Theology of Married Priests

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Joseph_LaMothe

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Hello and blessings.

I am a Roman Catholic married to an Ukrainian Catholic. I am looking for books on the Theology of Married Priests. I know and have things on the Historical arguments. The Roman Church has many good arguments that are theological (priest in persona christi, nuptial theology of bridegroom and church, the vows as rejection of the world’s callings for God’s…) The Eastern response tends to be “it has been done for a long time and is practical.”

I know that there are much better arguments in favour. The best I have heard come from Michel Niajim “The Two Ways in the East: The Marital Status of Clergy” as one amazing argument in a book full of long boring cannon law talk (unless you are a bit demented in a good way and like long boring cannon law talk.)

Any other good suggestions?
 
Joseph_LaMothe said:
Hello and blessings.

I am a Roman Catholic married to an Ukrainian Catholic. I am looking for books on the Theology of Married Priests. I know and have things on the Historical arguments. The Roman Church has many good arguments that are theological (priest in persona christi, nuptial theology of bridegroom and church, the vows as rejection of the world’s callings for God’s…) The Eastern response tends to be “it has been done for a long time and is practical.”

I know that there are much better arguments in favour. The best I have heard come from Michel Niajim “The Two Ways in the East: The Marital Status of Clergy” as one amazing argument in a book full of long boring cannon law talk (unless you are a bit demented in a good way and like long boring cannon law talk.)

Any other good suggestions?
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I think a couple can be an example of control of the passions. The priest and wife, the deacon and wife, and at some time in Christian history, even a bishop and wife, have a longstanding tradition of living together in perpetual continence with each others permission.
 
Joseph_LaMothe said:
Hello and blessings.

I am a Roman Catholic married to an Ukrainian Catholic. I am looking for books on the Theology of Married Priests. I know and have things on the Historical arguments. The Roman Church has many good arguments that are theological (priest in persona christi, nuptial theology of bridegroom and church, the vows as rejection of the world’s callings for God’s…) The Eastern response tends to be “it has been done for a long time and is practical.”

I know that there are much better arguments in favour. The best I have heard come from Michel Niajim “The Two Ways in the East: The Marital Status of Clergy” as one amazing argument in a book full of long boring cannon law talk (unless you are a bit demented in a good way and like long boring cannon law talk.)

Any other good suggestions?
Click to expand...
Before the split there was a Nicene council, in between the 1st, and 7th ecumenical councils. Probably about 5th century, maybe late 4th. Anyways what I recall was that the Bishops in attendance essentially were eastern churches. NOt sure why anymore. They found that the issue of marriage, and children needed to be looked at from the point that the individual being ordained had received personal revelation and a personal calling. Thus the issue they saw was that the man was indeed ordained by God to become a priest and one could not ask a man to give up his children or wife as that would be a sin. They didn’t even seem to consider the person should not become a priest, as the issue was that God wanted the person to become a priest. That council which was not ecumenical because Rome and other Bishops did not agree in writing after the fact. But int he eastern orthodoxy they recognize this belief. That does not mean priests could marry after becoming ordained. But it certainly allowed priests to get married before.
 
Frank_J said:
Hello,

This is not a book but I hope this uses full.

youtube.com/watch?v=FgjC2BXB5p8&feature=youtu.be
Marriage in Ukrainian Catholicism
youtube.com/watch?v=b4Hm-PllpOc
Catholic Church Ordains Married Priest in Western Church

Married Priest don’t have the Problems that Unmarried Priest have.

Have a great day.
Click to expand...
Studies have shown that non-married clergy do not have a higher rate of abuse towards children. Anyone who is even remotely aware of the psychopathy of pedophilia knows that a) their preferences are specific and other forms of sexual behavior do not remove that urge b) the look for positions where they will be intrusted with children (not just clergy but coaches and teachers). The argument “marriage to stop pedophilia” is deeply flawed. Pedophilia should not be tolerated, marriage-ing it away is not an answer. Plus, the majority of sexually molested children are done so by family members. Politics of the news determines what is reported, not frequency of occurrence.

Don’t mean to sound snarky, but this is not a good argument as pragmatically is does not work AND the reasons in favour of married priests are so much more beautiful.
 
I guess I should outline the arguments put forward in the article The Two Ways in the East from the book Vested in Grace; and Compulsory Celibacy and the Disruption of Intimacy by James K. Graham, Eastren Churches Journal, Vol. 4 No. 2.

The two ways of holiness are Marriage and Monasticism.

Marriage is good and holy because it refutes Gnostic Dualism. It says that the creation of God, Man and Woman, are good. Marrage restores humanity to its pre-fall vision of humanity. It also is an expression of the Church, the micro-Church of self-sacrificing Bridegroom and the helpmate the Church/Bride. As head of the house the husband already enacts much of the role of priest (and bishop). It is One union of two people in Holiness founded on the Apostolic witnessing at Canna and involving the totality of both people so is Catholic. The unity of the family is also an imaging of the Trinity with the love of “I” and “You” being so strong that it becomes another person. They are members of the community set aside, but still in the community.

Monasticism is becoming a eunuch for the sake of the Kingdom. It is living as the angles do. It is being like the 144000 heavenly virgins. The monk is the holy in the actual “set aside” meaning. They show the church in the unity of the community. They live the path of purification, illumination, and theosis. They are the spiritual prayer athletes of the Church and foster humility, patience, and love. It is the monk who is capable of perpetual prayer.

Celibate priests living on their own are a departure from both ideas for the East.

Apostolic Tradition has as the norm married clergy. Bishops where to be chosen from among good house-hold leaders. Paul defended his status of single stating he had the right of marriage like the other Apostles. Of the Apostles Sacred Traditions holds that only Paul and John where unmarried.

What I would really like, is anything that further develops the theology of the ideas of the domestic Church. What I would really like is something with a high focus on the Old Testament Priesthood. It starts with the head of the house as the one who offers sacrifice (Adam, Noah) then the Priesthood develops into the Levitical Kohen where some members of Israel are chosen to be set aside. In both cases the Priests where married. Oh, and deals with Malchizedek.
 
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