One issue closely related to ministerial priesthood is the celibacy imposed by the Catholic Church to those who want to become priests and bishops. Does the Bible say that bishop is a husband of one wife (1 Timothy 3:2) and that forbidding marriage is the doctrine of the demons (1 Timothy 4:1-3)? First celibacy of the priests and bishops is neither doctrine nor dogma but a discipline imposed by the Western (or Latin) Catholic Church. In the Eastern Catholic Church married men can be ordained as priests (Catechism of the Catholic Church # 1580). The Church also welcomes as married priests, former (married) clergies of Anglican or Episcopal or Lutheran church who converted to Catholicism. The Church does not and never forbids marriage – married Catholics far outnumber non-married ones, be they bishops, priests, monks, nuns or laity. The candidates for priesthood are fully aware of celibacy discipline before and during their seminary times – they have ample time to consider whether this vocation is for them or not. Thus it is celibacy based on voluntary, not a forced one, as stated in1 Timothy 4:3. Mandatory Celibacy for all members is practised by sects like Cathar in Europe (12th – 13th century) and Shaker in USA. What happens if a priest decided to get married after being ordained? The Catholic Church would not stop him either for doing so – he can undergo laicization process to leave priesthood. http://www.totustuus.com/index.htm is the web site of such priest, now happily married and father of nine children and is still in good standing with the Church.
1 Timothy 3:2 say bishop is to be a husband of one wife – it excludes men who are polygamists, but it does not impose marriage as a necessary condition for a bishop. If this verse is to be interpreted to mean a bishop must marry, then how about 1 Timothy 3:4 that mentions his children (plural)? If being married is mandatory, then having children is also mandatory, i.e. those who are childless or have only one child cannot become bishop. Remember that the apostle Paul himself was celibate – it will make him hypocrite if he made marriage mandatory, something that he himself would not obey. Does celibacy have biblical support? In Matthew 19:12 Christ mentioned those who make themselves eunuchs (not married) for the sake of the kingdom of heaven, if they are able to receive it. While Paul is not against marriage – For it is better to marry than to be aflame with passion (1 Corinthians 7:9), he wished all were as he was (i.e. unmarried, 1 Corinthians 7:7) and told the unmarried and widows to remain single, provided they can exercise self-control (1 Corinthians 7:8). The unmarried man is anxious about the affairs of the Lord, how to please the Lord; but the married man is anxious about wordly affairs, how to please his wife, and his interests are divided (1 Corinthians 7:32-34) and he who marries his betrothed does well; and he who refrains from marriage will do better (1 Corinthians 7:38). Being celibate and being married are both gift from God given to each person according to His plan, i.e. not all of us is called for celibacy. God is not against celibacy – He commanded prophet Jeremiah neither to take a wife nor to have children (Jeremiah 16:1-2).
Celebacy is not a Catholic doctrine. You seem to misunderstand Catholic theology. see: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clerical_celibacy_(Catholic_Church)
Please email me if you get this.
God bless you can all you do, Daniel
I checked the link and it confirms what I wrote: celibacy is not a Catholic doctrine but a discipline.
Inspite of how you twist in a priest is prohibited from taking a wife if he is to remain a priest and this is obviously contrary to clear biblical teaching.
For Johan, why don’t you read carefully what Christ said in Matthew 19:12?
Catholicism imposes celibacy. Matthew 19:12 is of ones accord as a sacrifice onto the lord.One who teaches abstinence from marriage is considered to be embracing the doctrine of demons.
Paul would not be a hypocrite, he was giving Godly orders to position in the church. Paul himself was not a bishop, nor ever called himself one. He was simply stating the standard of God for anyone who sought the office or position of a bishop. 1 Timothy 3 explains it pretty clearly, he MUST be married to a WOMAN, he MUST have children, because if he can’t properly run his home, how can he run the church? Secondly, how can a church leader/counselor who is NOT married counsel someone with marital problems? They can’t! How can someone who does NOT have children help a mother/father who is having issues in the raising of their children? THEY CAN’T.
Sure, it is better if you can be celibate and serve the church as Paul, in the eyes of Paul (remember he said, I say this NOT of commandment), but DON’T try to wear the title of BISHOP if you don’t fit the qualifications.
I’ve heard Catholics tell me that the bishop is married, to the church and his children are the members of the church, and if he were to marry a woman he would be in polygamy. They seem to forget that the Church is the bride of Christ, and if that is their logic then the Church is caught in the act of polygamy.
Catholicism goes so far off from the bible in so many area’s. They call priests “father” when Christ said not to. They forbid bishops to marry, when scripture says they must be, they pray through the “saints” when scripture says Christ is our ONLY intercessor. They say that a “saint” is a dead follower of Christ who performed a miracle, in the bible a saint was a follower of Christ.
Wake up to the truth Catholics! Time is short, and this false doctrine won’t save you in the day of Judgment!