The origins of imposed completely compulsory clerical celibacy in Roman Catholicism are in the 10th and 11th centuries.
Hildebrand (Pope St. Gregory VII) (c.1020-1085) was a very important figure in bringing about this change.
As this great book -
makes very clear.
Hildebrand (Pope Gregory VII) began the process that enforced CLERICAL CELIBACY in the Western Catholic Church - around 1,000 years ago!
This was never enforced in the Greek East.
Another aspect of this period revealed in this most entertaining book is that LAY or NON-CLERICAL marriage for the ordinary Christian people of Western Europe was ALSO profoundly affected by this change. Once again with a view to INCREASING THE CONTROL over people that the Church had!
For example - MARRIAGE was made a "sacrament" (and therefore comparable to becoming a priest) - in this period! It had never been regarded as anything like this before!
Why did this wrong turning occur?
Perhaps something to do with the corrupting influence of the FEUDAL SYSTEM!
Hildebrand (Pope St. Gregory VII) (c.1020-1085) was a very important figure in bringing about this change.
As this great book -
makes very clear.
Hildebrand (Pope Gregory VII) began the process that enforced CLERICAL CELIBACY in the Western Catholic Church - around 1,000 years ago!
This was never enforced in the Greek East.
Another aspect of this period revealed in this most entertaining book is that LAY or NON-CLERICAL marriage for the ordinary Christian people of Western Europe was ALSO profoundly affected by this change. Once again with a view to INCREASING THE CONTROL over people that the Church had!
For example - MARRIAGE was made a "sacrament" (and therefore comparable to becoming a priest) - in this period! It had never been regarded as anything like this before!
Why did this wrong turning occur?
Perhaps something to do with the corrupting influence of the FEUDAL SYSTEM!