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Definition: celibacy from Merriam-Webster's Collegiate(R) Dictionary

(1646) 1 : the state of not being married 2 a : abstention from sexual intercourse b : abstention by vow from marriage

celibacy

From The Columbia Encyclopedia
(sĕl'ĭbӘsē), voluntary refusal to enter the married state, with abstinence from sexual activity. It is one of the typically Christian forms of asceticism . In ancient Rome the vestal virgins were celibates, and successful monasticism has everywhere been accompanied by celibacy as an ideal. Among ancient Jews the Essenes were celibates. In the Judaism of postexilic times, sexual activity in the married state was considered lawful and good; otherwise it was unlawful. This norm remained in Christianity. But the mainstream of Christian tradition from the start has interpreted the Gospels and epistles as teaching that voluntary celibacy, especially virginity, is peculiarly meritorious. In the Orthodox Eastern churches, ordinary parish clergy are married, but monks, nuns, and bishops are celibates. In the West, celibacy was common among the parish clergy beginning the 3d cent.; as time passed, the Holy See became adamant in opposing the marriage of the secular clergy (see orders, holy ). By…
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Full text Article Celibacy

From Book of Bible Quotations
His disciples say unto him, If the case of the man be so with his wife, it is not good to marry. But he said unto them, All men cannot receive this saying, save they to whom it is given. For there are some eunuchs, which were so born from their mother's womb: and there are some eunuchs, which were…
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Full text Article Celibacy

From Cambridge Dictionary of Christian Theology
Celibacy, or the discipline of sexual abstinence, stands outside the pair-bonding or polygamous categories of most socially ordered human relationships. That celibacy occurs across different cultures and religious traditions leads to the assertion that it is as natural, if not as typical, as…
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Full text Article Celibacy

From The Wiley Blackwell Encyclopedia of Family Studies
sexuality sexual behavior sociology of sexuality Abstract Celibacy is a choice to abstain from some, or all, sexual activity. Religious leaders are often encouraged or required to be completely celibate. Medical and psychological research indicate that celibacy is both a normal point on the…
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Full text Article Celibacy

From The International Encyclopedia of Human Sexuality
Catholic nuns, who are required to take...
cultural difference sexual abstinence spiritual practice Celibacy has been described as the state of not being married, or of refraining from sexual intercourse, and individuals vary widely in their reasons for engaging in a celibate lifestyle. A variety of cultural, religious, moral, personal, and…
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Full text Article Celibacy

From The SAGE Encyclopedia of the Sociology of Religion
Celibacy is usually defined as a permanent or transitory life state that implies abstinence of sexual relationships and renouncement of marriage and intimate romantic bonding, usually inspired by religious conviction. It is becoming quite controversial in recent times in advanced societies, so it…
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Full text Article celibacy

From The Columbia Encyclopedia
(sĕl'ĭbӘsē), voluntary refusal to enter the married state, with abstinence from sexual activity. It is one of the typically Christian forms of asceticism . In ancient Rome the vestal virgins were celibates, and successful monasticism has everywhere been accompanied by celibacy as an ideal. Among…
| 376 words
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Full text Article celibacy

From Britannica Concise Encyclopedia
The deliberate abstinence from sexual activity, usually in connection with a religious role or practice. It has existed in some form in most world religions. It may indicate a person’s ritual purity (sexual relations being viewed as polluting) or may be adopted to facilitate spiritual advancement…
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Full text Article celibacy

From Dictionary of World Monasticism
While celibacy is the norm for monastics of all stripes, there are some Buddhist sects where members are permitted to be married. This was also the case with early Celtic monastics until they came under the authority of Rome. Members of the present-day quasimonastic Christian Communities of the…
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Full text Article celibacy, clerical.

From The Oxford Companion to British History
Clerical celibacy, common since early Christian times, has scant scriptural authority. The Council of Elvira ( c. 305) forbade all western clergy to marry, a decision later confirmed by popes and western councils. The 11th-cent. Hildebrandine reforms, implemented in England sensitively by *Lanfranc…
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Full text Article Celibacy, archaeology of

From The International Encyclopedia of Human Sexuality
dreams karma monastic regulations vows The practice of celibacy is contrary to normal biological urges and often involves a formal vow to adopt it as a way of life. Celibacy often occurs within a monastic and/or ascetic context. The origins of celibacy are contrasted in Latin Christianity and…
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