Celibacy

Definition and Meaning

Celibacy, or singleness (獨身), is the state of living unmarried. In Christianity the term can denote not only the unmarried state in general but also a life in which a person voluntarily chooses not to marry in order to devote himself or herself to the service of God. In the Catholic Church, celibacy is observed through a vow of chastity (貞潔, living a sexually pure life). Chastity is counted, together with poverty and obedience, among the evangelical counsels.

Biblical and Historical Background

• Jesus spoke of those "which have made themselves eunuchs for the kingdom of heaven's sake," adding, "He that is able to receive it, let him receive it" (Matthew 19:12).
• Paul regarded it as good to remain unmarried, as he was. At the same time, he described celibacy as a gift that each person receives from God, and he stated that marrying is not a sin (1 Corinthians 7:7–9, 7:28, 7:32–35).
• 1 Timothy 4:3 warns against teachings that forbid marriage.

From the time of the early church onward, celibacy, along with the monastic life, was regarded as a higher form of spiritual life. The Western church established clerical celibacy as an institution through councils such as the Second Lateran Council of 1139. The Eastern Orthodox Church permits married men to become priests, but it chooses its bishops from among celibate monastics.

The Reformers opposed making vows of celibacy obligatory. Martin Luther married Katharina von Bora, a former nun, in 1525. The Augsburg Confession also contains an article on the marriage of priests.

Practice in the Korean Church

• Protestantism: In most denominations, it is taken for granted that pastors marry. The custom of calling a pastor's wife samo has also become established. Celibacy is respected as a gift, but it is neither a requirement for holding church office nor the object of a vow. Some observers note, however, that congregations tend to prefer married pastors in the pastoral call process.
• Anglicanism: Priests of the Anglican Church of Korea may marry. The church also has religious orders whose members take vows of celibacy.
• Catholicism: Priests and religious in the Korean Catholic Church observe celibacy.
• Missionary history: Single women are known to have made up a considerable share of the missionaries in the early Korean missions.
• Contemporary challenges: As the number of adults who do not marry grows, the question of how congregations should embrace single members who have aged out of the young adult ministry has been raised as a pastoral challenge. Some also argue that church cultures that treat marriage as a measure of spiritual maturity or of being "normal" should be reexamined.