Theology question/need help

[Nickieb03]

My friend and I are getting into a heated argument right now about the Catholic faith. He's Christian and a minister and is saying that no where in scripture that it says Priest can not have sex or be married and there can not be woman ministers..and I need help proving him wrong or saying something smart and intellectual back to him. Please someone help me..he's bashing my religion and I'm trying to make my points but he keeps shooting me down.

 

[pgp_protector]

My friend and I are getting into a heated argument right now about the Catholic faith. He's Christian and a minister and is saying that no where in scripture that it says Priest can not have sex or be married and there can not be woman ministers..and I need help proving him wrong or saying something smart and intellectual back to him. Please someone help me..he's bashing my religion and I'm trying to make my points but he keeps shooting me down.

Why do you have to "say something smart back to him" ?

 

[MoNiCa4316]

One of the differences between Catholics and Protestants is that we are not "sola scriptura".. we also have Tradition. Actually Protestants have traditions too they just wouldn't admit it

The reason we don't have female priests is because the priests represent Christ when they celebrate the Sacraments and Christ is a Man. Also because the Apostles were all men. This doesn't mean that the Church is against women, after all Mary is a woman and she is considered to be higher than the Angels, second only to God. Women simply have a different role in the Church.

As for priests marrying or not marrying, - in the Eastern Catholic churches, priests can be married (prior to becoming priests.. meaning that they can't get married when they are priests already). In the Latin rite, priests don't marry. This allows them to have more time to focus on God and serve the parish. It's also linked to what St Paul said in Scripture:

In 1 Corinthians 7 Paul gives some advice regarding to marriage. At the end of the first paragraph (verse 7) Paul says that he wishes every man were like he is (single and entirely devoted to God). Furthermore, in verses 32 to 35 he says:
“I would like you to be free from concern. An unmarried man is concerned about the Lord’s affairs—how he can please the Lord. But a married man is concerned about the affairs of this world—how he can please his wife— and his interests are divided. An unmarried woman or virgin is concerned about the Lord’s affairs: Her aim is to be devoted to the Lord in both body and spirit. But a married woman is concerned about the affairs of this world—how she can please her husband. I am saying this for your own good, not to restrict you, but that you may live in a right way in undivided devotion to the Lord.”

Hope this helps.. God bless!

 

[Dark_Lite]

My friend and I are getting into a heated argument right now about the Catholic faith. He's Christian and a minister and is saying that no where in scripture that it says Priest can not have sex or be married and there can not be woman ministers..and I need help proving him wrong or saying something smart and intellectual back to him. Please someone help me..he's bashing my religion and I'm trying to make my points but he keeps shooting me down.

Male-only priesthood is based in both Scripture and Tradition. There are plenty of Protestant denominations that have only male ministers. Celibacy, on the other hand, is purely disciplinary and could be changed at the Pope's whim. The eastern rites of the Church allow married priests in the manner Monica described.

 

[JimR-OCDS]

My friend and I are getting into a heated argument right now about the Catholic faith. He's Christian and a minister and is saying that no where in scripture that it says Priest can not have sex or be married and there can not be woman ministers..and I need help proving him wrong or saying something smart and intellectual back to him. Please someone help me..he's bashing my religion and I'm trying to make my points but he keeps shooting me down.

Celibacy of the priesthood is a discipline, and not mandated in Scripture.

However, St Paul does show how a married minister will have concerns for his family, where an unmarried man can serve God alone.

There is no mention of female priest or ministers in Scripture. In fact, St. Paul pretty much says women should keep their heads covered and be silent. They should not be teachers of men.

Of course this needs to be understood in its historical context, but its strange that fundamentalist will take everything in the Bible literally, except certain parts such as this.

Jim

 

[Eucharisted]

Ignore him. He doesn't care for truth, he only cares to hurt you.

And if he bashes your religion, than he's not really a friend at all.

 

[eastcoast_bsc]

Ignore him. He doesn't care for truth, he only cares to hurt you.

And if he bashes your religion, than he's not really a friend at all.

A little presumptuous here. The truth also mandates us to act with kindness and not be judgmental. Many Protestants are fine Christians, as well as Orthodox.

 

[eastcoast_bsc]

I believe scripturally your friend is both wrong and right. Scripture does say that those in ministry can be married. read the qualifications of a Bishop in the new testament. Also there is scripture stating that Woman are not to teach.

But the Catholic Church has a tradition of not allowing Priests to marry.

 

[eastcoast_bsc]

whoever aspires to the office of bishop* desires a noble task. 2Now a bishop* must be above reproach, married only once,* temperate, sensible, respectable, hospitable, an apt teacher, 3not a drunkard, not violent but gentle, not quarrelsome, and not a lover of money. 4He must manage his own household well, keeping his children submissive and respectful in every way— 5for if someone does not know how to manage his own household, how can he take care of God’s church? 6He must not be a recent convert, or he may be puffed up with conceit and fall into the condemnation of the devil. 7Moreover, he must be well thought of by outsiders, so that he may not fall into disgrace and the snare of the devil.

...

I left you behind in Crete for this reason, that you should put in order what remained to be done, and should appoint elders in every town, as I directed you: 6someone who is blameless, married only once,* whose children are believers, not accused of debauchery and not rebellious. 7For a bishop,* as God’s steward, must be blameless; he must not be arrogant or quick-tempered or addicted to wine or violent or greedy for gain; 8but he must be hospitable, a lover of goodness, prudent, upright, devout, and self-controlled. 9He must have a firm grasp of the word that is trustworthy in accordance with the teaching, so that he may be able both to preach with sound doctrine and to refute those who contradict it.