Lecture 10 Priestly Celibacy Dr Ann T Orlando

Lecture 10: Priestly Celibacy Dr. Ann T. Orlando

Outline � Celibacy and the Apostles � Understanding 1 Timothy 3 � Move to require celibacy � Virtue of virginity � Assignments

The Apostles � Clearly, Peter was married, and perhaps most of the other apostles as well � Patristic authors believe that John was never married, and for this reason he was most beloved by Jesus ◦ Augustine is typical: “…if Christ loved the Apostle John with a special love, it was because he had never married and that from his earliest childhood he practiced the most delicate purity…” Tractates on John’ s Gospel 124. 7 � Similarly, it was believed that Paul either never married or was a widower ◦ Theodoret, for example: “…he had no wife, either because he had never been married or because he had been widowed…” Interpretation of the Letter to the Philippians 4. 3

Multiple Ways to Understanding 1 Timothy 3: 2 � Bishop cannot remarry if widowed � Bishop cannot have a mistress � Bishop cannot have multiple wives � Bishop must be married � If married, bishop should live chastely � These multiple interpretations are found among Patristic and contemporary scholars � See Origen, Commentary on Matthew, 14. 2225 and Theodoret, Commentary on 1 Timothy

Practice of Married Bishops � There are numerous cases of married bishops in the 3 rd through 4 th C � Example: St. Gregory the Elder who fathered St. Gregory Nazianzus � St. Gregory of Tours describes married bishops in Gaul � But common custom that all ministers at the altar were expected to live chastely (fast from sex) for at least 24 hours before serving at the altar ◦ True of bishops, presbyters and deacons

Chaste (Unmarried or Widowed) Bishops � Strong tradition from 2 nd Century for unmarried bishops � In part a practical requirement in places where the bishop celebrated the Eucharist daily ◦ Tradition, based on Leviticus, was that anyone at the altar should have reframed from sex for 2 or 3 days � In part a move toward monastic asceticism ◦ St. Basil the Great ◦ St. John Chrysostom

4 th C Effect of Monasticism � Asceticism no longer defined by martyrdom � Monastic rules require celibate life � Increasingly, clerical spirituality developed to model monastic asceticism, including celibacy ◦ Praying the office ◦ Vows of Poverty � Augustine requires his presbyters to live in community with him ◦ Give wealth to the poor ◦ Live chastely

Another Issue: Inheritances � Significant cause of distress from 4 th C onwards. � Tradition that the property of bishops, priests and deacons went to the Church at their death � After Constantine, many wealthy Christians join the Church � Wealthy clergy wanted to ensure that at least some of their property went to their children ◦ Thus a problem with distinction between Church property and personal property

Decrees from Church Councils � Canon 3 of Niceae: ◦ The great Synod has stringently forbidden any bishop, presbyter, deacon, or any one of the clergy whatever, to have subintroducta (suneisaktos) dwelling with him, except only a mother, or sister, or aunt, or such persons only as are beyond all suspicion. � Would seem to prohibit wives; but was also interpreted as wives who were living chastely with their clerical husband � See Council of Carthage where this becomes more explicit

North African Councils (Synods) � In Third Century sporadic councils ◦ Most important were 7 councils called by Cyprian ◦ Addressed persecution, lapsed, rebaptism � Occasional councils in early 4 th C � Augustine begins practice of annual councils of North African Catholic bishops in 393 ◦ First council held in Hippo; thereafter usually in Carthage with Bishop of Carthage presiding ◦ Unity among Catholic bishops paramount in fight against Donatists � 17 th Council of Carthage met in 419 � Last annual council held in 427; Vandal invasion precluded further regular councils

Innocent I (r. 401 -417) � Born in Italy � Priest in Rome � Unanimously proclaimed pontiff when his predecessor, Anastasius, died � Deeply engage against Manicheans and Arians � Very concerned about consistency and uniformity of disciplinary practices, especially among clergy

Pope St. Gregory Great (546 -604) � Pontiff from 590 - 604 � Wrote many pastoral letters across Europe and the Mediterranean � Especially concerned about conduct and the appearance of good conduct � He cataloged his own works every year � Letter to Subdeacon Peter 12

Office of Subdeacon � First mentioned in 3 rd C by Pope Cornelius � Office is attested East and West by early 4 th C � Subdeacon was meant to support deacons ◦ At altar ◦ In managing property of Church � In many places, a subdeacon was allowed to be married even when this was discouraged among deacons

Assignments � Origen, Commentary on Matthew, 14. 22 -25. ANF 9 � Theodoret, Commentary on 1 Timothy 1 -5 ◦ NB BC Course reserves says it is from the Commentary on Hebrews; what is listed for p 208 -235 is actually from 1 Timothy !!! � 17 th Council of Carthage, in The Apostolic Origins of Priestly Celibacy, pp 267 -8. � Innocent I Letters � Gregory the Great, “Epistle to Peter Subdeacon of Sicily”. NPNF Series 2 Vol 12. Epistles I. 44 , pp. 88 -92.