Month: July 2021

ENFORCED CELIBACY In this second instalment, I examine the policy of the enforced celibacy of clergy. Within the Catholic church, priests and nuns are prohibited from marrying, based upon the belief that abstention from sex and freedom from marital ties will enable them to be more singularly devoted to God’s service. Similarly, within Eastern and …

This is the first in a short series of articles aimed at examining some of the religious rituals and practices that originated many centuries ago and which have persisted into the modern world. The series aims to examine the historical roots of these practices and evaluate the relevance of their continued practice. Let me start …