Love - attitudes of different denominations of Christianity towards celibacy

Question 1

What is the attitude of Christian Gnosticism towards celibacy?

Answer 1

all material creation = evil

sex prolongs imprisonment of soul in matter

Question 2

What is the attitude of Cathards towards celibacy?

Answer 2

1) material world created by Satan
2) reincarnation kept soul imprisoned in material world
3) those who = celibate = perfect
4) only perfect could break out of cycle of reincarnation
5) procreation - imprisonment of soul - perfect not allowed to eat anything that had come into being as a result of sex

Question 3

What is the attitude of the Catholic and orthodox churches to celibacy?

Answer 3

celibate - become closer to God

Question 4

What was the attitude regarding abstinence in 17th Century Catholic Brazil?

Answer 4

for women abstinence = preferable to marrying someone from a lower social status - 77% daughters from leading families went into convents

Question 5

Attitudes in the Catholic Church towards priests being celibate?

Answer 5

1) focus = more on abstaining from marriage
2) priests had concubines - threatened with exile, death penalty or slavery
3) prostitutes - 1414 - Church leaders met for Council of Constance - at least 700 prostitutes also there
4) Popes had children - Pope Innocent VIII - 1st pope to publicly acknowledge children
5) 73% Catholics in USA thought clergy celibacy = not important

Question 6

Attitude of Conservative Christians to celibacy?

Answer 6

homosexual - born that way but should never have sex + should not get married to someone of opposite sex - deceiving spouse
e.g. Jonathan van der Greer = openly gay and chose to stay celibate for entirety of his life

Question 7

Attitude of Shakers towards celibacy?

Answer 7

needed to achieve salvation

only way to become perfect human as humans were before the Fall