The Concise Oxford Dictionary of World Religions (511 page)
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Celestial Master
(founder of Taoist school of Wu-tou-mi)
:
(founder of Taoist school of Wu-tou-mi)
:
Celestial Master School
(Taoist)
:
(Taoist)
:
Celibacy
.
.
A state of life without marriage, undertaken for religious or spiritual reasons. Celibacy was not practised among the Jews.
In Christianity, celibacy rests on the demand for the renunciation of family ties ‘for the sake of the kingdom’ (Mark 10. 29, Luke 18. 29). In the early church, it was an individual vocation. In the Eastern Orthodox church, the norm became one of unmarried bishops; other clergy could be married. In the West, celibacy was increasingly imposed, until from the time of Pope Gregory VII (d. 1095) it was assumed to be the rule. The Protestant
Reformation
abolished mandatory celibacy.
In other religions, celibacy may also be a permanent vocation (e.g. for Buddhist monks,
bhik
us
, unless their ordination is temporary), or it may be a temporary stage (e.g. the fourth
rama
for Hindus). It may be tolerated, as it is among Sikhs, though regarded as less than ideal.
In Christianity, celibacy rests on the demand for the renunciation of family ties ‘for the sake of the kingdom’ (Mark 10. 29, Luke 18. 29). In the early church, it was an individual vocation. In the Eastern Orthodox church, the norm became one of unmarried bishops; other clergy could be married. In the West, celibacy was increasingly imposed, until from the time of Pope Gregory VII (d. 1095) it was assumed to be the rule. The Protestant
Reformation
abolished mandatory celibacy.
In other religions, celibacy may also be a permanent vocation (e.g. for Buddhist monks,
bhik
us, unless their ordination is temporary), or it may be a temporary stage (e.g. the fourth
ramafor Hindus). It may be tolerated, as it is among Sikhs, though regarded as less than ideal.
Celsus
(2nd cent.).
Philosopher and opponent of Christianity. His
True Discourse
(
c.
178) is largely quoted in
Origen's
reply
Against Celsus
(mid-3rd cent.).
Philosopher and opponent of Christianity. His
True Discourse
(
c.
178) is largely quoted in
Origen's
reply
Against Celsus
(mid-3rd cent.).
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