[DittoJed2]

Dr. Stanley didn't have an affair. That wasn't his wife's beef. I think he was too devoted to the ministry and there were other emotional problems involved.

[Iowegian]

Dr. Stanley didn't have an affair.

Sorry, I didn't mean to imply that he did. I was being absurd to prove a point, not to impune Dr. Stanley.

[Notwithstanding]

Your post points to one reason for the discipline of celibate clergy.

It is interesting to see that the meaning of the scripture passage is now in dispute, whereas those who criticize non-married Catholic leaders for violating the passage always claim they know exactly what the passage means (claiming that "must be the husband of but one wife" = a church leader must be married).

[aimhigh]

Dr. Stanley didn't have an affair. That wasn't his wife's beef. I think he was too devoted to the ministry and there were other emotional problems involved.

Consider that this disqualifies Stanley on two points. First, he's now longer the husband of one wife. He's divorced. The word for "one" has the meaning of first and only.

Second, if the marraige failed due to being too devoted to the ministry, then he failed to manage his household well.

It's amazing how hard the church tries to "dumb down" the requires of 1 Tim 3. These should not be considered to be high, almost unreachable standards, but the minimum requirements for the job. It's not a matter of being legalistic, but of being obediant