StudentShare
Contact Us
Sign In / Sign Up for FREE
Search
Go to advanced search...
Free

Eliminating the celibacy requirement for catolic priests - Essay Example

Cite this document
Summary
[Name of writer appears here] appears here] appears here] [Date appears here] Eliminating the Celibacy Requirement for Catholic Priests At present the celibacy question is being discussed, although Pope John Paul II insists the question is closed…
Download full paper File format: .doc, available for editing
GRAB THE BEST PAPER93.7% of users find it useful
Eliminating the celibacy requirement for catolic priests
Read Text Preview

Extract of sample "Eliminating the celibacy requirement for catolic priests"

appears here] appears here] appears here] appears here] Eliminating the Celibacy Requirement for Catholic Priests At present the celibacy question is being discussed, although Pope John Paul II insists the question is closed. However the problem persists and even gets stronger as the number of priests continues to decline. Unfortunately the open argument of priestly celibacy often takes place in newspapers and magazines and generally the arguments on both sides are apparently presented. Without doubt some serious arguments can be presented supporting retaining clerical celibacy.

One argument maintains that since Jesus himself was celibate and for the reason that the priesthood is a special vocation by which one follows Jesus, such a sacrifice is appropriate. In addition, celibacy serves as a sign of total devotion to the kingdom of God, a kingdom in which there will be no marriage: “for at the resurrection men and women do not marry; no, they are like the angels in heaven” (Matt 22:30). Lastly, celibacy functions as a witness that sexual activity, despite the fact that good, beautiful and important, is not the absolute essential it is held to be in western culture.

To alter the celibacy requirement would be observed to give into cultural mores. (Sipe 85-88) On the other hand, there are a lot of arguments in favor of eliminating the requirement of celibacy. For instance, though it seems obvious that married, many of his apostles were married men. Further, the law of celibacy is a church law, not a divine law and can be changed should the Church believe it essential. A further suggestion supporting the lifting of the requirement of celibacy states that a married priest would be more pastorally sensitive to the needs of married couples as well as families if he were married himself.

It can as well be argued that it is without doubt possible to have a total commitment in one’s love of God and of one’s spouse and consequently serve the Church as a married priest. (Sipe 210-215) Work Cited Sipe, Richard. Celibacy in Crisis: A Secret World Revisited; Routledge, 2003

Read More
Cite this document
  • APA
  • MLA
  • CHICAGO
(“Eliminating the celibacy requirement for catolic priests Essay”, n.d.)
Retrieved from https://studentshare.org/other/1417869-eliminating-the-celibacy-requirement-for-catolic
(Eliminating the Celibacy Requirement for Catolic Priests Essay)
https://studentshare.org/other/1417869-eliminating-the-celibacy-requirement-for-catolic.
“Eliminating the Celibacy Requirement for Catolic Priests Essay”, n.d. https://studentshare.org/other/1417869-eliminating-the-celibacy-requirement-for-catolic.
  • Cited: 0 times

CHECK THESE SAMPLES OF Eliminating the celibacy requirement for catolic priests

Church Reformation in the 16th and 17th Century

The councils provide teaching programs for the community priests in order to augment pastoral care.... These doctrines include the seven sacraments, celibacy, belief of taking wine and bread during the mass services, which they translated as the body and blood of Jesus Christ....
9 Pages (2250 words) Research Paper

The Origin of Protestantism in Europe Assignment

The assignment 'The Origin of Protestantism in Europe Assignment' is dedicated to the history of church reforms of the 16th century in Europe, the emergence of various directions of Protestantism, one of the main directions of Christianity, as well as the activities of philosophers and theologians of that time - Martin Luther, John Calvin, Ulrich Zwinge....
14 Pages (3500 words) Assignment

Child abuse and the catholic curch

In 2002 the Boston Globe (January 6) declared that the “Church Allowed Abuse by priests for Years” (Carroll, 2002; Isely, Isely, Freiburger & McMackin, 2008).... The story revealed how Law, the archbishop of Boston and his forerunners had turned a blind eye to sexual abuse and had permitted their priests to abuse children without retribution (Carroll, 2002), and that priests like Father Geoghan, who had purportedly raped or molested 130 children had been protected by the Church (Carroll, 2002)....
5 Pages (1250 words) Research Paper

Political, Religious, Social, and Cultural Changes in Medieval Europe

The essay “Political, Religious, Social, and Cultural Changes in Medieval Europe” describes the consequences of the Mongol-Tatar yoke, of the adoption of Orthodox Christianity by Kievan Rus, of Renaissance, the priority of secular power over the ecclesiastical one etc.... hellip; Europe experienced many changes politically, religiously, socially, and culturally between 1350 and 1570....
7 Pages (1750 words) Essay

Should catholic priests be allowed to marry

According to critics, this shortage is as a result of the celibacy vow which even though people want to become priests and serve God, the vow restricts them from marrying whereas many of them want to have their own family to continue their family lineage.... Controversy surrounds this topic of marriage among the Catholic priests with the Roman Catholic Church still holding its decree that they should not marry to facilitate them to dedicate fully to serving God and the whole Christian community without distractions of familial… The church's doctrine explains that the Catholic priests are married to the church and they are following the footsteps of Jesus Christ who was single and celibate and therefore dedicated his all (body, mind and soul) to serving the church....
2 Pages (500 words) Essay

Should Catholic Priests Marry

This belief comes in with reference to the Christians' holy book the Bible, where once Jesus was telling one of his disciples Peter that one would get eternal… The Catholics stand on this to show that Jesus did not have much support on marriage, and this follows that priests will abstain from sexual intercourse or women, so as to be like Christ who they emulate.... Should Catholic priests Marry?... It is well known that catholic priests practice celibacy, which is a practice whereby theyare not allowed to marry....
2 Pages (500 words) Essay

Womens Ordination in the Roman Catholic Church

The topic is Women's Ordination in the Roman Catholic Church.... You may never have considered this topic before, whether or not you are Catholics or even Christian.... It is important though as a matter of justice for those men and women for whom this is an important concern.... hellip; The researcher states that you may think, 'I've got enough to do right now....
9 Pages (2250 words) Research Paper

Catholic Understanding of Schism

The paper "Catholic Understanding of Schism" tells the church's split in 1054 resulted from contrasting perspectives in politics, theological doctrines, and religious practices.... Theological differences arose from allegiances to fathers in the faith who had different understandings of theology....
6 Pages (1500 words) Literature review
sponsored ads
We use cookies to create the best experience for you. Keep on browsing if you are OK with that, or find out how to manage cookies.
Contact Us