Sometimes when the plant talking about the Catholic Church, the question arises: "Celibacy - what is it?"We are talking about mandatory celibacy for priests.Entry to the rank, according to the Western tradition of the Church, it is impossible, if the Holy Father did not renounce all worldly things.It's not even that, married or not, although it is encouraged in the first place.The issue is that he should devote himself completely, including its own acts of God, in the name of serving the Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
However, the modern world is somewhat different looking at the age-old customs.This is due primarily to the fact that the nature of Catholicism, and indeed the Roman Church have changed in the meantime.And it has not changed for the better.The process of liberalization of views touched on the most conservative circles of the Catholic clergy.They are no longer able to control the total secularization of local communities and the constant scandals around the "godless conduct of the Holy Fathers" only add fuel to the fire.It becomes clear in the past, and he goes celibacy, it is only a tribute to tradition, and, in principle, you need a little more time to non-removable celibacy rule was changed to Bole soft formula, for example, the right to marry.
However, if we talk more seriously, arguing: "Celibacy - what it is: the duty or necessity?" - Can come to mixed conclusions.Firstly, asceticism does not mean a complete rejection of all things.Especially in regard to Catholic worship.After all, traditionally the Catholic Church has always been the center of social, public, and economic life of the regional community.In this respect, the priest is not exactly renounced all worldly things.Secondly, the priest, being in fact a political figure, not only cared for the spiritual growth of the congregation entrusted.Third, the original Christianity did not consider celibacy as a mandatory austerity.Moreover, the rejection of family and procreation militant perceived negatively.Moreover, according to the logic of Paul's family is the best weapon in the struggle against sin.
However, after a long struggle vnutrikatolicheskih parties in the Council of Trent family of the priest as a fact of history was anathema.From that point it was thought that accept celibacy - so take the service of God.And nothing should be, according to the new philosophy of the Church, to interfere to this holy cause.Thus, it was demonstrated a formal renunciation of the world and all worldly affairs.Informally - the church has remained a key policy instrument and the power of the nascent monarchy and justify absolute power of monarchs.Thus the Catholic Church willingly or unwillingly took the dual, mutually exclusive positions, which in general is preserved in our time.
No wonder that today's position, the answer to the question "celibacy - that it" is quite informal, but well-established definition: a special kind of physical asceticism, which, in theory, should lead to spiritual perfection;mandatory element sanopolozheniya, personnel policy, which is characteristic only for the Catholic Church as an organization.
Celibacy in Orthodoxy is not common.This is quite rare, and this is very few people know.In general, the Orthodox Church does not really approve of celibacy as a phenomenon.Moreover, the Russian Orthodox Church even to some extent stimulates the creation of families among the clergy, claiming that at the time of the ordination of the priest to be married.However, the celibacy as a principle is not denied.Orthodox priest can take a vow of celibacy, but only if he agrees to the position of the church, being unmarried.
