[Lijahsbubbe]

Why are priests not allowed to marry? Does it say in the New Testament that priests cannot marry? If someone could help me here, thanks.

P.S. Love your favorite cartoon. I put that one on the wall at work.

[Conservative til I die]

Why are priests not allowed to marry? Does it say in the New Testament that priests cannot marry? If someone could help me here, thanks.

I can't tell if you're honestly curious or just asking a loaded question, but there is nothing in the Bible that makes clerical celibacy compulsory, and the Catholic Church has never said as much. It all boils down to two things. If you can't accept the second, then this argument will make no sense, but the two things are:

1) Christ was celibate, and clerical celibacy is based on the imitation of Christ. It also allows the priest to devote himself to Christ and his ministry, whereas a Protestant preacher has a wife, mortgage, kids, etc to worry about. Every minute spent worrying about them is a minute not spent doing clerical things. This isn't knocking preachers who have families, just a simple fact.

Basically, the reason for celibacy is spiritual, not just for the sake of of doing it.

2) The Church, as founded by Christ, holds teaching, doctrinal, and disciplinary authority over the Body of Christ. That means the Church can set certain rules. One of them happens to be the celibacy of the clergy. If, in 200 years, the Church feels that celibacy is a hindrance to spirituality or no longer necessary for it, it might relax the restrictions on it.

[Aquinasfan]

Why are priests not allowed to marry? Does it say in the New Testament that priests cannot marry? If someone could help me here, thanks.

Latin Rite Catholic priests have married in the past. Catholic priests of the Eastern Rites are allowed to marry today. Some Latin Rite (Roman Catholic) Catholic priests are licitly married today. Celibacy is a Church discipline, not a dogma, and it is based on the words of Christ:

Matthew 19:12

For some are eunuchs because they were born that way; others were made that way by men; and others have renounced marriage[ 19:12 Or have made themselves eunuchs] because of the kingdom of heaven. The one who can accept this should accept it."

St. Paul treats celibacy at length in 1 Corinthians 7.