DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.63447#0141
CELIBACY OF THE PRIESTHOOD. 125
tical assemblies, were imperatively prohibited; the
connection between the priesthood and the laity was to
be purely spiritual. The love of the ecclesiastic for his
flock was to be impersonal; he was to be “ with them”
but not “ of them ; ” he was to command through the
qualities of the “ Spirit,” setting aside the “ carnal
affections ” and the lower concerns of existence.
All the tender ties of family and the endearing relation-
ships of life were proscribed: a priest might have neither
wife nor children.
From the most remote Christian times, indeed, and
even previous to the advent of our Lord, celibacy had
always been held up as “ the most perfect human state.”
If even amongst the laity it was so considered, the feeling
of mankind as to it being almost the first duty of the
clergy, was universal; and had considerably strengthened
with time. Even to this day, every irregularity of con-
duct is lightly regarded by the same congregations who
would spit at, and stone a priest who was a married man !
The heroes of the Church during the first four centuries
almost all followed the precepts of Paul, rather than the
example of Peter.
Amongst the ecclesiastical writers, it is difficult to
adduce one who does not enlarge on the superiority of the
celibate above the conjugal state. The doctrine, however,
was not a Christian one purely, either first or subse-
quently. In Central and Eastern Asia and the Asiatic
Islands it prevailed absorbingly from time immemorial.
It is not the first instance in which we recognise the
literal truth that religion was “ refreshed from the East.”
But in spite of the prevalence of these ideas, and of an
ecclesiastical law' condemning the marriage of priests,
human nature hitherto triumphed, and had proved too
strong for Councils and for Popes.
Hildebrand foresaw that the image of “ transcendental
perfection,” presented to the laity in their ecclesiastical
teachers, through the imposition of celibacy, would strike
them the more favourably, as they were themselves dis-
pensed from the burden of so high a prerogative. Within
tical assemblies, were imperatively prohibited; the
connection between the priesthood and the laity was to
be purely spiritual. The love of the ecclesiastic for his
flock was to be impersonal; he was to be “ with them”
but not “ of them ; ” he was to command through the
qualities of the “ Spirit,” setting aside the “ carnal
affections ” and the lower concerns of existence.
All the tender ties of family and the endearing relation-
ships of life were proscribed: a priest might have neither
wife nor children.
From the most remote Christian times, indeed, and
even previous to the advent of our Lord, celibacy had
always been held up as “ the most perfect human state.”
If even amongst the laity it was so considered, the feeling
of mankind as to it being almost the first duty of the
clergy, was universal; and had considerably strengthened
with time. Even to this day, every irregularity of con-
duct is lightly regarded by the same congregations who
would spit at, and stone a priest who was a married man !
The heroes of the Church during the first four centuries
almost all followed the precepts of Paul, rather than the
example of Peter.
Amongst the ecclesiastical writers, it is difficult to
adduce one who does not enlarge on the superiority of the
celibate above the conjugal state. The doctrine, however,
was not a Christian one purely, either first or subse-
quently. In Central and Eastern Asia and the Asiatic
Islands it prevailed absorbingly from time immemorial.
It is not the first instance in which we recognise the
literal truth that religion was “ refreshed from the East.”
But in spite of the prevalence of these ideas, and of an
ecclesiastical law' condemning the marriage of priests,
human nature hitherto triumphed, and had proved too
strong for Councils and for Popes.
Hildebrand foresaw that the image of “ transcendental
perfection,” presented to the laity in their ecclesiastical
teachers, through the imposition of celibacy, would strike
them the more favourably, as they were themselves dis-
pensed from the burden of so high a prerogative. Within