The Case for Clerical Celibacy, Second Edition
The Case for Clerical Celibacy, Second Edition

Author: Alfons Stickler

Publisher: Ignatius Press

Published: 2019-10-01

Total Pages: 114

ISBN-13: 1642290963

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How should we think about clerical celibacy? Is it an "invention" of the Church intended for pastoral purposes? Or is clerical celibacy rooted in the priestly ministry of Jesus Christ? What to make of married priests in the early centuries of the Church and in Eastern-rite Catholicism and Orthodoxy today? How did clerical celibacy develop? What are its theological foundations? Cardinal Stickler, a theological expert at Vatican II, an eminent canon lawyer, and church historian, answers those and other crucial questions on clerical celibacy. He clarifies the concepts of celibacy and sexual continence. He then examines the development of clerical celibacy in the Latin West, exploding the myth celibacy is a medieval invention or simply a church-instituted practical discipline. He shows how though most priests (as well as bishops and deacons) of the early Church were married, they were also to observe "sexual continence"—to refrain from sexual relations with their wives. Next, he turns to consider the practice of Eastern Christianity. Finally, he concludes with a theological reflection on the priesthood of Jesus Christ, which shows why the popular distinction between "doctrine" and "discipline" doesn't fully explain all the important aspects of the requirement of clerical celibacy and continence. This edition features a foreword by Jesuit Father Joseph Fessio.

The Case for Clerical Celibacy: Second Edition
The Case for Clerical Celibacy: Second Edition

Author: Cardinal Alfons Stickler

Publisher: Ignatius Press

Published: 2019-09-19

Total Pages: 114

ISBN-13: 1621643549

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In order to arrive at a correct understanding of the much-discussed topic of clerical celibacy, it is necessary to clarify the pertinent facts and regulations found within the Church from its beginnings until the present time. Further, it is also necessary to explore the theological reasons for celibacy. This can be done only on the basis of a knowledge of the relevant sources and of current scholarship, especially if this book’s presentation is to be accepted as valid and credible. Before tracing the historical development of celibacy in the Western and Eastern Churches, this study begins with an analysis of the actual concept of clerical celibacy, which necessarily lies at the basis of the respective obligations that it imposes. To give solidity to his conclusions, Cardinal Stickler provides an outline of the method which a proper treatment of this argument demands. The final part of his book is dedicated to the theological presuppositions and foundations of celibacy

Apostolic Origins of Priestly Celibacy
Apostolic Origins of Priestly Celibacy

Author: Christian Cochini

Publisher: Ignatius Press

Published: 2002-04

Total Pages: 496

ISBN-13: 9780898709513

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"Fr Christian Cochini has made a thorough examination, based on years of extensive research, of the topic of clerical celibacy in the first seven centuries of the Church's history. ...." [from back cover]

Why Celibacy?: Reclaiming the Fatherhood of the Priest
Why Celibacy?: Reclaiming the Fatherhood of the Priest

Author: Fr. Carter Griffin

Publisher: Emmaus Road Publishing

Published: 2019-07-01

Total Pages: 125

ISBN-13: 1949013332

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“The Church today demands a profound renewal of celibate priesthood and the fatherhood to which it is ordered.” Priestly celibacy, some say, is an outdated relic from another age. Others see it as a lonely way of life. But as Fr. Carter Griffin argues in Why Celibacy?: Reclaiming the Fatherhood of the Priest, the ancient practice of celibacy, when lived well, helps a priest exercise his spiritual fatherhood joyfully and fruitfully. Along the way, Griffin explores: the question of optional celibacy some pitfalls of celibate paternity the selection and formation of candidates for celibate priesthood why biological fathers are also called to spiritual fatherhood the powerful impact of celibacy on the Church and the wider culture In a critical moment for the Catholic priesthood, Fr. Griffin brings light and hope with a new perspective on the Church’s perennial wisdom on celibacy.

