Why are you inciting a flame war for the RC v. others?
I am not sure why it is important to illustrate one man's decision. How can that single fact be expected to sway anybody. It is just more red meat for the choir, hoping there are some hungry a capella singers looking for a bite...
I have made it clear that I do not accept the RC hierarchy. Please do not ping me again about this. If I care to comment on a thread, I will do it on my own volition. Thanks, anyway /sarcasm
I am Catholic, as I think my sig indicates! and have been in open forums and have always discussed theological differences with Protestants here in a fair manner. On this point, I have to agree with you. This is an interesting thread but should not be used to turn it into a flame war.
However, the article does indicate that since 1980 when Pope John Paul II signed “Pastoral Provision” that over 100 former Protestant Clergy (Mostly Anglican and some Lutheran) have been ordained to the Catholic Priesthood [and many of those as married men].
Points I see here, many of these men were starting to see the wisdom of a continuity of Tradition down through the centuries, rather than what is becoming more and more of a discontinuity in many of the Prosteant Confessions and see in the Bishop of Rome and the Magesterium a source of authority to sort out theological questions that have arisen and will continue to arise. Next, I think this also shows that the Catholic Church sees that Confessional Protestants and Catholics, while having some theological differences, also have more in common, and this jesture by the Catholic Church was a charitable and Christian way to welcome back old friends back to the Church.
Finally, it also illustrates that while celibacy is a discipline supported by sacred scripture, one with eschatalogical signifiance [c.f. Mt 19: 11-12, 1 Cor 7:32, Rev 14:4], it is not a doctrine of the Catholic Church and thus married men can be ordained in the Catholic Church, although the norm is celibacy for Priests in the Latin/Roman Church.
Anyway, regards and lets hope the rest of this thread is discussed without the polemics.