Catholics... Why do priests and nuns have to be celibate?

Question

Please back your answers up with biblical scripture only. No other sources will be considered as valid.

Answer 1

The Roman Catholic Church's practice of clerical celibacy is both theological and practical. 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."

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."

Celibacy for priests is a discipline in the Roman Catholic Church, not a doctrine: in other words, a church regulation, but not an intergral 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 300 years were in fact married men, and often fathers. The practice of married clergy fell out of favour around the time of the Council of Elvira and it was made law in the 800s. 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.

Answer 2

No where in the bible that I know of where it says priests and nuns are to stay celibate, I do know that some where in the book it says that it is better to stay single to do Gods work than to be married, that's about all I know about it. As a catholic our religion has what we call the unwritten word in other words catholic rules.

Answer 3

Fundamentalist assaults on priestly celibacy are available distinctive distinctive varieties—no longer all nicely suited with one yet another. there is in basic terms approximately no different subject approximately which maximum of distinctive confusions exist. the 1st and maximum uncomplicated confusion is thinking of priestly celibacy as a dogma or doctrine—a imperative and irreformable part of the religion, believed via Catholics again from Jesus and the apostles. for that reason some Fundamentalists make very lots of a biblical connection with Peter’s substantial different's mom (Mark a million:30), curiously supposing that, if Catholics in basic terms knew that Peter have been married, they could be no longer able to treat him by using fact the 1st pope. lower back, Fundamentalist time traces of "Catholic innovations" (a nicely-liked literary style) assign "needed priestly celibacy" to this or that 12 months in Church historic past, as though ahead of this requirement the Church ought to no longer have been Catholic. those Fundamentalists are in many circumstances shocked to earnings that on an identical time immediately celibacy isn't the rule of thumb for all Catholic clergymen. in actuality, for jap ceremony Catholics, married clergymen are the norm, in basic terms as they're for Orthodox and Oriental Christians. Even interior the jap church homes, although, there have continuously been some regulations on marriage and ordination. however married adult adult males would grow to be clergymen, single clergymen won't marry, and married clergymen, if widowed, won't remarry. besides, there is an historical jap self-discipline of choosing bishops from the ranks of the celibate clergymen, so their bishops are all single. The custom interior the Western or Latin-ceremony Church has been for clergymen besides as bishops to take vows of celibacy, a rule that has been firmly in place by using fact the early midsection a protracted time. Even immediately, although, exceptions are made. as an occasion, there are married Latin-ceremony clergymen who're converts from Lutheranism and Episcopalianism. As those adjustments and exceptions point out, priestly celibacy isn't an unchangeable dogma yet a disciplinary rule. the reality that Peter replaced into married is not greater opposite to the Catholic faith than the reality that the pastor of the closest Maronite Catholic church is married.

Answer 4

Here is some scripture to support the point; I am not saying I agree with the concept. Wisdom 3:13-15 (Catholic Bible).

Answer 5

They don't have to be celibate. That is a doctrine inspired by demons and imposed by people, not of God or His Word.

"Now, the Spirit expressly says that in latter times some will depart from the fiath, giving heed to deceiving spirits and doctrines of demons, speaking lies in hypocrisy, having their own conscience seared with a hot iron, forbidding to marry, and commanding to abstain from foods with God created to be received with thanksgiving by those who believe and know the truth. 1 Timothy 4:1-3

Answer 6

Jesus once said something about marriage was not meant for all men, even though at another time he said to prevent from being fornicators all men should marry.

The actually answer, though, comes outside the Bible. Some Pope decided it somewhere between 500 AD and 900 AD

I don't recall who. It was part of the rift between the Greek, Russian and other Orthodox Churches and Rome.

Answer 7

It isn't scripture. It is tradition. Traditionally, nuns and priests are already married to the Lord. Thus for them to be anything but celibate would make them adulterors. There is no scripture on this, but ask your local bishop. I ain't yankin' your crank on this one.

Answer 8

sorry, no scripture here but i am catholic and i still don't understand the purpose in them not marrying.i know they are supposed to be married to god and it is their sacrifice but i still think it's a stupid rule. many pastors from other religions are married and they seem to do a good job in their positions.

Answer 9

Be careful about asking catholic questions. Mine got deleted and reported when I asked why they won't listen to the truth about having to be born again and saved. I was once a catholic. I now know why I left that miserable religion and became a born again Christian. They are all as mean as my catholic sister and family. Of course they will now say I am judging them, but may I be forgiven for telling the honest truth. I will tell you that this question will really tick them off! Do you ever wonder why it is always in the catholic religion whenever there is a child who gets molested? You very rarely hear about it being a Baptist or anything.

Answer 10

its a man made law that the catholics created