Why can't other popes get married like Peter was, after all, he was the first pope?

Answer 1

Hello,

Popes and priests were allowed to get married in the first several centuries of the church but this was eventually stopped in order to prevent nepotism.
For the first 1200 years of the Church’s existence, priests, bishops and 39 popes were married.3 Celibacy existed in the first century among hermits and monks, but it was considered an optional, alternative lifestyle. Medieval politics brought about the discipline of mandatory celibacy for priests.

Another factor in the push for clerical celibacy was the problematic relationship the Catholic Church had with real estate and inherited land. Priests and bishops were not just religious leaders, they also had political power based on the land they controlled. When they died, the land might go to church or the man's heirs — and naturally the church wanted to keep the land in order to retain political power.
The best way to keep the land was to ensure that no rivals could claim it; keeping the clergy celibate and unmarried was the easiest way to accomplish this. Making celibacy a religious obligation was also the best way to ensure that the clergy obeyed. Catholic apologists deny that such worldly concerns were part of the decision to impose celibacy on priests, but it can't be a coincidence that the final push towards celibacy occurred when conflict over land were increasing.

Cheers,

Michael Kelly

Answer 2

The celibate clergy did not come into full bloom until about 1000 C.E. There were both married and celibate priests, bishops, and popes before this time.

Priests, religious brothers and religious sisters (nuns) as part of their vocation choose not to marry following:
+ The practice recommended in the Bible
+ The example of Jesus Christ, John the Baptist, and the Apostle Paul.

+++ Scripture +++

In Matthew 19:12, Jesus says, "Some are incapable of marriage because they were born so; some, because they were made so by others; some, because they have renounced marriage for the sake of the kingdom of heaven. Whoever can accept this ought to accept it."

In Matthew 19:29, Jesus says, "And everyone who has given up houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or lands for the sake of my name will receive a hundred times more, and will inherit eternal life."

Matthew 22:30 - Jesus explains, "At the resurrection they neither marry nor are given in marriage but are like the angels in heaven."

In 1 Corinthians 7:1, Paul writes, "It is a good thing for a man not to touch a woman."

Then in 1 Corinthians 7:7, Paul says, "Indeed, I wish everyone to be as I am."

In 1 Corinthians 7:27, Paul writes, "Are you free of a wife? Then do not look for a wife."

In 1 Corinthians 7:32-33, Paul teaches, "I should like you to be free of anxieties. An unmarried man is anxious about the things of the Lord, how he may please the Lord. But a married man is anxious about the things of the world, how he may please his wife." And in verse 38, "So then, the one who marries his virgin does well; the one who does not marry her will do better."

Paul recommends celibacy for full time ministers in the Church so that they are able to focus entirely upon God and building up His kingdom. He “who refrains from marriage will do better.”

See also 1 Timothy 5:9-12, 2 Timothy 2:3-4, Revevation 14:4, Isaiah 56:3-7, and Jeremiah 16:1-4.

+++ Scriptural Examples +++

Biblical role models of a celibate clergy came from John the Baptist, Jesus, and the Apostle Paul.

John the Baptist and Jesus are both believed to have been celibate for their entire lives. Some scholars believe that the example of the Essenes influenced either or both Jesus and John the Baptist in their celibacy.

WWJD? What would Jesus do? Jesus did not marry.

The Apostle Paul is explicit about his celibacy (see 1 Cor. 7). There is also evidence in the gospel of Matthew for the practice of celibacy among at least some early Christians, in the famous passage about becoming “eunuchs for the sake of the kingdom of heaven” (Matt. 19:12).

The concept took many twists and turns over the years and will probably take a few more before Christ returns in glory.

A priest is "married" to the Church. Some people think that a priest who takes his duties seriously cannot take proper care of a wife and family. "A man cannot serve two masters."

With love in Christ.

Answer 3

. The complaints of Rome at this time referred chiefly to the peculiar ecclesiastical practices of the Irish—the marriage of the clergy, the administration of baptism without chrisma, and the use of their own liturgy. The legates of the popes finally succeeded in obtaining the entire submission of the Irish Church to the Church of Rome about the middle of the twelfth century, which until then is believed to have been without auricular confession, sacrifice of the mass, and indulgences, and to have celebrated the Lord’s Supper in both kinds. In 1155 a bull of pope Hadrian IV allowed king Henry II of England to subject Ireland, the king, in his turn, promising the pope to protect the papal privileges.”

The church and the royals decided they shouldn't even though the bible said they could.

Answer 4

The reason for celibacy is that sex or sexual thinking pulls ones attention down from where it needs to be in order to meditate upon God.

Man is composed of seven chakras, or energy centers. The lowest is at the rectum, the next is just above and it is the sexual center. The whole purpose of meditation is to lift your attention from the lower chakras to the higher ones... and it is much easier to fall than to rise.

The power of ones MIND to divert one from a Spiritual path is almost beyond belief. The dedication and single pointedness of meditation is greatly conflicted when ones attention is required for others. Normal people simply cannot imagine the difficulty involved in raising ones consciousness out of the world to inner realms which are too subtle to hang ones attention upon. Effective meditation requires a commitment that few are ready to engage.

What is the saying? Many are called, and few are chosen? Many attempt to make the climb to God, but very few actually achieve the goal. And none do so without the help of a Perfect Living Master.

Peace

Answer 5

There have been married Popes. The only requirement to be Pope is that it must be a Catholic man. (Sorry I can't seem to find a link on that).

Google is awesome
http://www.trivia-library.com/b/famous-lasts-last-married-pope.htm

Answer 6

The church doesn't want to lose money to the heirs of the priests who take a vow of charity...That explanation makes sense to me.

Not the history textbook version. This was supposedly done in the spirit of the mystics of the time, who in a self-depriving act of "non-material-world-ism" would forgo things like, sex, food, etc. So the celibacy of Jesus was not unparalleled, and this was reflected on by one of the early popes as a good idea. They also wore hair shirts and flogged themselves. Hmmm.

Answer 7

well we know Peter was married, and we suspect Paul
and at least another were...

a preacher can marry...but its not entirely the best
venue to be in when you have a flock as you would
be a little distracted by taking care of your wife and kids
and such...

its a hard life no doubt...but for Christ it becomes a blessing...

Answer 8

Because the catholic church directly contradicts the bible on a handful of accounts. And I'm only referring to the new testament. The bible clearly states how a Bishop should be. People also argue that same point about Peter, as well as the other apostles of Jesus. They were married men. The church believes it has the ability to add an take away from the bible.

Answer 9

I don't think Peter even knew he was a Pope. He was one of the twelve Apostles and the Pope thing was donned on him by the Catholic church.

Answer 10

The Catholic Religion is false, and there shouldn't even be Pope! Whoever started that totally took the Bible out of context...