.xvii, (pp.241-273), On Marriage and Sexuality.