celibacy and the african clergy
Celibacy
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Celibacy (from Latin, cælibatus) is the state of being unmarried and/or sexually abstinent, usually for religious reasons.[1][2][3][4] Historically, it has simply been defined as the state of being unmarried.[5] A 1990 book that focuses on celibacy in Catholicism states that "the most commonly assumed definition of celibate is simply an unmarried or single person, and celibacy is perceived as synonymous with sexual abstinence or restraint."[6] The book adds that even in the relatively uniform milieu of Catholic priests in the United States "there is simply no clear operational definition of celibacy".[7]
According to Garner's Modern American Usage (2009), the Oxford English Dictionary gives the traditional definition of not being married, whereas, in contemporary usage, celibacy is almost universally understood to mean abstinence from all sexual activity.[8] Most authors and all dictionaries define celibacy as necessarily voluntary,[9] while, according to Canadian historian Elizabeth Abbott and Denise Donnelly, the notion is to encompass involuntary contexts, such as duress.[10]
Societal and religious views of celibacy have been varied. Ancient Judaism was strongly opposed to celibacy. Similarly, the Romans viewed it as an aberration and legislated fiscal penalties against it, with the sole exception granted to the Vestal Virgins. The apparent celibacy of Jesus during his lifetime has influenced Christian, particularly Catholic thought so that by the Middle Ages celibacy was a prerequisite for religious office (clerical celibacy) and even developed the less well-known institution of chaste marriage. Protestantism saw a reversal of this trend in the West and the Eastern Orthodox Church never adopted it in the first place. The Islamic attitudes toward celibacy have been complex as well; Muhammad denounced it, however some Sufi orders embrace it. Classical Hindu culture encouraged
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Jump to: navigation, search
Celibacy (from Latin, cælibatus) is the state of being unmarried and/or sexually abstinent, usually for religious reasons.[1][2][3][4] Historically, it has simply been defined as the state of being unmarried.[5] A 1990 book that focuses on celibacy in Catholicism states that "the most commonly assumed definition of celibate is simply an unmarried or single person, and celibacy is perceived as synonymous with sexual abstinence or restraint."[6] The book adds that even in the relatively uniform milieu of Catholic priests in the United States "there is simply no clear operational definition of celibacy".[7]
According to Garner's Modern American Usage (2009), the Oxford English Dictionary gives the traditional definition of not being married, whereas, in contemporary usage, celibacy is almost universally understood to mean abstinence from all sexual activity.[8] Most authors and all dictionaries define celibacy as necessarily voluntary,[9] while, according to Canadian historian Elizabeth Abbott and Denise Donnelly, the notion is to encompass involuntary contexts, such as duress.[10]
Societal and religious views of celibacy have been varied. Ancient Judaism was strongly opposed to celibacy. Similarly, the Romans viewed it as an aberration and legislated fiscal penalties against it, with the sole exception granted to the Vestal Virgins. The apparent celibacy of Jesus during his lifetime has influenced Christian, particularly Catholic thought so that by the Middle Ages celibacy was a prerequisite for religious office (clerical celibacy) and even developed the less well-known institution of chaste marriage. Protestantism saw a reversal of this trend in the West and the Eastern Orthodox Church never adopted it in the first place. The Islamic attitudes toward celibacy have been complex as well; Muhammad denounced it, however some Sufi orders embrace it. Classical Hindu culture encouraged