Celibacy has a long history in Christian faith. It refers to the state of remaining unmarried or rather, living one's life without contracting marriage. This practice is an old and extensive as the world itself and is more likely to last as long as the world will or even last infinitely longer. That is quite interesting — for a practice to last for that long — and triggers the questions about its origin and why it has endured throughout human history. This brief research delves into answering the aforementioned questions, in addition to examining why celibacy has been so valued and which Christian groups still practice it. Celibacy is not only here to stay, but has undergone various transformations yet remains authentically what it was at the beginning.
As already hinted, celibacy is as old as the world may be since its origins are traced back to the story of Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden. According to existing scholarship on celibacy, one of which is an account of the history of celibacy by Denis Diderot(1713-1784), the practice in Christianity began with Adam and Eve when they lived as a sister and a brother in the Garden of Eden (Schneider, 2007; Haines-Eitzen, 2017). This scholarship observes that while in the Garden of Eden, Adam and Eve never had children nor did they know about marriage. It was not until they had eaten of the forbidden fruit that they were able to notice that they were naked and entered into marriage as husband and wife. It, however, remains uncertain as to the period over which they lived as celibate. What is clear though is that eating of the forbidden fruit, a figurative style used in the Scriptures, denotes contravention of celibacy and is what is used today to determine whether one is or is not a celibate (Schneider, 2007). Jewish scholars who subscribe to the theory on the origins of celibacy also add that following the birth of Cain and Abel, Adam and Eve once again went into living a celibate life for a hundred years — just before they got their third son Seth (Diderot, 2013). That said, Abel still remained the only one in ancient times to have lived his entire life as a celibate and whether his example became the ground upon which succeeding generations practiced celibacy is not yet established. What is certain, however, is that celibacy has been and remained a practice that is embraced by both men and women in Christian practice right from its origin.
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Beyond history, the other issue of research around celibacy is why it has been so valued and the answer lies again on examining its origin. In the beginning, God created Adam and gave him a helper called Eve. Eve was never created at that time, according to Christianity, as a conjugal partner to Adam, rather she would be his companion (Schneider, 2007). When the two had sinned against God by eating of the forbidden fruit (figurative for engaging in sexual act according to other translations, check Haines-Eitzen (2017)), they came to realize how terrible it was to see one's nakedness. Indeed, sexual activity has been associated with the idea of irregularity all over the world. There is shame attached to it as is the remorse in such occasions (Diderot, 2013). It is also believed in Christianity that the original sin committed by Adam and Eve has since been passed down to succeeding generations through the same sexual act. However, at the end of this life, human beings will go back into living lives with no husbands or wives in heaven, which in turn gives celibacy an eternal state. Therefore, apart from escaping passing the original sin or helping in perpetuating the act that resulted in remorse and in humans being inherently sinful, celibacy has been so valued because of its eternal state and as an act that God had somehow ordained at the beginning of times (Haines-Eitzen, 2007). Additionally, becoming a celibate is generally a difficult choice to make and that is why it is considered to be an honorable thing to do and those who do get honorable titles and appreciation of the special grace they have received to serve their God. For example, the Orientals call them eunuchs of heaven according to Diderot. Such titles set celibate apart from the rest and afford them a special place in the Christian faith.
While celibacy remains a common practice in Christianity, it has undergone various changes in the history of mankind to be where it is today. Diderot (2013) observed that celibacy has never had a smooth journey. It was first forbidden because humans operated within the precept that God had commanded them to fill the earth with their offspring. Thus, childlessness was considered unusual and a sign of God's punishment on an individual while having many children spoke to the blessings one had from God (Haines-Eitzen, 2017). Then it became tolerated as many opted for it in the succeeding generations. Next, it was approved when Apostle Paul advised priests to decide to remain celibate and serve God or leave their services and marry (Schneider, 2007). Finally, it was commanded, as has been the practice in the Catholic Church where once one has become a priest, one must forget about marrying or having children. Indeed, the common practice in the Catholic Church is for priests and deacons as well as the Pope to remain celibate.
From the preceding discussion, celibacy originated with Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden. Succeeding generations embraced it as an act in compliance with what God had intended for man, which was to live a holy life. The practice is valued due to the perceived grace that one requires to practice it. Even after centuries of transformations, it remains authentic. It also remains a famous practice in the Catholic Church.
References
Diderot, D. (2013). "Celibacy". The Encyclopedia of Diderot & d'Alembert Collaborative Translation Project, 2, 801-806, 1752. Translated by Siân Reynolds. Ann Arbor: Michigan Publishing, University of Michigan Library. Retrieved 11 Jul 2018, from http://hdl.handle.net/2027/spo.did2222.0002.669
Haines-Eitzen, K. (2017). The Surprisingly Complicated History of Celibacy and Priesthood. Newsweek.com. Retrieved 11 Jul 2018, from http://www.newsweek.com/surprisingly-complicated-history-celibacy-priesthood-574670
Schneider, M. R. (2007). The Ancient Tradition of Clerical Celibacy. Homiletic & Pastoral Review, 18-25. San Francisco, CA: Ignatius Press. Retrieved 11 Jul 2018, from https://www.catholicculture.org/culture/library/view.cfm?recnum=7663
