Celibacy of the Clergy

Comments

• minatasgeel

  December 2010

  [quote author=Zoxsasi link=topic=10165.msg124348#msg124348 date=1292182403]
  Hello,
  Can someone kindly explain to me why a Coptic Orthodox priest can get married but not a monk nor a bishop?
  
  Well priests don't HAVE to get married.
  for monks: because they are simply monks....a vow of celibacy.
  for bishops: i have to say the simple answer is the fact that they have to be monks.
  
  i'll let other explain the rest.
• peterfarrington

  December 2010

  How could a monk get married? A monk is by definition an unmarried person.
  
  Bishops became celibate very early on. There were a few married bishops in the 4th century I think. But generally they were already celibate or widowers. The rule that bishops should be monastics came in rather later. Some of the main reasons are that:
  
  i. There is a great deal of stress involved in being a bishop and it would be very difficult indeed to conduct a fruitful marriage in such circumstances. A bishop could be blackmailed by the use of his family. And the lengthy travel which was often required was also difficult for a married bishop.
  
  ii. There were instances of bishops treating the episcopate as something they could pass on to their children. The Church did not want the episcopate to become hereditary.
  
  Father Peter
• Zoxsasi

  December 2010

  Thanks people.
  
  A catholic friend of mine asked me why is it in our Church priests can get married, but not bishops.
  
  Shall I just tell her that a priest can get married because he has not taken a vow of celibacy, where a monk has?
  
  But why can't a married priest be a bishop then?
  
  Thanks