Celibacy in the Early Church
Celibacy in the Early Church

Author: Stefan Heid

Publisher: Ignatius Press

Published: 2000

Total Pages: 513

ISBN-13: 0898708001

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Heid presents a penetrating and wide-ranging study of the historical data from the early Church on the topics of celibacy and clerical continence. He gives a brief review of recent literature, and then begins his study with the New Testament and follows it all the way to Justinian and the Council in Trullo in 690 in the East and the fifth century popes in the West. He thoroughly examines the writings of the Bible, the early church councils, saints and theologians like Jerome, Augustine, Clement, Tertullian, John Chrystostom, Cyril and Gregory Nazianzen. He has gathered formidable data with conclusive arguments regarding obligatory continence in the early Church.

Freeing Celibacy
Freeing Celibacy

Author: Donald B. Cozzens

Publisher: Liturgical Press

Published: 2006

Total Pages: 142

ISBN-13: 9780814631607

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Cozzens explores priestly celibacy as a source of power and burden of obligation, as spiritual calling and gift of the Spirit. He affirms celibacy as a charism, a gift that is true for some, but only when received as a grace.

Married Priests?
Married Priests?

Author: Arturo Cattaneo

Publisher: Ignatius Press

Published: 2012-01-01

Total Pages: 200

ISBN-13: 1586177257

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In recent years the arguments in favor of married priests seem to be multiplying. Some object that celibacy is not a dogma but only a discipline that originated in the Middle Ages; that it is contrary to nature and hence harmful to a man's psycho-physical equilibrium and the maturation of the human personality. And if priests could marry, there might be an increase in vocations. In this book, various experts make contributions, responding to these and other crucial questions, allowing the reader to discover the value that celibacy has today in the lilves of thousands of priests and seminarians. - book cover.

Priestly Celibacy
Priestly Celibacy

Author: Gary Selin

Publisher: CUA Press

Published: 2016-03-11

Total Pages: 233

ISBN-13: 0813228417

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Pope Francis has called mandatory priestly celibacy a "gift for the Church," but added "since it is not a dogma, the door is always open" to change. As this Church discipline continues to be debated, it is important for Catholics to delve into the theological and not merely pragmatic reasons behind its continuation. Priestly Celibacy: Theological Foundations, therefore, fills a critical gap in the current theological literature on this important topic of ecclesial ministry and life, and also helps to contribute to the advancement of the rather underdeveloped theology of priestly celibacy.

The Reformed and Celibate Pastor
The Reformed and Celibate Pastor

Author: Seth D. Osborne

Publisher: Vandenhoeck & Ruprecht

Published: 2021-12-06

Total Pages: 418

ISBN-13: 3647560464

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Richard Baxter (1615–1691) was arguably the greatest English Puritan of the seventeenth century. He is well known for his ministerial manual "The Reformed Pastor", in which he expressed the unusual conviction that parish ministers were better off unmarried. And yet, Baxter seemed to contradict himself by marrying one of his parishioners, Margaret Charlton. Though Baxter claimed to be happily married, he continued to champion celibacy for the rest of his life. This book explores Baxter's argument for clerical celibacy by placing it in the context of his life and the turbulent events of seventeenth-century England. His viewpoint was shaped by several factors, including the Puritan literature he read, the context of his parish ministry, his burdensome model of soul care, and the formative life experiences shaping his theology and perspective. These factors not only explain why Baxter became the only Puritan to champion clerical celibacy but also why he continued to do so even after marrying.

Sex, Priests, and Secret Codes
Sex, Priests, and Secret Codes

Author: Thomas P. Doyle

Publisher: Bonus Books, Inc.

Published: 2006

Total Pages: 400

ISBN-13: 1566252652

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Sexual abuse of minors and vulnerable adults by Catholic clergy is not a new phenomenon. Sex, Priests, and Secret Codes reveals in shocking detail a deep-seated problem that spans the Church's history.