Clerical Celibacy in the West: c.1100-1700

The issue of clerical celibacy has played a long and profound role in the history of the Christian church. From the first Christian centuries to the present day, the question of whether clergy should be allowed to marry has attracted a vast amount of theological attention and debate. Yet despite the acknowledged importance of this issue, there have been few attempts to present an objective and historical study of the origins and development of clerical celibacy.